Editor

Explaining the Videobolt Editor and its features for Authors.
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Editor
Author Mode
Basic and Advanced Controls
Color Scheme
Debug Videos
Groups
Names
Placeholder Buttons
Themes
Editor
The Videobolt Editor is an online video editor, designed for customizing and rendering Adobe After Effects templates. It allows users, especially those without expertise in Adobe After Effects, to easily modify and personalize video templates. This editor simplifies the process of editing complex video templates by providing a user-friendly interface where users can change text, images, media, colors, and other elements within a template. The editor is a part of Videobolt's broader service, which aims to make high-quality video production accessible to a wider audience, enabling users to create professional-looking videos with minimal technical knowledge.
Author Mode
The Special Editor mode is designed exclusively for Authors to enhance the organization and management of their projects. This mode assists you in systematically arranging controls and placeholders within the sidebar. It enables you to create and categorize these elements into distinct groups, akin to folders, for better clarity and accessibility. Additionally, you have the flexibility to rename and reorder these elements to suit your workflow preferences. Furthermore, the mode offers the capability to craft themes, among other features, to enrich your template creation experience significantly.
How to enable Author Mode?
To engage the Author Mode in Videobolt, locate and select the Author Mode button, distinguished by a pen and paper icon, positioned at the lower-left corner of the editor. Once activated, the presence of a blue banner at the top of the editor serves as a visual confirmation that you are operating within the Author Mode.
Screenshots:
Basic and Advanced Controls
In Videobolt, templates can include numerous controls such as color adjustments, effects, and various other elements. These can potentially overcrowd the user interface, making it challenging to navigate and use efficiently. To address this, Videobolt introduces 'Basic Controls'. This feature streamlines the editing process by segregating the most significant controls into a separate tab. This allows users to swiftly access and modify key elements of the template, facilitating a more efficient editing experience.
Basic Controls
The Basic Controls tab is specifically designed to house the controls that most significantly influence the visual aspects of the template. This could include, for example, a toggle for switching between a logo or text, a dropdown menu for selecting different shapes etc... By placing these pivotal controls in a dedicated, easily accessible space, Videobolt enhances the usability of the template, enabling users to make impactful changes quickly and efficiently.
    Automatically added Basic Controls:
  • Color Clusters
  • Fonts
  • All controls which contain word Logo in their name
  • Beat frequency range
  • Spectrum Frequency Low
  • Spectrum Frequency High
  • Spectrum Frequency Boost
  • Frequency Bands
  • Band Thickness
  • Timer
  • Timeline
    • Screenshots:
    Advanced Controls
    Despite this simplification, Videobolt ensures that users who require more granular control over their templates are not limited. The 'Advanced Controls' tab is available for these detail-oriented users, offering access to the full array of controls. This way, both novice and experienced users can work within their comfort levels, either through the streamlined Basic Controls or the comprehensive Advanced Controls.
    Color Scheme
    In Videobolt templates, managing numerous color controls can be a complex task, especially when a user wishes to achieve a specific overall color theme. This challenge is addressed through the use of automated color schemes.
    How does it work?
    Automated color schemes in Videobolt are designed to simplify the color adjustment process. They work by algorithmically grouping color controls into what are called color clusters. These clusters are formed based on the hue, saturation, and brightness (HSB) of the colors. This means that colors within a cluster share similar HSB values. When a user alters the color of a cluster, all the colors within that cluster will adjust accordingly, while maintaining their individual shading differences. This feature streamlines the process of achieving a harmonious color palette across the template.
    To utilize this feature, one must first enter Author Mode and then select the Color Scheme option in the sidebar, identifiable by a paint roller icon. Here, users have two options for creating a color cluster:
      Automatic Generation:
  • Adjust the Threshold setting to define the similarity level required for colors to be grouped into a cluster. A lower threshold value increases sensitivity, meaning colors need to be more closely matched to be clustered together.
  • Click Generate to automatically create the cluster based on the set threshold.
      • Manual Creation:
  • Click New cluster to create a cluster manually.
  • You can rename the cluster by typing a new name into the text box provided. Note that clusters created for whites, grays, and blacks cannot be renamed.
  • To reorganize the colors within clusters, simply drag and drop them from one cluster to another, allowing for custom arrangement based on your design needs.
    • This feature in Videobolt enhances the efficiency and ease of creating visually cohesive and appealing templates by simplifying the color management process.
