Video Titles, How to Create Them

Discovering video titles

video titlesOn this page we will teach you about video titles. We will show you how to make one specific type of title. Then your job is to look at each step and then experiment with variations.

In the example explained here, you will make the background of a video darken. Then it will become the rest of a video. In the initial faded section, the title of the video will be displayed.

The very last frame will segue into the first frame of the rest of the video. In this example, that first frame will have the overpass full of well-wishers with Canadian flags.

Summary of this video titles page

This 3 minute video summarizes what you will read below.

How to make video titles like the one above, 13 steps:

  1. video titlesCopy (Cmd C)  the first 10 seconds of your video into your clipboard. Using the example of the animated GIF to the right, paste it into a new ScreenFlow document.
  2. Right-click and click Detach Audio. Then delete the audio.
  3. Reverse that clip.
  4. Make it into an MP4 file.
  5. Drag it onto Keynote.
  6. Change the opacity to 30% within 6 seconds.
  7. Start recording with ScreenFlow and the click the Keynote Play button.
  8. Save that recording, edit it down to the pertinent parts, delete some parts so that it is the length you want and then reverse the clip.
  9. Turn that reversed clip into an MP4 file.
  10. Drag that MP4 file into a new Keynote screen.
  11. Add a title that will fade away after 6 seconds.
  12. Record that new Keynote screen with ScreenFlow.
  13. Edit your recording and add it to the beginning of your main video.

How to change video into an MP4 file

video titlesTo change a video into an MP4 file, have the video open in ScreenFlow. Then:

  • Click File > Export.
  • Make sure the title looks right.
  • Make sure the type is Automatic.
  • Select the size you want. It usually is 1920 x 1080 pixels.
  • Click Export.
  • In the example here, you will find the new MP4 file on the desktop. If I want to keep it, I usually right-click on the MP4 file name & copy it. Then I paste it into the MP4 folder in the cloud.

How to change the opacity to 30%

video titles

  • Drag your MP4 file into Keynote. Make sure it is sized and selected.
  • Click Action > Animate > Opacity.
  • Change Duration to 6 seconds & Opacity to 30%.
  • Start recording screen with ScreenFlow.
  • Click play button.
  • Move mouse cursor to the right, off the picture.
  • At about the 4 second point, click your mouse button.
  • Close ScreenFlow and save file with a descriptive name.

How to add a title to Keynote MP4 file

  • Drag the MP4 file from the above section onto a new Keynote frame.
  • Size it to fit the frame.
  • Click the Text icon.
  • Change the title to something appropriate.
  • Note that the title must be on top of the background.
    • So, click on the background video to select it.
    • Click Arrange > Back.
  • Select the title and click the Format button.
  • Format the title to have an appropriate size, colour, etc.
  • Click on Animate > Action > Add an Effect.
  • Select the effect you want. (Example is Rotate.)
  • Change the angle to 0 and the number of rotations to 8.
  • Select Build Out > Add an Effect > Disappear.
  • Open ScreenFlow to Record.
  • Click Play.
  • Edit your short video snippet and place in front of your video.

Experiment with different video titles

video titlesBy inserting your MP4 file into Keynote, adding & formatting a title and then clicking on Animate, you can begin to make a huge number of different video title effects.

Start by changing a number of different Build In effects. Try Build Out effects.

Consider this homework: Select your title in Keynote, click Action and then make it move from right to left similar to how you see it in this animated GIF.