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DigModiFicaTion's Custom Crawl Creator Template and Guide

DigModiFicaTion

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It has arrived! The Star Wars crawl template that you were looking for, I hope  ;)

While working on my edit of The Force Awakens, I needed to create a custom crawl and found it extremely difficult to produce anything that was close to the look of the official versions using Vegas and other NLE's. I did some research into Blender and found that it would be the best free alternative to create a good looking crawl. The following template and guide is meant to help any PC fan editor who is looking for a free option to produce a custom crawl for their Star Wars edits. I hope you enjoy this template. Thanks to everyone who has been supportive in the production of my TFA crawl that lead to this template. This one is for you :D

 

 

[align=center]How to use the Template


Preparation:
  1. Go HERE to obtain the Custom Crawl Creator template pack
  2. Go to https://www.blender.org/download/ and download the latest version of Blender
  3. Go to http://www.theforce.net/fanfilms/postproduction/crawl/opening.asp and click on the SW Crawl Title download and install the swcrawltitle font (a copy of this free font is located in the Custom Crawl Creator pack)
    *UPDATE* Download  the font Univers-LT-Std-59-Ultra-Condensed from https://profont.net/family/univers-lt-std.html (This will be used for the title.
  4. Make sure that you have the FRADM.TTF font file installed in C:\Windows\Fonts\
    Most windows PC’s come with this font preinstalled.
    If you don’t have it you can get the SWCrawlBody font from the link in preparation 3
  5. Go to https://handbrake.fr/downloads.php and download and install OR make sure that you have a transcoder of your choice installed

Blender Notes:
  • When using blender, enable your NumLock and use the number keys to change your view for easier working
  • Make sure that the mouse is hovering over the previewer screen in the center when using the keys
  • The default view for the template is the camera view
  • Num5 will take you to an editing friendly zoomed out screen (press Num5 repeatedly to toggle between a flat view or a camera rotated view
  • Num0 will return you to camera view (some computers assign a Fn function to the Num0, so you may need to disable FnLock to make this work)

About the crawl:
The crawl in this template is created in much the same way that the Original Trilogy crawls were made in that the text itself does not move. This template rotates the camera to 70° and then animates the Camera movement to create the iconic crawl look.

Development of this crawl included countless hours of learning how to use Blender via Blender wiki’s, forums, and youtube videos. While I don’t have specifics for all of the information I mined in order to create this template, major thanks goes out to Chipper Videos’s “Blender Beginners Tutorial: Create A Star Wars Title Crawl That Looks More Like The Original Complete” video found on YouTube

Now you’re ready to begin.

custom-crawl-creator.png



Creating the Custom Crawl:

      _Episode
  1. Open the “Custom Crawl Creator” blender file located in the download folder
  2. Right click on the “Episode” text (text should be outlined in green once right clicked)
  3. Set font to “FRADM.TTF” which should be located in your C:\Windows\Fonts\
    make sure to press “open font” when it is selected.

    episode-font.png


    episode-and-body-font-selection.png

  4. Then press “tab” to enter into text editing mode and enter your episode # use ctrl+a to highlight the text and then ctrl+c to copy in your  custom crawl
  5. Adjust justified text spacing as needed
  6. Press “tab” to exit text editing mode
      _Title
  1. Right click on the “CUSTOM CRAWL CREATOR” text (text should be outlined in green once right clicked)

  2. Set font to “SW Crawl Title.TTF” Univers-LT-Std-59-Ultra-Condensed which can be downloaded at https://profont.net/family/univers-lt-std.html

    Set font to “SW Crawl Title.TTF” which is located in the download folder make sure to press “open font” when it is selected

    title-font.png


    title-font-file-selection.png

  3. Then press “tab” to enter into text editing mode and enter your title
    NOTE: the SW Crawl Title font automatically capitalizes the text; capital "S" creates the SW Logo, capital "L" creates the “A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far, away….” text which can be useful for custom opening cards
  4. Adjust justified text as needed
  5. Press “tab” to exit text editing mode

      _Body
  1. Right click on the body text (text should be outlined in green once right clicked)
  2. Set font to “FRADM.TTF” which should be located in your C:\Windows\Fonts\
    make sure to press “open font” when it is selected

    body-font.png


    episode-and-body-font-selection.png

  3. Then press “tab” to enter into text editing mode and enter your crawl paragraphs;
    use ctrl+a to highlight the text and then ctrl+c to copy in your custom crawl
  4. Adjust justified text spacing as needed (adding spaces at the end of paragraphs reduces the gaps between letters and words)
    *NOTE: SW crawl usually hold to 30-34 words per paragraph with 4-6 words per line
  5. Press “tab” to exit text editing mode
     