    Editor screenshots:
    Color Cluster results:
    Debug Videos
    For a template to be successfully sold on Videobolt, it's crucial that it functions correctly. Therefore, thoroughly testing your template is the most vital step in ensuring it meets Videobolt's standards, significantly enhancing the likelihood of immediate approval for sale on the platform.
    Debugging and Quality Assurance with Rendered Videos
    To facilitate this testing process, Videobolt provides authors with specially rendered videos. These videos are designed as a debugging tool. In each of them, standard elements of the template – such as text, images, media, logos, and audio – are replaced with specific debug placeholder values. These values are unique markers or indicators that allow you to easily identify and assess the behavior of different elements within your template.
    By reviewing these debug videos, you can meticulously check for any potential errors or issues. This could include verifying that text aligns correctly, images and media are properly scaled and positioned, logos display as intended, and audio synchronizes appropriately with visual elements. Through this process, you ensure that every aspect of the template functions as expected, increasing its quality and readiness for market release on Videobolt. This thorough evaluation is a key step in the quality assurance process, helping to maintain the high standards expected by Videobolt and its users.
    Screenshots:
    Debugging Logo Placeholders
    In the testing phase of Videobolt templates, particular attention is paid to logo placeholders to ensure they accommodate different logo types effectively. This is achieved by replacing the logo placeholders with three distinct versions for comprehensive testing:
      Variations of Logos:
  • Wide: This version tests how well the template accommodates logos with a broader, more horizontal orientation.
  • Narrow: This variant checks the template’s compatibility with logos that are more vertically elongated or slender.
  • Square: This tests the template’s ability to properly display logos with a balanced, equal-length width and height.
    • Each of these logo versions includes a white border around them. This border serves as a visual guide to assess whether the logo is fitting correctly within the designated placeholder area. The key here is to ensure that the logo is not being inappropriately cropped or distorted and that it respects the boundaries of the placeholder. In Videobolt templates, logos should always be set to fit to ensure they are displayed properly regardless of their original dimensions.
    Additionally, each logo variant is presented against a gradient-colored background. This feature is particularly useful for verifying that the template does not unintentionally override or alter the original colors of the logo. The gradient background acts as a contrasting backdrop, making it easier to spot any unintended color changes or effects applied to the logo.
    This methodical approach in testing logo placeholders ensures that Videobolt templates are versatile and adaptable to a wide range of logo designs, maintaining the integrity and distinctiveness of brand logos when they are incorporated into the templates.
    Screenshots:
    Relevant topics:
    Logo
    Debugging Image Placeholders
    In Videobolt's template testing process, each image placeholder undergoes a specific transformation to facilitate thorough evaluation:
    Gradient-Colored Image with Central Number: Every image placeholder is replaced by an image that has a gradient color and a number at its center. This number plays a crucial role in the testing process. It allows you to verify the correct sequence and organization of the placeholders within their respective groups. It's essential for ensuring that the placeholders are in the intended order, enhancing the template’s usability and coherence.
    Zoom Setting Verification: By default, image placeholders in Videobolt templates should be set to 'zoom' to ensure that images occupy the full space without any transparent edges. If, during testing, you notice transparent edges around the image, it indicates that the placeholder is incorrectly set to 'fit'. To rectify this, you can adjust the settings either directly in Adobe After Effects (AE) or by using the Author Mode. In Author Mode, navigate to the Media, click desired placeholder and under the Image Fit & Zoom subsection, you will find options to correct this setting.
    This testing methodology is a part of Videobolt's quality control process, ensuring that the templates not only look good but also function correctly, providing a seamless experience for the end user.
    Screenshots:
    Relevant topics:
    Image
    Debugging Media Placeholders
    In the process of ensuring that Videobolt templates function correctly, especially regarding media placeholders, a specific testing method is employed:
    Replacement with Colored Video for Testing: Each media placeholder in the template is replaced with a specially designed test video. This video typically features a solid color background, a central number, and a timecode display.
    The number in the center serves to identify the specific placeholder, which is particularly helpful when multiple media placeholders are present in a template. It allows you to track and ensure each placeholder is functioning as expected.
    The timecode provides a reference for the duration and timing of the media within the placeholder. This is crucial for verifying that the media is playing correctly in accordance with the template's timeline and design.
    Ensuring Correct Fit - Zoom Setting: For media placeholders in Videobolt templates, the default and correct setting should be zoom. This setting ensures that the media fills the entire placeholder area without leaving any transparent or empty edges.
    If, during testing, you notice transparent edges around the media, it indicates that the placeholder is set to fit instead of zoom. This is an error as fit might not utilize the entire placeholder area, leading to media not being displayed as intended.
