Four Cool Ways to Use Blend Modes in Final Cut Pro

Twelve years ago I wrote a detailed article on how to use blend modes in Final Cut Pro. But there is more we can do now and, in this tutorial, I want to showcase four different ways to use blend modes with text.

• Fill text with video
• Add a drop shadow to filled text
• Cut a text hole in video
• Add a surreal look to video

NOTE: Here’s that earlier Blend Mode article. It’s worth reading because, while the interface is a bit different, everything described there still works.

All these effects can be added to a new or existing timeline. In these examples, I’m using an empty timeline.

FILL TEXT WITH VIDEO

Let’s start with something easy.

• Go to Titles browser > Generators > Dynamic Backgrounds and pick a background you want to use.
• Edit it into the Primary Storyline.
• Then, pick a text template you like and add it above the background. I prefer Custom.

• Using the Text Inspector, format the text the way you want.
• I’m using Futura Bold, 288 point, line spacing reduced -100, and Tracking reduced -3.56.

NOTE: If you can’t drag a slider to the number you want, just select the number and type in a value.

• Here’s what it looks like. Now, add the secret sauce.

• Go to the Video Inspector and change the Blend Mode to Stencil Alpha.

• Ta-DAH!

Play the sequence and watch the background move inside the letters.

NOTE: You can use ANY clip or still image for the background. Feel free to play with this.

ADD A DROP SHADOW

Normally, it’s easy to add a drop shadow to text. But not when you’ve filled it with video. (Don’t believe me? Try it and see.)

To add a drop shadow:

• Select both the text and background clips.
• Choose File > New > Compound Clip (Shortcut: Option + G)
• Give the compound clip a name.
• Edit a background that you want to put behind the text (because you can’t see a drop shadow against black background) and edit it below the compound clip.

NOTE: The easiest way to put a new clip under a clip on the Primary storyline is to insert edit the new background in front of the compound clip, then drag the compound clip on top of the new background.

Here’s the timeline.

Finally, drag Effect browser > Stylize > Drop Shadow on top of the compound clip. Adjust the settings in the Video Inspector until they look the way you want. The screen shot above shows the settings I used.

Here’s the final result.

CUT A HOLE IN A VIDEO

Put the background into which you want to cut a hole into the Primary Storyline, then, from the Titles browser, drag Custom on top of the background.

NOTE: Some text templates are actually a motion project and this effect won’t work. For most text effects, I like using Custom text because not only can I apply blend modes, but I can also animate it in a variety of ways using animation built into the text title itself. You’ll find the animation in the Text Inspector.

• Font: HeadlineA
• Size: 375
• Kerning: 100 I did not add a space, but kerned between “Storms” and “Ahead”
• Y Position: 140

This shows the settings I used for the text. Click to see a larger image.

Now, more magic: Select the text clip, then, in the Video Inspector, change Blend Mode to Silhouette Alpha.

Finally for dramatic effect, I added a vignette to the background.

NOTE: This bend modes doesn’t really cut a “hole” into the video. It simply replaces the text with black. But it LOOKS like a hole!

ADD A SURREAL LOOK

While this next effect works best with landscapes, you can actually use this anywhere. Think of this as a “poor man’s LUT.”

• Here’s a color gradient, created in Photoshop.
• Put the gradient on top of a landscape (or any other) shot.
• Select the gradient and change the Blend Mode to Overlay.

NOTE: You can use any colors in any shape. Experimentation will yield giggles and exciting opportunities to use this in strange ways.

Yeah, my brain exploded too when I first learned this. The possibilities are truly limitless. Different colors, different grayscales, different shapes all yield different, fascinating results.

Cool.

EXTRA CREDIT

There’s a lot more you can do with blend modes. Check out this article. Or this demo video.

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