Menus: how to manipulate text, create shadows and moving objects on screen- need help

[Pentajet]

Hi,

I was wondering if some of the nice good people on this site can suggest me a good (commercial or otherwise) program to do the following stuff:

1) Create fancy text (eg. multicolored letters) with shadows borders and different shades of color.

2) Allow me to spilt the screen in four or more parts and display a different video in each. For instance like the screens in chapter selection for some movies.

3) Put moving objects on screen - like zooming on a title on the screen while keeping the background fixed.

Any suggestions would be most welcome.

[Pentajet]

Any suggestions, please?

[setarip_old]

Hi!

You might look into "DVDLab Pro"...

[Pentajet]

I have DVD Lab Pro. It's a very good program but it's not what I need (a DVD authoring program). I need something in the area of postproduction that will help me add text to the video and special effects like lightinings and highlights, zoom in and out - animate screen objects etc. I was thinking about getting Adobe After Effects but considering it's very expensive I was hoping for some input from the experts.

[GrofLuigi]

I would definitely recommend this (http://www.outerspace-software.com/blufftitler.html) for (1).

For (2) and (3) I'm not sure. Do you want it real time? If not, maybe AviSynth (http://www.avisynth.org/) can help you (currently down, see here (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=887925)).

GL

[Pentajet]

Thanks for suggesting that program. I will try it out. As far as AVISynth goes I spent ages trying a filter that will do that job but I didn't mange to find one. The only thing I found is a virtualdub filter that should do a zoom in on the WHOLE screen (which is not what I want) and it doesn;t work anyway.

[bigotti5]

try Jahshaka (http://www.jahshaka.org/) it is free

[Pentajet]

Will do. Thanks a lot for your input.