Anatomy of a theme
For examples of how themes work, let’s examine the included “50s Modern” theme, which contains five templates.
All the templates in this particular theme use the same backdrop design – an abstract, scrolling pattern. It is continuously visible except during full-frame video segments. The coloring of the pattern is set using a parameter control available in the Theme Editor for each of these templates.
Now let’s look at each template in turn to see how it is constructed from the elements – clips and captions – that you supply in the Theme Editor.
Opening: An Opening template usually starts with some sort of animation, including titles, and ends with full frame video. Our “50s Modern” example follows that pattern.
The scrolling background animation runs through most of this sequence. Within the animation, two customizable captions are displayed. They are represented in the diagram below by lines on the “Animation” bar. Both captions are flown into and out of the frame (dark line color), with a one and a half second pause for stationary display (light line color) in between.
Schematic representation of the Opening template in the ‘50s Modern’ theme, at its default length of about 14 seconds.
Just as the second caption is leaving the frame, an animated panel containing the running video subclip is launched. The video zooms to full frame by 11:18 in the theme clip, and remains so through to the end (the white portion of the “Video” bar in the diagram).
By default, the length of this theme clip is 13:29. The embedded video clip starts at a fixed offset of 7:03 and runs to the end; its length is therefore 6:26. If your video subclip is long enough, you can lengthen the overall clip, extending the full-frame video portion. This capability is indicated in the diagram above by the arrow at the end of the “Video” bar.
Segue A: Segue templates connect two full-frame video sequences by means of some kind of animation. This first Segue example begins with two seconds of full-frame video, then zooms out to reveal a formation of multiple video panels running simultaneously. Zooming in on the final subclip leads to an expandable section of full-frame video.
Segue A integrates multiple video sources.
Segue B: This Segue achieves the basic aim of connecting two video clips more simply than the previous one. The first subclip starts at full frame, then zooms out while rotating away from the viewer. When the reverse side of its rotating panel comes into view, the second subclip is seen to have replaced the first. The panel zooms in to fill the frame towards the end of the clip.
Segue B creates a simpler transition.
Once again, the full-screen segment of the second subclip can be extended by expanding the theme clip on the Timeline.
Segue C: This is similar to Segue B, except that the flying video panel takes an extra spin in the middle to admit one more subclip into the sequence.
Segue C includes a bridging video subclip.
The final subclip is again expandable.
Ending: The purpose of an Ending template mirrors that of an Opening template, and in this example the internal structure is also mirrored almost exactly. Full-frame video recedes to a flying panel that gives way to animated captions – exactly the opposite of the Opening sequence described above. The one difference is that in this case the full-frame video portion of the clip is not extendable.
The Ending theme is essentially a mirror image of the Opening theme.