      _Render
  1. Set the appropriate download location (see “Output Location” visual guide)
  2. Click “Animation” to render file (the file name will be “1280-3680”)
  3. If needed, transcode file using Handbrake or your preferred transcoder (Sony Vegas users will need to do this)
    I would suggest a lossless transcoding setting in order to preserve the highest quality for your custom crawl

Creating the SW Logo Zoom Out Fade:
*NOTE: This rendered file is already located in the download folder
  1. Open the “SW Zoom Out Logo” blender file located in the download folder
  2. Set font to “SWCrawlTitle.TTF” found in the download folder; you may need to install the font prior to this step by copying it into your C:\Windows\Fonts\
    make sure to press “open font”when it is selected
    *NOTE: You will see a single “S” in the blender preview screen until you change the font; this is not an error
  3. Set the appropriate download location
  4. Click “Animation” to render file (the file name will be “790-1180”)
  5. If needed, transcode file (Sony Vegas users will need to do this)
*This section is now obsolete if using the Vegas Project file

Inserting the Logo and Crawl into your NLE:

[img=800x500]https://digmodification.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/sony-vegas-template-preview.png[/img]

*These steps are no longer needed if using the Vegas Project file
  1. Open your NLE software and set settings to 1920 x 1080 and 23.976 fps
  2. Insert the “Border” png file found in the download folder; make sure to put this file above/higher than the rest of the video files and extend approximately 1:40
    This acts as a mask that prevents the text of the crawl from showing up out of the video frame as it crawls into the viewing area.
  3. Depending on your project, place the “790-1180” SW Logo Zoom out video file in the timeline when the logo naturally appears.
  4. Extend the file for ~13 seconds and 10 frames
  5. Set a linear fade out for the last 3 seconds
  6. Apply chroma key filter to file to remove the gray background
  7. Move forward 9 seconds and 10 frames from the point the Logo begins and insert the “1280-3680” Crawl video file in the video timeline just below the logo timeline.
  8. Adjust the crawl video file so that it runs approximately 1:15 and 16 frames
  9. Set a gradual fade to the last 10 seconds and 9 frames of the adjusted crawl length
  10. Apply chroma key filter to file to remove the gray background
  11. Insert starfield still from your SW source below the other video files (I would suggest taking a full HD screen capture of the final still shot before the camera pans down at the conclusion of the original crawl)
  12. Extend starfield to match length of Border (this should extend past the fade out of the crawl)
  13. Adjust as desired
  14. Set color to Studio RGB to match video source
  15. Watch preview and/or render custom crawl
  16. Smile :D
*please note that the Zoomed out SW Logo is produced using text and so the text will appear hollow when applying a chroma key later on.
This is not technically accurate, but I was unable to make blender recognize the image during rendering, so you may chose to use another source for the logo if desired.
I will attempt to rectify this problem for future updates.

If at any time you find yourself confused with using either the SW Zoom Out Logo and Custom Crawl Creator, please send me a PM

Happy Crawling! :D
 

ssj

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this shit makes my skin crawl.

:p

great resource, DMF. i trust many a faneditor will get mileage out of this!
 

DigModiFicaTion

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I found better render settings for Vegas users that will bypass the need for using handbrake to transcode your results. See image below.

cLExdEtl.png

Also, I wanted to know if there are any editors out there that would like a Vegas project file to go along with the crawl creator?
 

TV's Frink

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I would love the Vegas project file...assuming I understand what I would use it for.  I just skimmed your OP since I'm not ready to dive into this yet.
 

DigModiFicaTion

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A Vegas project file is now included with the Custom Crawl Creator. Hopefully this makes the whole process a little smoother :)
3T8w5Gnl.png


It's pretty fun to look at the wordpress stats and see all the different countries of people who access the custom crawl creator. It's amazing how Star Wars has impacted the whole globe (or a bunch of Americans running VPN's  :rolleyes:)​
 

ThrowgnCpr

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Hey Dig, any chance you can reupload your images to another service? The Photobucket images are not showing, because Photobucket sucks.
 

DigModiFicaTion

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ThrowgnCpr said:
Hey Dig, any chance you can reupload your images to another service? The Photobucket images are not showing, because Photobucket sucks.

Halted the inhaling of the imagebasket. Pictures are restored. :)
 

TM2YC

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Wow blender looks un-user-friendly and hard to use on first look. My respect on teaching yourself this program and making this guide. Thanks :) .

