How to Create a Title and Black Video Slate in Adobe Premiere

How To 5 min
The black screens in a video act like curtains in a show. The curtain opens into the scene when the actors come out. When it's done, the curtain is closed to indicate the end of the scene or the show. The black screens allow the video to breathe rather than starting or ending abruptly.

Video products should include a title graphic and black video as bookends. Bookends must contain a 5-second title graphic followed by 2 seconds of black video before your runtime, and 5 seconds of black video after your runtime for editing and documentation purposes.

To create bookends, follow these steps:

  • Click within the Timeline Panel. Press Home on your keyboard to park the play head at the start of the video.
  • Select Graphics > New Layer > Text. A text box appears in the program monitor, and a new text layer appears in the Timeline.
  • Use the Selection Tool [V] to move the text box to the upper-left corner within inner safe margins.
    Note: If safe margins are not visible in the program monitor, right-click within the program monitor, and select Safe Margins.
  • Switch to the Type tool [T]. Click inside the box and select all [Ctrl + A].
  • Fill in the box as follows. Press [Enter] after each line.
    • Your rank and name (first and last) Example: Sgt. John Doe
    • Visual Information Record Identification Number (VIRIN) Example: 200101-O-ZZ999-1001
    • Product title (appropriately name the product/story based on its content) Example: Video Documentation Demo
  • Switch to the Selection tool [V]. Right-click on the text layer in the Timeline, and then select Speed/Duration
  • Change the duration to 5 seconds.
  • Click OK.

  • Select New Item > Black Video > Press OK.
  • Right-click on the Black Video clip in your Project Panel and select Speed/Duration.
  • Change the duration to 5 seconds.
  • Rename it 5 sec black video.

  • Select New Item > Black Video > Press OK.
  • Right-click on the Black Video clip in your Project Panel and select Speed/Duration.
  • Change the duration to 2 seconds.
  • Rename it 2 sec black video.

  • Place the 5 seconds of black video clip at the end of the video clip in the Timeline.
  • Place the 2 seconds of black video clip between the title and the first clip of the video in the Timeline.

Adobe product screen shot(s) reprinted with permission from Adobe Inc.

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