Steps to create a Ōstill imageÕ media skin around
a video:
1. Add
media skin to your video movie using the add-scaled command.
2. Create B/W images to define window and drag areas
(masks).
3. Create XML ( eXtensible Markup Language ) text file
containing references to your files.
4. Save the text file with a name ending in .mov.
5. Open in QuickTime Player, then Save as Self-contained.
Directions
You need 3 applications to create a media skin and add
it to your media: a text editor such as Simple Text ( OS 9 ). TextEdit ( OS X )
a graphics program such as PhotoShop, PhotoShop Elements, or Graphic Converter
and QuickTime Pro.
Note to Windows users: This was written for a Mac.
Feel free to substitute your own graphic application and text editor. QuickTime
Pro works the same on both platforms.
1) Add media skin to your video movie:
Video Movie
Start with
a QuickTime video movie that you want to enhance with a media skin. LetÕs call
this Video.mov.
Media Skin
Create an
image of your new media skin. Use a graphics program and create one from
scratch, or perhaps scan in a photo of an actual device. This frame can be
created in any file format that QuickTime supports. LetÕs call this Skin.pct. Refrain from using .jpg file
format. It doesn't allow the needed level of control for your transparent
layers. Use .pct, .png or flattened .psd file formats.
or masked like this: 
The fuchsia color above will later be used as the
transparent color on this video track.
Note: Within this image, it is
helpful to specify the area in which your movie will be displayed, especially
if you plan to use transparency (see below). This area can be square or
nonsquare. Just fill this area in with black or white. You can use the movie's Graphics
properties to set your transparency layer color.
Image and video combined with
layers adjusted.
Combine Video Movie and Media Skin
From QuickTime File menu 'IMPORT' your Skin.pct file. It will open in a new player window.
With both the media skin (Skin.pct) and the video movie (Video.mov) open, Select All ( Command-A ) on each file.
„ Add Scaled: Copy the media skin then switch
to your video movie and combine them using the Add Scaled command (under the
'Edit' menu).
Note: For detailed help on
using QuickTime Player Pro, consult the help file available under the Help
menu.
„ Adjust Layers/Position: Open the Properties ( Command-J
) window and, if needed, adjust the Layer for each track (remember: lower
numbers are closer to the viewer) and/or use the Size property to place the
video track where you wish.
Tip: If you
want the video to play through transparent areas of the media skin, set the
video track to the background (a higher number), then modify the Graphics Mode
for your Skin track to be Transparent and set the transparent color (usually
black or white). Your video track will show through this area. Remember that
your DragMask image will also have this shape, size and transparent color.
„ Save: Save your new movie as self-contained. LetÕs call this Framed.mov .
Note: This example uses a
static image as a media skin, but remember: a media skin simply provides a
shape, or mask, to use when displaying your movie. Any visual media type can
show through the mask, including motion video, and special effects, such as
those possible with the QuickTime cloud or fire effects.
You may also add your own movie controls such as a sprite or
Flash track. You can create your own movie controls using wired sprites (and a
wired sprite editor such as Totally HipÕs LiveStage Pro
or AdobeÕs GoLive) or use
MacromediaÕs Flash.
2) Create Window and Drag Mask Images
Window Mask
Create a
mask image the size and shape of your frame. This black-and-white image defines
the window created when your movie plays. The image should be black where you
want your window, and white elsewhere. The image can be a BMP, GIF, PICT, PNG
or any other format that QuickTime understands. LetÕs call this WinMask.pct .
Drag Mask
Finally,
create another mask image the size and shape of the dragable part of your
frame. Typically, this would be the same as your first mask, with white areas
where your text, video, and controls will appear. Again, this should be saved
as a black-and-white image in a format that QuickTime can display. Let's call
this DragMask.pct .
3) Create text file:
Using a
text editor, create a small file with the syntax below (notice the references
to your files). Just Copy/Paste from this document. Be sure your text editor is
set for Plain
Text. Command-Shift-T
will switch TextEdit to plain text format. This example uses .pct image format.
Be sure to change it to the format you've chosen for your images, i.e., .pict,
.psd, .png, etc.
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<?quicktime type="application/x-qtskin"?>
<skin>
<movie src="Framed.mov"/>
<contentregion src="WinMask.pct"/>
<dragregion src="DragMask.pct"/>
</skin>
4) Save with a name ending in .mov:
Then save as plain text, with the .mov file extension in the same location as your other files. Let's call
this SkinXML.mov. When using OS X TextEdit
application be sure to click "Don't Append" when saving as .mov. It
may want to name your file "SkinXML.mov.txt. By clicking "Don't
Append" you can name the file with the needed .mov file extension.
Note: Mac users, do not be
alarmed when the resulting file appears as a movie instead of a text file. This
is a feature of QuickTime.
5) Open/Save in QuickTime Player:
Open SkinXML.mov using QuickTime Player Pro. Save as a
self-contained movie. At the bottom of the Save Window is a check box or radio button. Place a
check next to "Save As Self-Contained". LetÕs call this Self-contained.mov.
IMPORTANT
Be sure to
save your movie as a self-contained movie, and distribute that version, not the
XML movie file. The XML movie file is dependent on external files and will not
Fast Start over the Internet. The self-contained version will Fast Start.
