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Superimposing Images

In the above picture, an arrow was superimposed over the video. It was made by making an image file with a black background, and a white arrow, then using the tools in Adobe Premiere to make the black areas transparent, and then overlaying the rest over the video. To find out how to do this, follow the instructions below.

Launch Adobe Premiere (Start Menu -> Programs -> Pinnacle Systems DV500 -> Adobe Premiere). After the program is launched, Premiere will ask you for new project settings. Make sure to choose the appropriate settings (for more information, see Using Adobe Premiere)

First create the image that you are going to superimpose. You can create the image using a program like Photoshop, if you like. Just make sure that the part of the image that you want to be transparent is black. There is also a way to make everything that is white transparent instead of the black areas, but white arrows show up much better on video than arrows of other colors.

You can also make superimposed images through Adobe Premiere itself, although the tools that are available are not as powerful as the ones in Photoshop. To use Premiere's tools, go up to the File menu, and choose the New option, and then choose the Title option in the submenu that pops up (as in the picture below).

A window should pop up like the one pictured below. You create the title in the main part of the window, and the tools that are available are along the left side.

If the background is not black, you can make it back by right-clicking on the background, and choosing the Title Window Options choice from the menu that pops up.

You can then click on the area below the word Background, and that will allow you to choose a color for the background. It is usually best to choose black. Make sure that the Opaque option is NOT selected.

Once you have chosen the background color, click OK. Next, make sure that what you are drawing is going to be white. To do this, first look at the toolbar along the left side of the window.

See the box that has a gradient in it (it's slightly above the middle of the above picture). The white box that is overlapping the box with the gradient is the color that you are currently drawing in. Make sure that is white (if it's not, you can click on it, and then select white from the window that pops up).

Now, you're ready to start drawing. Select the Filled Polygon Tool. In the below picture, you can tell that it is selected because it is darker than the other tools.

To draw an arrow, first click on the three corners of where you would like the head of the arrow to be.

Once the head of the arrow has been drawn, three boxes will show up on the verticies of the head that will allow you to reshape the arrow. Make sure that it is the size and shape that you want.

Next choose the Filled Rectangle Tool.

Use that to draw the body of the arrow.

Once you are satisfied that the arrow is the correct size and shape and is in the correct position, close the window, and choose the save the file on the F:. Use the default .ptl extension that Adobe Premiere will suggest that you use. Once you have saved the file to the hard disk, you have to import the file into your Adobe Premiere project. Go up to the File menu, and choose the Import choice, and then choose the File choice from the submenu that pops up.

Then find the file that you just made, and hit Open. If you are looking for a file that is on the F drive (which is where video editing files should be stored), you will need to first go to the desktop to get to the F: drive.

Double-click on Shortcut to Users (F). In the above picture, it's the object to the far right.

After hitting the Open button, the files that you selected will then show up in the Project window, along with any video files (.avi) that you have imported.

Drag that file from the Projects window down onto the Timeline window, and make sure to drop it in the Video 2 Track.

By placing the cursor at the right or left edge of the file in the Video 2 track, you can make that file be superimposed over the video (in tracks Video 1A or Video 1B) for whatever time duration you want.

Next, right-click on the file in track Video 2, and go to the Video option in the menu that pops up. Then choose Transparency in the submenu that pops up.

In the window that pops up, make sure that the Key Type is chosen to be Black Alpha Matte. This will make everything that is black become transparent. Alternatively, you can choose White Alpha Matte, which will make everything that is white transparent. There are also a lot of other Key Types that you can use if you are trying to do something more complicated.

Once you have selected the appropriate Key Type, click OK.

Next, if you want to make the arrow fade in and out, you will need to expand the Video 2 track. Look for the rightward facing arrow next to the Video 2 label (like the one in the picture below).

If you click on that arrow, it should change to a downward facing arrow, and the track will be taller and display additional information.

Finally, in the pink area, manipulate the line so that the image that you are superimposing fades in and out. The line in the pink area shows the level of opacity. When the line is at the top of the pink area, the superimposed image will be at its brightest. When the line in the pink area is at the bottom of the pink area, the superimposed image will be invisible. To make the superimposed image fade in and out, you will want to make a trapezoid out of the line in the pink area. Click on any area of the line to manipulate it.

Finally, make samples of that section of the movie to make sure that the arrows are fading in and out at the appropriate times, and in the appropriate locations.