I'm struggling with a few things though and have some questions (more to follow, sorry):

- How do I save the crawl now I've typed it up. Blender doesn't seem to have the standard menu bar at the top where you'd find such things as save and load. I even googled for an answer and still can't find it.

- When I first load your template I'm greeted by the view you show in screenshot 1. With the flat view of the crawl and ability to edit the next. However, if I go anywhere else like the animation/render option, I cannot figure out how to get back to it.

- The font link in the guide is broken. So what fonts should the 3 parts of the crawl be in?

- I don't have “FRADM.TTF” already on my PC but it's not clear what you do if you don't.

A few suggestions for the guide to make things easier/clearer if you don't mind:

- Is it supposed to take an hour to render? If so, saying that would be reassuring to read in the guide.

- Stress the importance of when pasting in your new crawl text, it should have no paragraphs already included, because it goes crazy if you do. Also, the guide mentions using CTRL-A (select all) and CTRL-C (copy) but not CTRL-V (paste). Using CTRL-V was obvious to me but is that obvious for everybody?

- I found the...

_Render
  1. Set the appropriate download location (see “Output Location” visual guide)
  2. Click “Animation” to render file (the file name will be “1280-3680”)

...part to be not clear at all. Eventually I found 'download location' and 'Animation' somewhere but I'm not sure I'd be able to find them again :D .

- The crawl body is generally justified with the "Flush" setting but the last line of each paragraph should be "Left" justified. CTRL-A selects the lot but I couldn't figure out how to select just one line. In the end I realised that adding lots of spaces to end of each paragraph aloud me to adjust where the final line finished. Explaining this little detail would be good.

Hope that is all clear.
 

DigModiFicaTion

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TM2YC said:
- How do I save the crawl now I've typed it up. Blender doesn't seem to have the standard menu bar at the top where you'd find such things as save and load. I even googled for an answer and still can't find it.
The Blender UI is actually made up of multiple windows. There should be a file drop-down menu at the top far left still. You can save your project in the traditional way there and also load a project, though I prefer to load the file straight from windows explorer because it's easier that way.
When you push save, it will bring up a rather odd looking disk navigator screen. You'll want to identify where you want to save, rename as desired, then hit save.

- When I first load your template I'm greeted by the view you show in screenshot 1. With the flat view of the crawl and ability to edit the next. However, if I go anywhere else like the animation/render option, I cannot figure out how to get back to it.
Each windowed area has a little icon box at the far left. You can click this and select the type of window you want to see. The main area where you edit the text is the 3D view. This main view becomes the render view when you select animation and it begins to render. Setting it back to 3D view should allow you to return to the original view.

- The font link in the guide is broken. So what fonts should the 3 parts of the crawl be in?
The open source fonts that are referenced in the guide are included in the downloaded file. You will need to install them if they aren't already installed. You'll then have to go to the font tab in the parameters window and manually assign the fonts.

- I don't have “FRADM.TTF” already on my PC but it's not clear what you do if you don't.
I'll try to make a video guide tonight after work to help answer all of these questions.

- Is it supposed to take an hour to render? If so, saying that would be reassuring to read in the guide.
That really depends on your couch and render settings. Generally it takes 30-60 minutes. There also can be slowdowns on windows 10 if you have certain older display drivers.

- Stress the importance of when pasting in your new crawl text, it should have no paragraphs already included, because it goes crazy if you do. Also, the guide mentions using CTRL-A (select all) and CTRL-C (copy) but not CTRL-V (paste). Using CTRL-V was obvious to me but is that obvious for everybody?
Yeah, I just figured people would have to figure those things out naturally ;) I'll make an update to that.

- I found the...

_Render
  1. Set the appropriate download location (see “Output Location” visual guide)
  2. Click “Animation” to render file (the file name will be “1280-3680”)

...part to be not clear at all. Eventually I found 'download location' and 'Animation' somewhere but I'm not sure I'd be able to find them again :D .

I'll review the image guides, I thought I had highlighted those well, probably not though  :rolleyes:

- The crawl body is generally justified with the "Flush" setting but the last line of each paragraph should be "Left" justified. CTRL-A selects the lot but I couldn't figure out how to select just one line. In the end I realised that adding lots of spaces to end of each paragraph aloud me to adjust where the final line finished. Explaining this little detail would be good.

I just use the space bar to squish the text to what looks right to my eyes. The more spaces you out after the text, the more squished they become. I'm not sure you can set a single line with a particular justification.

