Video Graphics! Now we can get started with the fun stuff :-)

To spice up your video and turn it from dull and uninteresting into a dazzling professional production, you are going to need some video graphics.

Some examples are static image and animated video backgrounds, lower thirds, transitions and text effects. Importantly, use of special effects are often needed to overcome techincal imperfections in your video as well as enhance the point you are trying to make. This is often called b-roll cutaway.

These effects can really make your videos stand out and look professional, but you do need to exercise a little caution.

Because these effects are so cool and dazzling, the newbie video producer can sometimes get a little carried away with them ;-)

So let's have a look at some examples of each of these video graphics.

- Backgrounds: This can be as simple as a static photograph or it can be a swish animated background (See example below - Click on the triangle to play the video).

Whatever the image or video used, they act as a background and video or text (or both) are added on top. Animated backgrounds are commonly used in web video ads and are are essential for green-screen (chromakey) videos.

- Animated Graphics: Very similar to animated backgrounds, but an animated graphic is normally more topic specific, rather than just abstract patterns (See example below - Click on the triangle to play the video).

- Lower Thirds: You may not know it, but you see lower thirds every day on TV, especially on the News. They are the horizontal graphic that appears at the bottom of the screen that normally shows you someone name or occupation.

Lower thirds can really add a professional look to your videos, as they are very effective, but very easy to do. You can make a simple lower third them yourself in a graphics program like Photoshop, or purchase elaborate animated lower thirds just like on TV (See example below - Click on the triangle to play the video).

- Transitions: A transition is an animated graphic that allows you to change from one video clip to another in your video editing software.

There are thousands of different transitions available and all video editing software will come with plenty to choose from. They range from a simple fade to more elaborate animations (See video below).

- Animated Text: Just like regular text, but animated ;-) Just like transitions, most video editing software comes with a wide selection of different text effects (See example below - Click on the triangle to play the video).

The trick with all these video graphics is to know when to use them and when not to. This comes with experience, but here's a few tips about using them;

[1] Always use a lower third when introducing someone on a video. It looks very professional and will impress your viewers.

[2] Stick to using the same transition throughout your video. There's never more of a giveaway that the video producer is a newbie when they use every single transition in their video editing software. It can make the video very confusing and will make your viewers sea-sick ;-)

[3] Use dark background images and animated graphics with light text. Never use dark backgrounds with dark text, light backgrounds with light text, as the text is very easily lost and therefore so is your message.

[4] Less is more. Just because you have all these exciting new toys at your disposal, adding all of them to your video doesn't make it better. In fact, the opposite is normally true (I use the 'fade' transition 90% of the time in my videos because it is simple and looks professional).

[5] Remember, at the end of the day, your video is meant to convey a message to your viewer. It may be teaching them something (Like a How-To video), or selling a product or service (Like a web video ad), so the last thing you want is for your viewer to watch your video and get distracted with special effects and miss the all important message.

Using only video graphics, you can produce powerful promotional web video ads and commercials without even owning a camcorder (See example below - Click on the triangle to play the video).

Video Graphics Resources

You can use them on any computer (PC or Mac), and with any video editing program. Click the image on the left for more information and to watch a video preview of all the video backgrounds on the DVD.

Want professionally made videos such as the one below? Click and play this mind blowing video ad.