Apple Final Cut Express HD - Manual (Page 856)

856 Part IX Effects
Installing and Choosing Fonts
If there are special fonts you want to install to use in Final Cut Express HD, you need to
install the TrueType version of those fonts because Final Cut Express HD text generators
use TrueType fonts. (Most professionally created fonts come in both PostScript and
TrueType versions.) For information on installing fonts, see Mac Help.
DV was designed for real-world images that blend together, and it is not optimized
for rigid lines of text. In interlaced video, one-pixel lines flicker unacceptably as the
field on which they appear alternates on and off. This results in “buzzing” text that is
difficult to read.
Apply the tips below to achieve better-looking title fonts for video:
 Avoid fonts that are thin or smaller than 25 point.
 Use only sans serif fonts, such as:
 Arial
 Futura
 Gill Sans
 Helvetica
 Impact
 Use the bold font style.
 Do not use white or black as a font color.
 Reduce opacity of the text clip to 90%.
Making Sure Titles Fit on TV Screens
If you plan to show your work on a TV screen or monitor at any time, you’ll want to
avoid the possibility of having your titles disappear off the edge of the frame. To do
this, turn on the title safe boundary before you create the title, and restrict any text you
add to the space within that boundary.
Note: Because few video projectors use masking, title safe boundaries may not be
important for movies displayed with video projectors.
The title safe boundary is 20 percent smaller than the overall size of the frame, whether
you’re using NTSC or PAL. Though different manufacturers use different amounts of
overscan, the title safe boundary is guaranteed to be the minimum displayed area of
your image on television.