Every ProductionBlox background animation comes with a set of matching left, right, and lower third elements. These elements are still images, but you can easily make your own animated elements by using these stills as a matte.

To do this in Final Pro, place your edited footage on Video Track 1. This is your program footage, such as a talking head for an interview.

Create 2 more video tracks, for a total of 3.

Now, select any Third element from any ProductionBlox background. For an interview we’d probably choose a lower third. And we’d probably choose either the “Clean” or the “With_Trans” version. Place this element on Video Track 2.

If we were just using the still lower third image, our effect would be complete. But we want our third to be animated so…

Choose the Production Blox background you like and place it on Video Track 3, above the third element you chose.

Now, from the timeline, select the background you put on Video Track 3 and under the Modify menu select Composite Mode and then Travel Matte Alpha.

Our effect is now visible. You should see the shape of the Third element filled with the background you put on Video Track 3.

Trim the in and out points so that the duration of your Third element and the ProductionBlox background on Video Track 3 are the same.

With the large number of backgrounds and Third elements included in each ProductionBlox unit, there are many possibilities for mixing and matching to create unique custom animated thirds.

Note: This technique is the same as the one shown in the CustoMattes tutorial video. This technique can also be used in conjunction with the cool Static Mattes included with 12 Inch Design’s Power Blox product.