Tutorial on How to Create Television Logos & Graphics

Television logos can be made easily in an image program, then imported into a video editor.

Most people can recognize their favorite television show when they see it. But for the newcomer who has only heard of the show through a friend or is idly flipping through the channels, the scenes mean little without context. Television logos and graphics provide a recognizable reference point for shows and networks, drawing viewers in with their unique look. Even if a graphic or logo obtains a larger-than-life symbolism from its association, it's really nothing more than an image file that was probably created on an everyday computer.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Image editing software
• Video editing software

Instructions

1. Design your logo in your image editor. Match the file format to the software--perhaps PNG for Final Cut Pro, or JPG for others. Create an image that gets the point across, but still manages to be eye-catching and capture the spirit of your show or network.

2. Remove the background content from the image file--basically everything that you don't want to appear on screen. Use the magic wand function if your image editor allows it, or manually erase the content while being careful not to erase parts of your logo.

3. Save the file, close out of your image editor and open up your video editor. Import the logo as source material alongside your video clips. Lay the image onto your timeline where you would like it to appear and for how long. Make any other adjustments you wish, such as for size, transparency or motion of the graphic.

Tips & Warnings

• If your video editing software allows for layering of video clips, you can place your graphic over or under another video clip as needed. Imagine peeling back a corner of a video segment to reveal your graphic!

• If your graphic is a network watermark--the station identifier that usually appears in the corner of the screen during a show--set its opacity value to about 30 to 50 percent. You want it to be noticeable, but not distracting.

• Don't import low-resolution graphics for television viewing. Pixelation that may not be very noticeable in an image editor becomes much more so in video.

References

• "Apple Pro Training Series: Final Cut Pro 5," Diana Weynand, 2006

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish