The Premiere Elements Titler has been the subject of several of the blog posts in this ATR Premiere Elements Troubleshooting series. Some examples of this focus can be found in
PE: Typewriter Animation Effects For Titler Text
PE11: Titler Shapes For Highlighting
PE: Titler - Part 2 Styles
ISSUE
A title with background color gradients was wanted for a Premiere Elements project, and it was decided to look to the project's Titler/Color Palette/Gradient as a possible way to create these color gradients in the title file without having to go to Photoshop Elements to create the title and then import it into Premiere Elements. In Premiere Elements Titler's Color Palette/Gradient the gradient choices are Linear Gradient, Radial Gradient, and 4 Color Gradient. It was decided to explore each for a project's title with background color gradients.
EXPLORATION APPROACH AND OUTCOMES
(Basic idea is to apply a color gradient to title in project's opened Titler, close Titler, apply Chroma Key to that title on the Timeline in order to convert one of the colors of the color gradient to transparency. Intent is to have a feather like edge for the insert that will go into the transparent area of the title. More details are given for the 4 Color Gradient approach than for Linear Gradient and Radial Gradient; but, basic idea is same for all.)
4 Color Gradient Approach
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| Figure 1. The Titler's 4 Color Gradient Used To Create The Background And Overall Effect As Seen In Expert Workspace Monitor. |
Text Menu/New Text/Default Text/Shape Section of opened Titler/Shape Section's Rectangle Tool.
And, Rectangle Tool used to draw rectangle to fill the entire black area of the Titler displayed in Expert workspace monitor.
Step 2.
Then, Shape Section's Color Palette/Gradient/4 Color Gradient.
4 Color Gradient settings (R-G-B)
upper left, 142-181-110 for light green color
upper right, 39-31-194 for dark blue color
lower left, 199-177-32 for golden color
lower right, 235-138-162 for red color
Titler closed
Step 3
Title created moved to Video Track 2 and Chroma Key applied to the title to convert dark blue color to transparency. Editing of Chroma Key included
Chroma Key's eyedropper to top right corner with dark blue color
Chroma Key's Similarity's slider to right to increase area of transparency created
Chroma Key's Blend to adjust/smooth edge between transparency and color area
Chroma Key's Smoothness = High.
Step 4
Hydrangeas.jpg photo imported and placed on Video Track 1 directly below title on Video Track, and Hydrangeas photo sized and positioned to fill the area of transparency created in the title above. In addition, the final look wanted may include resizing and positioning the 4 Color Gradient title as well as a little adjustments of the Blend option of Chroma Key.
Tip: To assure that correct file is being selected for adjustment, reminder...right click monitor, select Select, followed by the name of the file to be adjusted.
Step 5
Anew, Text Menu/New Text/Default Text to create the Tribute to Mother text for this project. Text Menu/Roll Crawl Options in this opened Titler to create a rolling text effect with custom settings for Start Off Screen and End Off Screen. Refer to following H.264.mp4 export of this title.
Roll Crawl Options dialog's settings: Title Type = Roll, check mark next to Start Off Screen, no check mark next to End Off Screen, Preroll = 0, and Postroll set to 80 frames. Set up with some manual position adjusts. The finished title with the Tribute to Mother text on Video Track 3.
Linear Gradient Approach
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| Figure 2. The Titler's Linear Gradient Used To Create The Background And Overall Effect As Seen In Expert Workspace Monitor. |
For the Linear Gradient approach the title's text was embellished in the Titler by applying the Titler's Animation "Scale In" to the text that read "Mother and us in videos and photos". Refer to the H.264.mp4 export of this title for the effect.
Linear Gradient works from 2 colors. The R-G-B settings were light green 178-232-135 and blue 89-174-240. Green was the color taken to transparency using Chroma Key. Adjusts of the gradient in the opened Titler included Angle setting moved from 0 to 55, and adjustments to position of setting boxes to any direction that would enhance the feather like look between the two colors. Imagination and coordination of positioning of elements (title in opened Titler and title on Timeline when Titler closed) were mayor keys to the outcome.
Radial Gradient Approach
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| Figure 3. The Titler's Radial Gradient Used To Create The Background And Overall Effect As Seen In Expert Workspace Monitor. |
For the Radial Gradient approach the title's text was embellished in the Titler by applying the Titler's Animation "SpinInByLine" to the text that read "Special Family Videos and Photos". Refer to the H.264.mp4 export of this title for the effect.
Radial Gradient works from 2 colors. The R-G-B settings were green 104-179-43 and purple/blue 124-78-222. Reverse and Repeat options are available but were not used here. Use of Repeat option can produce concentric circles pattern for which I have not yet found an application.
COMMENTARY
In over-viewing the project, probably explore, experiment, and create are thought to be the major ingredients for the finished creation rather than one fixed recipe.
Work was done with Premiere Elements 2018 on Windows 7 Professional SP1 64 bit, but should be applicable to other versions of Premiere Elements on their supported operating systems.
Best wishes with your results.
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ATR
