A good template is always a good show, but a good show not always makes a good template.
A template is a show that can be reused by changing the text(s) and/or the picture(s). The challenge is to design effects that look good no matter which texts and pictures you use. A good template can save you a lot of time because you do not have to worry about the graphics when updating the content. This is especially important when using dynamic content. BluffTitler features technology to ease the creation of good templates.
The text layer features a Bounds (boundaries) property. The bounds can be made visible by pressing <F2>. With the first slider of this property you can set the maximum width of the text. If the text is wider, it is automatically squeezed to make it fit.
With the second slider of the Bounds property you can set the maximum height. BluffTitler automatically adds soft returns to fill the space.
The size of the picture layer does not depend on the absolute resolution of the picture. Every picture layer is scaled to fit into the same rectangle, taking into account the aspect ratio. Just like the text layer, the picture layer features a Bounds property. With this property you can set the size of the rectangle.
The radius of the circle depends on the font size and the number of characters. An easy trick to make the circle bigger is to add spaces at the end of the text. A much better way however is to use the Bounds property to set the radius. This way the radius is independent of the text.
You can right align a text by adding spaces at the beginning of each line. A much better way is to use the Right composition mode.
Some texts offer unique possibilities. For example, "AMSTERDAM" starts and ends with "AM". This observation can be used to create a nice circular logo. This effect however loses its edge when the text is changed. For this reason it is not a very good template.
Letting the camera fly through the opening of the O (the "counter" or "aperture") is a very nice effect. But what if you change the text and an X is standing at that position?
This effect produces an excellent show... and a useless template.
Writing a text on another text is a very nice effect. But what if you change the big "L" in this example into a "T"?
This effect produces an excellent show... and a useless template.