Create a Background Scene

When creating a new Transition Logic scene design it is common practice to first define the Toggle Layers. After the toggle layers are defined you would typically move on to create the background scene, and add the defined toggle layers.

Note: It is recommended to create the background scene before Create a Foreground Scene as the background scene is needed to complete the foreground scene(s).

This section contains information on the following topics:

To Define the Toggle Layers
  1. Create a list of all graphical elements to be shown. For example:

    • A large two lines lower third.

    • A small one line lower third.

    • A small one line top third.

    • A left side over the shoulder (OTS).

    • A right side OTS.

    • A logo bug.

    • A “coming up next” bug.

    • A news ticker.

    • A clock.

  2. Create an operational scenario where you decide how elements will affect each other, and which elements can be on-screen at the same time. For example:

    • Only one lower or top third can be on-screen at a time (toggle layer 1).

    • Only one OTS can be on-screen at a time (toggle layer 2).

    • Only one logo or “coming up next” bug can be on-screen at a time (toggle layer 3).

    • The news ticker and clock should be possible to take in and out independently of all layers (toggle layers 4 and 5).

Note: All toggle layers can potentially be on-screen at the same time, but only one foreground scene per layer can be shown at the same time.

To Create a Toggle Layer
graphics/transition_logic_layers_toggle.png
  1. Create a new scene, and name it default. This will be the background scene.

  2. Add a group container to the scene tree, and name it Banner.

    • This will be the placeholder for the banner’s toggle layer and backplate graphics for the banner foreground scenes.

  3. Add a sub-container to the Banner container, and name it BannerLayer.

    • This will be the placeholder for the Toggle plugin.

  4. Add the Toggle plugin to the BannerLayer container.

    • This will generate the default object placeholders for the toggle layer’ s current and other state.

  5. Add a sub-container to the Banner container, and name it BannerBackplate.

    • This will be the placeholder for the banner’s backplate(s).

  6. Add a rectangle and material to the BannerBackplate container, and adjust the Transformation Editor properties such that it creates the look and feel of a simple lower third graphics.

    • Axis Center: Set X to left (L) and Y to bottom (B). The X and Y values are set to -50.

    • Position: X: -330, Y: -160, Z: 0

    • Scaling (single): X: 1.0, Y: 0.4, Z: 1.0

    graphics/transition_logic_stage_director_layer1.png
  7. Open the Stage by clicking the Stage button (main menu).

  8. Add a new director, and name it BannerLayer. This will be the placeholder for the backplate animations.

  9. Animate the banner backplate.

    • Scaling X: 0 (60/50 fps)

    • Scaling X: 6.6 (120/100 fps)

    • Scaling Y: 0 (180/150 fps)

  10. Open the Stage and check that the animation resides under the BannerLayer director. If not, place it (drag and drop) under the BannerLayer director.

    graphics/transition_logic_stage_director_tags.png
  11. Select the Banner director, and the director’s Time Marker to 0.000 seconds, and add a tag.

  12. Select the tag and name it O (uppercase O, not zero).

  13. Add a new tag for the animation’s in point (e.g. LOWERTHIRD) and a second out point (O). The tags represent the basic states the graphics can be in.

  14. Open the Toggle plugin editor, and click the Default Key Frames button.

    • Adding Key Frames adds a 1 second default alpha cross fade effect to objects placed on that layer.

Note: Adding default Key Frames is not possible until the layer’s director has at least two states defined where one has to be the O state.

  1. Repeat steps 2-14 for the OTS layer with the following transformation properties and animations.

    • Axis Center: Set X to left (L) and Y to top (T). The X value is set to -50 and the Y value to 50.

    • Position: X: -330, Y: 100, Z: 0

    • Scaling (single): X: 1.0, Y: 0.05, Z: 1.0

    • Scaling X: 0.0 (60/50 fps)

    • Scaling X: 1.0 (120/100 fps)

    • Scaling Y: 1.4 (180/150 fps)

    • Scaling X: 0.05 (240/200 fps)

    • Scaling X: 0.0 (300/250 fps)

  2. Save the scene with all directors in their O state.

IMPORTANT! Set all directors to an O state because backplate graphics saved in a visible state will be shown on-screen the first time any toggle layer is taken on air.

To Add Key
graphics/transition_logic_key_notshown_shown_r.png

Tip: Click the Key button in the Scene Editor to toggle the key.

See Also