6 Replies Latest reply: Mar 13, 2014 11:42 AM by Lone Lobo RSS

    A track matte issue of perplexing dimension

    Lone Lobo Community Member

      I am just trying to highlight sections of a paper form in Premiere CS6 using the track matte key effect. I am trying to use a box I made in the title tool to act as the key to highlight a piece of text  or an area of the form but am running into a strange problem.  The box that I make in the title tool doesn't maintain it's size (and possibly position) when put on the timeline and used as the target for the track matte key.  I have taken a couple of screen grabs to illustrate.title tool.JPG

      So here is a text box that I am using to highlight a line of text as it appears in the title tool.

       

      program window.JPG

      This is what I get in the timeline.  As you can see it is MUCH smaller than in the title tool and not centered. 

      I have tried changing the title tool dimensions to match both the timeline and the original clip dimensions, but to no avail.  If I try to resize the text box by selecting in on the timeline and resizing and moving it via the effect controls window, it will not let me move it far enough to the left to compensate for it's smaller size, etc. than in the title tool.  If I double click (the title box) clip to bring the title tool up then the larger size box in the title tool obscures the smaller box in the timeline and I can't adjust with any precision. And I can't get the effect to extend further left than where it is in the timeline already.

       

      In the above timeline, video 2 is a duplicate of video 1 and video 3 is my text box.  Track matte key is applied to video 2 and uses video 3 as the track matte.  Then I lower the opacity of video 1 and I have the effect I want, just no control to position it where I want it.  Any ideas of what I'm doing wrong?

        • 1. Re: A track matte issue of perplexing dimension
          Peru Bob Community Member

          Is the title the same size as the sequence setting?

          • 2. Re: A track matte issue of perplexing dimension
            Lone Lobo Community Member

            Yes, as stated in the original email,

            ”I have tried changing the title tool dimensions to match both the timeline and the original clip dimensions, but to no avail. ”

            • 3. Re: A track matte issue of perplexing dimension
              Lone Lobo Community Member

              I think I may have discovered what is happening, but it is too early to be definitive. The form is a scanned image that was cropped in photoshop and saved as a jpg.  The clip is a .jpg that is non-standard timeline format.  When I view properties it shows as being huge (1664x2328)....BUT, I've repositioned and resized it to show the left side of the form.  The key is being applied to the (1664x2328) jpg but that jpg is on a 1280x1080 (1.5 pixel aspect raio for P2) Timeline.  So when I move the .jpg form to show the left side better, the edge of the .jpg limits the edge of the key.  AND, the humongous size of the .jpg is in effect shrinking the video sized text box from the titler.

               

              So, my solution is to:

              1) Import the giant jpg to the timeline and position/size it where I want it to be.

              2) Export that frame from the timeline as another jpg.  That gets me a .jpg at the resolution of the timeline.

              3) Replace 1st jpg (on video track 2) with 2nd jpg(exported from the timeline)

              4) Apply Track Matte Key and select key source

              4) Make Text box and put in timeline, lower the opacity of the bottom video track and Bob's your uncle.

               

              However, I would like to animate the giant jpg with keyframes, in order to move around on the form and then highlight areas as above but without going thru all the export/import/etc. hassle.  Anyone know of an easier way in Premiere?  Would an adjustment layer present all the same issues I've been having with the (non-standard size)jpg as a track matte key?

               

              MY APOLOGIES TO PERU BOB. I had checked both the timeline size AND all the video clips size, but forgot that the forms had been scanned rather than shot in camera.  Thanks Bob for making me look at all those sizes again.  YOU are da bomb!

              • 4. Re: A track matte issue of perplexing dimension
                Richard M Knight Community Member

                You could try nesting your original picture and applying the track matte to that.

                • 5. Re: A track matte issue of perplexing dimension
                  Ann Bens CommunityMVP

                  Yes an scale both pictures down in that nest and not in the main timeline.

                  Then you do not need to make an export frame.

                  • 6. Re: A track matte issue of perplexing dimension
                    Lone Lobo Community Member

                    Awesomeness!  You guys ROCK!