Scrolling text in FCP?

Personal opinion, FCP's scrolling text (for credits and such), isn't that great. So my personal recommendation would be to look to Motion or After Effects to do it (if you have the know how and ability to use those programs). As for doing it in FCP itself, it should be under your effects tab. Go to the effects tab, to Video Generators and then the Text section. Under that there should be one of the text options that says Scrolling Text. Give it a try and see if it meets your needs.

Cheers.
 
If you want to do scrolling text in FCP:

Got to the "A" in the "Film" at the lower right of the Canvas then choose "Text" then "Scrolling Text"

Scrolling_Text.jpg


Now, in the canvas window goto the "Controls" tab and input your text in the text window. Use the (*) as the separator with a space or two on either side. You can make all your adjustments to text on the the Controls page, then drag it to the timeline...

Text_Scroll.jpg
 
I had great results when I made the text file in photoshop, imported it into fcp and key framed he scroll. No flickering etc...
 
Lake Films said:
I had great results when I made the text file in photoshop, imported it into fcp and key framed he scroll. No flickering etc...
Click to expand...

I completely agree with Lake Films' method. That is the exact method I use for all my scrolling needs. Advantages to using Photoshop over FCP built-in text tools:

- You can change font sizes for each line & letter. FCP doesn't let you control the text layout. For instance if you wanted to do something like this:

creds.gif


Where the web address is smaller than everything else or to be able to adjust tracking or kerning or line height separate from the other lines & letters, you can do that in Photoshop but NOT in FCP.

- You can have different color fonts.
- You can put in other images.
- It's just easier and you get more control.

Workflow:
- Create Titles in Photoshop. If it is long scrolling text it might look like this:

end_credits_01.gif


(I don't know off-hand if there is a pixel limit in FCP. There didn't seem to be one.)

Save out the file as a PNG so you have the Alpha Channel if you want the credits to roll over video.

(tip: blur it a little in PS to take the 'edge' off the fonts also so you don't get flicker)

- Bring the PNG into FCP and put it on the timeline, resize to the length it should run. I'm assuming it'll be at the end. If it will run over some footage put the credits on top like so:

timeline_01.gif



- Set Key Points. It might helpful to turn on Image + Wireframe in the Canvas window:

keypoints.gif


- Zoom out a bit so you can see what yer doing:

zoomout.gif



You get the idea.

Hope that was helpful. :beer:
 
ph man, that's awesome. Ian, lake, blaine thanks a ton. I'm going to try both methods out tonight to see which I like best but I can tell already that I'm going to have fun watching the credits roll over some moving footage!

Jay
 
hey,
I just created a file in photoshop (on a mac) and there's no .png extension type....

Is it different on a mac?
 
What version of PS are you using? I'm on a mac using Photoshop CS version 1. Photoshop from 6 on I know has PNG as a file format for saving. Save As --> PNG (should be near the bottom)

Do you have iChat? Look me up and we can chat live and I can help.

My name on iChat: arnchalooo
 
Hey,
I'm using CS as well... Went to About Photoshop and it sas version 8.

I don't have ichat thought.... I'll go check for it again.
 
Dudes...

Of course you know that FCP comes with Boris text generators (Text 3D, Text Crawl, etc.) that provide a lot more control than the FCP text generators? Gives you full control over letter sizes, fonts, colors, spacing, kerning, on a letter by letter basis, and has lots of rotation, type-on, animation, shadow, glow, gradient, 3d effects, etc... all accessible within the free FCP plug-ins.

That said, for long, complicated scrolls with a lot of complex formatting, I still usually go the Photoshop -> FCP route (especially if there are graphics incorporated into the scroll). But FCP as shipped actually has some very sophisticated and powerful text- and scroll-handling capabilities. Check the Boris generators!
 
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ullanta said:
Dudes...

Of course you know that FCP comes with Boris text generators (Text 3D, Text Crawl, etc.) that provide a lot more control than the FCP text generators? Gives you full control over letter sizes, fonts, colors, spacing, kerning, on a letter by letter basis, and has lots of rotation, type-on, animation, shadow, glow, gradient, 3d effects, etc... all accessible within the free FCP plug-ins.

That said, for long, complicated scrolls with a lot of complex formatting, I still usually go the Photoshop -> FCP route (especially if there are graphics incorporated into the scroll). But FCP as shipped actually has some very sophisticated and powerful text- and scroll-handling capabilities. Check the Boris generators!
Click to expand...

I'm using FCP 4.5, I don't think it has Boris as I can't find it anywhere.
 
Hmmm... I've used FCP since 3.0 and they've all had it... it may be a separate install from the discs... do you have those around?
 
Ok I chose all of the photoshops and none of them give a .png extention.

Only getting .psd, .eps, .pdf, .ram

I hate being this guy, lol.
 
ullanta said:
Hmmm... I've used FCP since 3.0 and they've all had it... it may be a separate install from the discs... do you have those around?
Click to expand...


Have to do some digging. Been a while since I installed, plus I moved so I'm still not fully unpacked....
 
Try merging all layers EXCEPT the background layer, then just save as a photoshop file; FCP will read that and let you get rid of the background. FCP recognizes layered photoshop (and preserves transparency), and lets you switch layers on and off, but doesn't apply FCP layer effects. So I think rendering / merging the layers will give you what you need.
 
Anyway, in earlier versions they weren't always explicitly listed as "Boris" - but if you have a "Text3D" generator, try that!
 
I'm going to have to try the text3d way to see if it works out.

I tried to save as a photoshop file, it saved a .psd file and when i imported into FCP it came in as a sequence. lol, i can't believe I'm having this kind of trouble, lol.
 
right, it comes in as a nested sequence. open the sequence, and you'll have a track for each layer.

I've always just dragged PSD files to the timeline. Anyway, I think you can just drag the sequence into your timeline...

P.S., Boris confirms you should have Boris Calligraphy in 4.5: http://www.borisfx.com/products/calligraphy/
 
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