Looking for a specific effect ! Don't know what to search for

[Firefang]

Okay, so I've built a basic intro with after effects. Essentially, it's my Channels name being written on the screen while the background is darkened and burred. Once the writing is complete, the blur, darkness and the lettering slowly fades away.

Now what I was thinking is, is it possible to have the video in the background playing inside of the letters while everything outside of the letters is blurred? And then obviously have the blur dissapear again as the actual video starts.

The problem that I've been having is I can't find a way to combine both 1) the writing letter-animation and 2) the see through letters. I also haven't found a tutorial that talks about combining them both.. Maybe because it's impossible?

 

[UhoohExtra]

hmm. Maybe you could use a PNG image where the inside of the letter shape is transparent.. that would work. You didn't say what editing software you are using. You could do that in FCPX. I don't think there is an affect that will do it for you automatically. It will take some hard work and messing to get right.

 

[Firefang]

hmm. Maybe you could use a PNG image where the inside of the letter shape is transparent.. that would work. You didn't say what editing software you are using. You could do that in FCPX. I don't think there is an affect that will do it for you automatically. It will take some hard work and messing to get right.

'Okay, so I've built a basic intro with after effects.' I did say what editing software, actually
That might be possible, however, the writing animation didn't work for me last time I tried using a png, i had to use a text layer for it to work. But that might just be me.

 

[Oliver Lesh]

It can't be impossible... If I got you right, then probably all you need to do is to make three layers. I believe there might be easier tutorial to do this, but here's what I would do to achieve this:

1. Paste the video without any effects into your lowest layer.
2. Paste the same video with the darken and blur effects into the middle layer.
3. Paste the text on the top layer and fill it with the same video you have used in the previous two steps. (There are tutorials on YouTube covering this problem, search for 'How to fill text with video in After Effects'.)
   
4. Animate the text (create that writing effect).
5. When the writing is completed, fade out the middle layer, so the blur disappears.
6. If you've done everything correctly, you shouldn't be able to notice any difference between the two remaining layers and therefore you can make another fade out effect on the top layer, so that only basic video remains.
   
7. The end

Hope this works... (I've never used After Effects before, so I can't guarantee you this tutorial is 100% correct. )

 

[UhoohExtra]

..ooh Adobe After Affects. I wasn't paying attention there I thought u meant you had added after affects etc. lol sorry.

Hmm I've not used that one. Probably similar to final cut. I had pictured a second storey line overlapping the other with a single frame of the still image text (after it's finished doing it's fancy stuff) where the text (image middle) is a cut out with the main storey line video playing behind it.

Oh 1 thought.. Maybe what you tried last time did work but doesn't show in the preview window? maybe you have to render it first? Anyway just throwing some ideas forward its hard to answer in a message. Needs trial and error. You seem determined. I think you will get it working.

 

[Firefang]

It can't be impossible... If I got you right, then probably all you need to do is to make three layers. I believe there might be easier tutorial to do this, but here's what I would do to achieve this:

1. Paste the video without any effects into your lowest layer.
2. Paste the same video with the darken and blur effects into the middle layer.
3. Paste the text on the top layer and fill it with the same video you have used in the previous two steps. (There are tutorials on YouTube covering this problem, search for 'How to fill text with video in After Effects'.)
   
4. Animate the text (create that writing effect).
5. When the writing is completed, fade out the middle layer, so the blur disappears.
6. If you've done everything correctly, you shouldn't be able to notice any difference between the two remaining layers and therefore you can make another fade out effect on the top layer, so that only basic video remains.
   
7. The end

Hope this works... (I've never used After Effects before, so I can't guarantee you this tutorial is 100% correct. )

On second thought, I decided to abandon this idea. You see, I'll be making Gaming videos and blurring out the first X amount of seconds of gameplay won't be such a good idea I think. If I focused on vlogging and so forth it would've been really nice. Instead, i'll probably animate my logo and have text written as the logo dissapears. However, since I like a challenge, I will be trying out if the effect is possible with the steps you noted down. Thanks for the lengthy reply and the help (Not abandoning the idea because it's hard, just because it would clash with the type of content I make, in my opinion). I'll stick to the writing effect because it matches the typefont in my youtube banner that I made two days ago.