    To correct this, adjustments can be made either directly in Adobe After Effects (AE) or through the Author Mode in Videobolt. In Author Mode, navigate to the Media section and within the Media Fit & Zoom subsection, you will find the options to change the setting from fit to zoom.
    This method of replacing media placeholders with colored videos, including identifiers and timecodes, and ensuring the correct zoom setting, is integral to the Videobolt template testing. It guarantees that the media content within the templates is displayed optimally, without any scaling or positioning issues, thus preserving the visual quality and integrity of the final product.
    Screenshots:
    More details
    debug video - Poster image
    Relevant topics:
    Media
    Debugging Text Placeholders
    In Videobolt's template testing process, particular attention is given to text placeholders to ensure they display text correctly under various conditions. This is achieved by substituting each text placeholder with three different types of text:
      Variations of Text for Testing:
  • Wide Text: This version tests how the template handles text with a long horizontal span. It's useful for checking if lengthy text phrases or sentences are accommodated without being truncated or improperly wrapped.
  • Tall Text: This variant is used to test the template’s capacity to display text that extends vertically. It's particularly important for assessing whether the template can handle text with multiple lines or with increased line spacing, without any cut-offs.
  • Justification Text: This test involves using text that is both large in horizontal and vertical dimensions, starting with a long line and progressively shortening by one word in each subsequent line. This specific design is instrumental in testing the alignment or justification of text within the template, ensuring that it is displayed correctly whether it's aligned to the left, right, or centered.
    • Wide Text:
    Tall Text:
    Justification Text:
      Problems we are looking for:
  • Cut Out Text: Ensuring that no part of the text is inappropriately cropped or hidden from view.
  • Overlapping Text: Checking that text does not overlap with other elements or text, which can occur especially in cases of large or tall text.
    • Relevant topics:
    Text
    Debugging Audio Placeholders
    In Videobolt templates, the integration and testing of audio components are handled with specific guidelines to ensure quality and flexibility:
      Audio Debugging Process:
  • Within Debug Videos, an Audio Debug Soundtrack is used. This soundtrack includes a voiceover that sequentially counts from Audio Start, 1, 2, 3...98,99,100.
  • This voiceover assists in pinpointing any issues with the audio timeline or synchronization within the template.
      • Guidelines:
  • Consistent Starting Point: The master audio track in the video must begin with Audio Start precisely at the video’s commencement.
  • Audio Continuity: The end of the video should maintain the Audio Debug Soundtrack audible until the video concludes. A lack of continuous audio (silence) is undesirable, as it could lead to abrupt audio transitions when users replace the audio file.
  • Audio Layer Duplication: If there is an irregular skip in the audio sequence (e.g., “…3,4,5,15,16…”), it may indicate that the audio layer is duplicated and improperly trimmed.
  • Overlap Avoidance: The presence of the original audio overlapping with the Audio Debug indicates that the audio layer hasn’t been correctly added as an Audio Placeholder.
  • Handling Multiple Audio Layers: Hearing multiple Audio Debugs offset in time usually signifies the presence of a secondary audio layer, which is acceptable unless it results from unintended duplication.
  • Non-Animated Audio Levels: It’s recommended not to animate the audio level to accommodate users who might prefer unaltered audio with their video.
    • These guidelines ensure that audio elements within Videobolt templates are not only flexible for user customization but also maintain a high standard of quality and synchronization. They are crucial for creating a seamless and professional audio-visual experience in the templates.
    Listen to the audio:
    Relevant topics:
    Audio
    Groups
    Creating, organizing, and naming groups of placeholders and controls in Videobolt templates involve a few straightforward steps to enhance the template’s structure and user-friendliness:
    Creating a Group
    To start forming a new group of placeholders, locate and click the New Group button. This button is typically found at the bottom of the list of placeholders.
    Once clicked, a field will appear where you can enter the desired name for this new group. This action essentially creates a new category or folder within which related placeholders can be organized.
    Screenshots:
    Reordering Groups
    Adjusting the order of groups is a simple drag-and-drop action. Click on the group you wish to move and drag it to the desired position within the list.
    As you move the group, a turquoise line will appear, indicating the potential new location for the group. Once the group is positioned where you want it, release the mouse button to set it in place. This reordering can help in organizing the groups in a logical or priority-based sequence, making the template more intuitive to navigate.
    Screenshots:
    Naming Your Groups
    The naming of groups should be done thoughtfully to ensure clarity and ease of understanding for the user. For guidance on effective naming conventions, you should refer to the Names section provided in the Videobolt documentation.
