simple title questions

I just can't remember how to create a white background with dark text. I have looked at the manuals...looked online.
Sorry for such a stupid question.
Eileen

Hi Eileen. I am not the expert here, but I would use matte or shape to create the white background and then Title or Boris 3D to create the text with a black fill.

There may be a more elegant way, but this should work.

Rob

Thanks Rob..I figured it out. I had to go into effects in the browser then video generators..and matte color. I wish there was a better manual! It shouldn't have taken me over an hour to find it.
Eileen

Eileen,
Please don't take this too personally but...you should probably take a certified class to familiarize yourself better with the entire app. Hunting around in the manual should then be only an occasional occurence as an hour is way too long to search for a single item.

BTW, did you know that the manual comes as a PDF that is searchable? I can find any issue in seconds, literally.

Good luck to you.



Kevin Monahan
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A big part of learning an application is "learning how to learn". I agree with Kevin -- you should know approximately where in the interface to search even when dealing with an option you've never used before, and figure out solutions ("workarounds", as we call them) so that you don't get stuck. These applications were created with multiple ways of achieving a certain goal.

Manuals aren't good learning tools because they're not written with a user (and a real user's progressive learning curve) in mind. They often tell you things you don't need to know and hold off on things you do want. That's why most FCP training books are far better learning materials than manuals.

Even better still, when you're not working on an important project, sit down in front of the application and just try the widest array of crazy ideas possible. Don't even think about story, finesse, image quality etc.; focus on techniques and executing different commands. In my earliest days of editing, I shot 40 minutes of footage every week and started a new editing project every week, with each project exploring an aspect I've never tackled (eg. how to go into a two-sided split-screen from a two-shot, without a cut). And I gave myself a deadline so that no project ever went beyond its own week, so I forced myself to start from scratch every time. No class can completely replace the intuitive muscle/eye memory that comes of having done something before, and indeed most of these editing/effects classes concentrate heavily on
hands-on practice rather than lecture. Ground your learning curve with physical familiarity, supplement with classes and pro tricks, and you'll be in good shape.

Have fun. It's a lot easier to learn if you do!