Hope that is all clear.
Loud and clear ;)
23oqxy.jpg


I appreciate the questions and recommendations. I'll be reviewing the guide and updating the OP and adding videos hopefully tonight. Thanks TM2YC!

Stay tuned for updates.
 

TM2YC

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Thanks for the replies and your guide definitely does not stink ;) .

DigModiFicaTion said:
The Blender UI is actually made up of multiple windows. There should be a file drop-down menu at the top far left still.

There wasn't that option but I guess I must have pressed something to make it disappear somehow??? because when I reopened your file and started again it was there and I've now managed to save. Edit: Nope it's disappeared again just as I had most things how I wanted them arrrgghhh! :mad:

DigModiFicaTion said:
Setting it back to 3D view should allow you to return to the original view.

100% tried that but again I must have somehow pressed an option called "do no take me back to 3D view, even when I tell you to".

DigModiFicaTion said:
The open source fonts that are referenced in the guide are included in the downloaded file. You will need to install them if they aren't already installed. You'll then have to go to the font tab in the parameters window and manually assign the fonts.

I've got the two that were included in your pack installed but not the one linked to becasue the link is dead. The "G" from the "SWCrawlTitle" font looks like ass, which is annoying as I need it to spell "Rogue One".

DigModiFicaTion said:
- I don't have “FRADM.TTF” already on my PC but it's not clear what you do if you don't.

I'll try to make a video guide tonight after work to help answer all of these questions.

Brilliant.

DigModiFicaTion said:
Generally it takes 30-60 minutes.

Okay no problem, as long as it's supposed to do that :) .

DigModiFicaTion said:
I'll review the image guides, I thought I had highlighted those well, probably not though  :rolleyes:

I found them once but can't find them again now. When doing practically anything seemingly prevents me from saving my progress, I'm reluctant to click anything to see where they are :D .

I'm amazed and impressed that you mastered this program because I would have thrown my PC out of the window in anger long before I ever understood it.
 

TM2YC

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I think I'm beginning to understand what I was missing. The little square icons in a row on the right-hand side. The camera is where you find the animation option, the "F" one for changing fonts, and so on.

I still can't work out how to exit back to the "main" editing screen after using the animation option but if I make sure I save before I do the animation thang, I can just restart the program, as a work around :D .
 

DigModiFicaTion

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TM2YC said:
editing screen after using the animation option but if I make sure I save before I do the animation thang, I can just restart the program, as a work around :D .

That's actually the way I used to do it, and is probably easier than setting the screen back. :)
 

TM2YC

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The crawl is moving upwards too fast. I did a comparison of the SW77-DE crawl (blue), the ROTJ-DE (green) and the current version of my custom crawl (yellow)....


All 3 are timed to start when they first enter the frame. As you can see, the 77 and ROTJ crawls stay pretty much in sync but the custom crawl runs off into the distance. The last line of the ROTJ crawl (which has the same number of lines as my custom crawl but with an episode number) arrives on screen 54-seconds into this clip but the custom crawl is already there at 43-seconds. So all three paragraphs are visible 11-seconds too early (or 265 frames early according to my Vegas timeline). In fact the 3rd paragraph of the ROTJ crawl hasn't entered the frame by the time the 3rd custom paragraph has all appeared.

The 77 crawl lasts 62-seconds (with 19-lines and no episode number, or title). So maybe it should be even slower to be a happy medium? It doesn't have to be an exact match to either but somewhere closer would be good. I get obsessive about details like this, sorry.

So is it possible to slow down the crawl in blender? If so, how and is it easy? (let me guess :D ).

Thanks again for your help.

EDIT: Also, is it possible to change the background colour from mid-grey to green, or black?
 

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The attention to detail shown here makes me feel very slapdash in comparison:D  Kudos guys you certainly set the standard!
 

DigModiFicaTion

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I'm with you Sinbad. TM2YC is the upper echelon of editing. There should be a speed setting in the options. I'll have to look for it, but yes it is a relatively simple fix. You may need to adjust the ending frames to account for the added time.
 

TM2YC

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DigModiFicaTion said:
I'm with you Sinbad. TM2YC is the upper echelon of editing. There should be a speed setting in the options. I'll have to look for it, but yes it is a relatively simple fix. You may need to adjust the ending frames to account for the added time.

Could you please explain how to do that real slow (like I'm a simpleton ;) ). Thanks.
 

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If you want to change the speed of a crawl, can't you just do that to your video clip in your NLE?

I found that always works for me.
 
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