    Adhering to these naming conventions is crucial as it impacts how users interact with and perceive the template. Properly named groups contribute to a more organized and user-friendly template, making it easier for users to find and use the specific features they need.
    Screenshots:
    Names
    Renaming placeholders, controls, and groups in Videobolt templates is an important aspect of creating a user-friendly and intuitive template. Here's how to go about it:
    Renaming Process
    During the Templater wizard setup, you can easily rename any placeholders, controls, or groups. This is done by clicking on the relevant entry in the name column of the placeholder/control list.
    For further adjustments or renaming after the initial setup, you can use the Author Mode in the online editor. To do this:
    1. Activate Author Mode by clicking the pen and paper icon located at the bottom left of the editor. This mode is not visible to regular users, only to authors.
    2. In Author Mode, navigate to the item you want to rename, whether it's a placeholder or control. Click on the item, and it will expand to show additional options.
    3. In the expanded options, find the text box labeled Name and type in the new name for the item.
      4. Screenshots:
      General Naming Conventions
      Remember, the end-users of these templates might not have experience with After Effects. Therefore, names should be clear and indicative of their function or impact.
      Always use proper capitalization, following standards like the APA (American Press Association) style. Tools like CapitalizeMyTitle can assist in this.
      Ensure correct spelling and grammar. Browser tools like Grammarly can be helpful.
      Avoid abbreviations (e.g., use Background instead of BG) and do not include file extensions in names (e.g., avoid naming placeholders as video.mp4).
      Aim for descriptive names, particularly for color controls, to indicate their application (e.g., Background Color, Text Color).
          ✅ Correct Naming
      1. Background
      2. Background Video
      3. Background Media
          ⛔ Incorrect Naming
      1. BG
      2. bg
      3. BG Media
      4. back ground
      5. video
      6. video.mp4
      7. media
      Scene Naming Conventions
      Name scenes in a straightforward manner, using “Scene” followed by a number representing their order in the template. The first and last scenes can be labeled “Intro” and “Outro”, respectively.
      Ensure the numbering is clear and consistent, avoiding complicated formats or unnecessary symbols. Don't use leading zeros for single-digit numbers.
          ✅ Correct Naming
      1. Scene 1 | Intro
      2. Scene 2
      3. Scene 3
      4. Scene 4
      5. Scene 5 | Outro
          ⛔ Incorrect Naming
      1. Scene 01 | Scene #1 | scene_01 | SCENE 1
      2. Scene 02 | Scene #2 | scene_02 | SCENE 2
      3. Scene 03 | Scene #3 | scene_03 | SCENE 3
      4. Scene 04 | Scene #4 | scene_04 | SCENE 4
      5. Scene 05 | Scene #5 | scene_05 | SCENE 5
      Control Naming Conventions
      Names of controls should be descriptive enough to give users an idea of their function before they use them. This is especially true for color controls, where the name should reflect where the color is used.
          ✅ Correct Naming
      1. Background Color
      2. Title Color | Text Color
      3. Primary Color
      4. Secondary Color
      5. Accent Color
      6. Spectrum Color
          ⛔ Incorrect Naming
      1. Color
      2. Color 1
      3. Color 02
      4. Color #3
      5. BG Color
      6. color
      Naming Placeholders Changing Through Scenes
      When the same type of placeholder appears across multiple scenes, name them consistently, followed by a number to indicate their sequence. For example, Background Media 1, Background Media 2, etc.
          ✅ Correct Naming
      1. Background Media 1
      2. Background Media 2
      3. Background Media 3
      4. Background Media 4
      5. Background Media 5
          ⛔ Incorrect Naming
      1. Media 01 | Media #1 | media_01 | MEDIA 1
      2. Media 02 | Media #2 | media_02 | MEDIA 2
      3. Media 03 | Media #3 | media_03 | MEDIA 3
      4. Media 04 | Media #4 | media_04 | MEDIA 4
      5. Media 05 | Media #5 | media_05 | MEDIA 5
      Adhering to these renaming conventions in Videobolt ensures that the templates are easy to understand and navigate, making them more accessible to a wider range of users, regardless of their technical background in video editing or motion graphics.
      Placeholder Buttons
      Placeholder buttons in Videobolt are interactive elements that enhance the user experience by simplifying the process of editing video templates. Here's an explanation of what they are and how to address common issues associated with them:
      Understanding Placeholder Buttons
      Placeholder buttons are visual cues that appear directly on the video within a template. They are colored red when the associated placeholder is empty, indicating a need for content, and turn green once the placeholder has been filled.
