Enhancing Overlay clips

Applying transparency, border and filters are some of the ways you can enhance your Overlay clips. You can also chroma key the Overlay clip to remove its background color and show the clip in the Video Track as the new background.


Applying transparency to the Overlay clip

In the Attribute tab, click Mask & Chroma Key to go to the Overlay Options Panel. Drag the Transparency slider to set the opacity of the Overlay clip.

Corel Videostudio overlay transparency Enhancing Overlay clips


Chroma keying an Overlay clip

Chroma key is a popular technique that makes a particular color in a clip transparent to be able to show underlying clips, objects or layers. Usually, Chroma Key is used as special effects in movies or a TV program’s weather forecast.


To specify Chroma Key settings to the current Overlay clip:

1 Click Mask & Chroma Key in the Attribute tab to go to the Overlay Options Panel.

2 Select Apply Overlay options then Chroma Key in Type.

3 Click the color box and select the color to be rendered as transparent. Or select Corel Videostudio overlay eyedropper button Enhancing Overlay clips and then click a color in the preview area of the Options Panel that will be rendered as transparent.

Corel Videostudio overlay panel Enhancing Overlay clips

4 Watch the Preview Window to see how the new settings are affecting the image.

Corel Videostudio overlay chroma key Enhancing Overlay clips

Tip: Drag the Similarity slider to specify the color range of the selected color that will be rendered as transparent.


Adding a mask frame

Masking is a powerful method to control your clip’s transparency. A mask or a matte, as it is also called, is simply a black and white image you can use in your projects to define which areas of your video become transparent and which remain opaque.

Corel Videostudio overlay mask after Enhancing Overlay clips


To add a mask frame:

1 Click Mask & Chroma Key in the Attribute tab to go to the Overlay Options Panel.

2 Select Apply Overlay options then Mask Frame in Type.

3 Select a mask frame.

Corel Videostudio overlay mask Enhancing Overlay clips

4 Watch the Preview Window to see how the new settings are affecting the image.

5 To import a mask frame, first create a mask for your project. Click Corel Videostudio overlay add mask Enhancing Overlay clips and browse for the image file.


Adding a border

In the Attribute tab, click Mask & Chroma Key to go to the Overlay Options Panel. Drag the Border slider to set the thickness of the border of the Overlay clip. Set the color of the border by clicking the color box beside the slider.

Corel Videostudio overlay border Enhancing Overlay clips


Applying a filter to the Overlay clip

You can apply video filters to your Overlay clips. For more details on how to apply, you can refer to Edit: Applying video filters.


Using the same attributes for different Overlay clips

You can use the attributes (size and position) of one Overlay clip and apply it to a different Overlay clip on your movie project. To apply the same attributes, first right-click the source Overlay clip then select Copy Attributes. Next, right-click the target Overlay clip then select Paste Attributes.

Enhancing Overlay clips