In a previous tutorial "Adaptation of an existing Boris Graffiti effect into a text transition", we saw how to create a text transition effect starting from an existing effect in the Library Browser of Boris Graffiti. Now, I will show you how to create a text transition effect from scratch.

This effect can be made just by adding a filter to two Boris Graffiti "Text" tracks. I chose a filter for this tutorial but once you have understood the principles involved, you can change the filters and their settings. I am sure you will invent new text transitions.

Step 1 : Work with Boris Graffiti Keyframer

In the tutorial ".GRF Files management in Boris Graffiti (animated preview)", I already explained how to use Boris Graffiti Keyframer and the benefits you can expect.

If you open the Boris Graffiti Keyframer and the soccer ball looks more like a rugby ball, your preview settings need to be changed.

Uncheck "Preview With Square Pixels" and the ball will return to round ...

Step 2 : Creation of the new effect

Here's the goal:

Open a new effect (File/New Settings or CTRL+Shift+N).

As with any new effect, Boris Graffiti creates a "Text" track and a "Background" track. After double clicking on the "Text" track  "Text Window" opens. You can choose your font, size, and color and many other parameters can be entered. Enter your text, in this case "TRANSITION TEXTE" in french. After pressing the "Update" button, the "Text" track is changed to "TRANSITION TEXTE". If you need to refresh your memory, please refer to the tutorials "Boris Graffiti, The Beginning" and "Graffiti: Creation of a Detailed Customized Title".

Now add a filter to the "TRANSITION TEXTE" track. Select the "TRANSITION TEXTE" track and with the "Filters / Distortion and Perspective" menu click on "BCC 2D Particles". The  "TRANSITION TEXTE" track appears, displays the filter track and associated tracks. The filter track is installed immediately below the "TRANSITION TEXTE" track . Set the effect duration (Dur) for 6 seconds (00:00:06:00), it will be easier to work with but it will not affect the final duration of the effect. That will depend on the duration of the clip on which the effect will be applied.

By default, the filter is installed for the duration of the effect and the "2D Particles BCC" track automatically includes two keyframes at 0 and 6 seconds with parameters set to 0.
Create keyframes so that the text is visible and motionless from 0-2 seconds. Then, between 2 and 3 seconds it explodes and at 3 seconds the explosion is at its maximum and then is no longer visible. Later, when you apply this effect to a clip of 12 seconds for example, the above times will be multiplied by two.

Do not touch the first keyframe. Then: Select the "BCC 2D Particles" track; Type in the "Time" field the value of 00:00:02:00 so that the time cursor is positioned at 2 seconds from the start; Create a new keyframe with the "Track / NewKeyframe" menu or by pressing CTRL + N Enter the keyframe parameters : Scatter (initial) to 0 with interpolation "Accelerate" and set the setting "Automate" to "Manual" by clicking on the button.
Move the keyframe that is at the end to the middle of the effect. Select the "BCC 2D Particles" track; Type in the "Time" field the value 00:00:03:00 to put the time indicator in the middle of the effect; Move the keyframe under the time cursor; Enter the keyframe parameters: Scatter (initial) to 380 with interpolation "Accelerate". You can move using the mouse but you can also select the keyframe with the mouse and enter the value 00:00:03:00 in the  "Key" field.
Click the little triangle before the name of the "TRANSITION TEXTE" track to close the associated tracks and to see a little clearer ... Duplicate this track. Right click on the track; Click on "Duplicate Track".
Change the text of the track that you just duplicated. Replace the text "TRANSITION TEXTE" with "DECLIC-VIDEO". The track is automatically renamed with the text from your entry.
View the "TRANSITION TEXTE" track to see the associated tracks by clicking the small triangle before the name of the track. Move the keyframe track "TRANSITION TEXTE" from time 00:00:06:00 to time 00:00:03:00; Move the keyframe of the "Face" associated track from time 00:00:06:00  to time 00:00:03:00.	The movement of keyframes can be done either using the mouse to drag the keyframes, or by selecting the keyframe and entering the value 00:00:03:00 in the "Key" field.

Open the "DECLIC-VIDEO" track  to see the associated tracks by clicking the small triangle before the name of the track.

1. Move the first keyframe of the "DECLIC-VIDEO" track to 00:00:03:00;
2. Move the first keyframe of the "Face" associated track to 00:00:03:00;
3. Drag the second keyframe of the "BCC 2D Particles" associated track to 00:00:04:00;
4. Move the first keyframe of the "BCC 2D Particles" associated track to 00:00:06:00.

Now you can see that by reversing the keyframes of the "BCC 2D Particles" associated track , you have reversed the effect of the filter that was applied on the "TRANSITION TEXTE" track . This means that the text "DECLIC-VIDEO" :

• will appear full-size at time 00:00:03:00;
• will resume its normal state between time 00:00:03:00 and 00:00:04:00;
• remain displayed from time 00:00:04:00 to time 00:00:06:00.

Above you see the final result of the positions of all keyframes. You can see the different fields that the duration (Dur.) of the effect is 6 seconds, the selected keyframe (Key) is 4 seconds and the cursor time (Time) is set to 4 seconds.

Step 3 : Backing up your effect

If you want to keep this for later use, remember to save it using the menu "File / Save Settings as ...".

For more details on how to build your own library of effects, see our tutorial ".GRF Files management in Boris Graffiti (animated preview)" which will detail :

• the backup;
• different possible locations for backup;
• the ability to add or not a preview and animation possible.

Step 4 : Bonus

If you do not have the time or patience to follow along with this tutorial, we offer you the Morphing.grf file without preview (see below, "Associated File").

If he'll just do the preview and the animation preview, you should arrive there easily in two or three mouse clicks...

{Thanks to Loosecannon for the fine tuning}