      These buttons are designed for direct interaction – users can click on them to easily fill or replace content in the linked placeholder, thereby streamlining the editing process.
      Resolving Common Issues with Placeholder Buttons
      Occasionally, the algorithm may not correctly determine the placement or timing for the appearance of these buttons. This can happen if the system is unable to accurately identify when and where a button should be displayed or hidden.
      Manually Adjusting Settings for Placeholder Buttons
      1. Activate Author Mode: Switch to Author Mode in Videobolt, which allows you to access advanced settings for placeholders.
      2. Selecting the Placeholder: In Author Mode, select the placeholder with the issue from the sidebar. This will bring up additional settings for that specific placeholder.
      3. Adjusting Button Position: Locate the Position setting within the placeholder options. Activate the Apply Custom Button Position option in the tooltip. Click on the video at the desired location for the placeholder button. Your selection will automatically save and update the button’s position.
      4. Setting Visibility Time Range: Find the Time Range setting. Enable the “Apply Custom In and Out Points” option. On the video timeline, a modifiable line will appear, representing when the button will appear and disappear in the video. The left end of the line sets the appearance time, and the right end sets the disappearance time. Drag this line to adjust the timing according to when you want the button to be visible on the video, then confirm the changes.
        5. By following these steps, you can effectively troubleshoot and rectify issues with placeholder buttons, ensuring they appear correctly and at the appropriate times in your Videobolt template. This contributes to creating a more intuitive and user-friendly editing experience.
        Screenshots:
        More details
        placeholder buttons tutorial - Poster image
        Themes
        Creating a new theme for a Videobolt template involves a series of steps, allowing authors to customize and save their unique stylistic choices:
        How to create a new theme?
        1. Exiting Author Mode: If you're currently in Author Mode, you need to exit this mode to start creating a new theme. This is done by clicking on the Author Mode button, which toggles you out of this mode.
        2. Accessing the Customize Tab: Navigate to the 'Customize' tab found in the sidebar. This tab is dedicated to altering the appearance of your template.
        3. Styling the Template: Within the 'Customize' section, proceed to style the template as per your creative vision. This might include changing colors, adjusting fonts, modifying effects, and other aesthetic elements.
        4. Activating Author Mode for Theme Rendering: Once you are satisfied with the new look of the template, re-activate Author Mode by clicking the Author Mode button again. This action enables additional functionalities for authors.Upon re-entering Author Mode, you will notice a Render Theme button appearing in the top right corner of the interface.
        5. Rendering and Naming the New Theme: Click on the Render Theme button. This action prompts you to name your newly created theme, a crucial step as it helps in identifying and organizing various themes. After naming the theme, commit your changes. This process effectively saves the new theme, allowing it to be used either as a default view or as an option for users to select when customizing the template.
          6. This process ensures that authors can not only personalize their templates in Videobolt but also save these customizations as distinct themes, enhancing the template's versatility and appeal to a broader range of users.
          Screenshots:
          How to generate Example Themes (Use Cases)?
          Generating 'Use Case' themes in Videobolt involves creating specific variations of your template that are tailored to different scenarios or industries. This process allows for the demonstration of how a template can be adapted to suit various applications. Here's how to create these themes:
          1. Foundation in Existing Themes: Before creating Use Case themes, you need to have already established basic themes for your template. These themes provide the stylistic foundation upon which the Use Case themes will be built, ensuring consistency in design while allowing for variation in content.
          2. Activating Author Mode: To begin the process of creating Use Case themes, enter Author Mode in Videobolt. This mode unlocks advanced functionalities needed for this task.
          3. Accessing Themes Tab: Once in Author Mode, navigate to the Themes tab. This tab is where you'll be able to manage and create different theme variations for your template.
          4. Selecting Relevant Use Cases: In the Themes tab, you’ll find a dropdown menu listing various use cases. Click on this dropdown and select the use cases that you find relevant for your template. These selections should reflect the different industries or scenarios where your template could be effectively utilized.
          5. Rendering Use Case Themes: After making your selections, close the dropdown menu. Look for the Render Use Cases button and click on it. This action will initiate the rendering process for the use case themes based on your selections. Confirm the action to begin the rendering. This process adapts your existing themes into the selected use cases, automatically filling them with content that is pertinent to each chosen scenario or industry.
            6. By following these steps, you create a range of Use Case themes, showcasing the versatility of your template in different contexts. This not only enhances the template's appeal to a broader audience but also demonstrates its adaptability to various content needs.
            Screenshots: