Annotations are composed of graphics and/or text that are used to annotate (or enhance) your presentation to point out important details in a video.
There are six types of annotations:
Callouts – speech and thought bubbles
Arrows and Lines
Shapes
Blur and Highlight
Sketch Motion Callouts
Keystroke Callouts
Annotations can have three different properties that can be changed in the Properties panel depending on its type:
Visual
Text (Callouts)
Annotation
PRO TIP: If you use the Motion Sketch effect, it is best to add a few frames fades transition to the end of the effect for a more polished look. This also works for other effect like blur and spot light.
Once you select a style (Bold) from the first three annotations (Callouts, Arrows and Lines, or Shapes) and then select another type of annotation that style will persist for that annotation to maintain consistence in your project.
You can drag-and-drop an annotation to the canvas or to the timeline. If you drag it to the Timeline, the annotation will be added to the CENTER of the canvas.
TIP: You can use a rectangle callout to create a Title slide.
TIP: To install new fonts that you can use with your callouts, go to 1001freefonts.com and download and install them.
A callout can easily be changed to another callout shape by selecting a different callout shape from the Shape drop-down in the Properties panel.
Double click the text to change it if the annotation has text.
Change font, background color, etc., in the Properties panel.
To change the size, position, and rotation, click and drag the handles on the canvas.
You must hover over the center of the annotation to see the green rotation handle.
To have the text auto-resize to a certain level based on its bounding box, select the Auto-resize Text checkbox in the Properties panel. With this option unchecked, the font will remain the same.
To have the text auto-rotate, select the Auto-Rotate Text checkbox in the Properties panel. With this option unchecked, the text will not rotate when the annotation is rotated.
On the Mac: (VERIFY the four bullets below)
You can change the color of the blur highlight annotation along with its opacity.
There are more sketch motion callouts.
You can INVERT the highlight or blur shape. Or you can use a rectangle shape with a text only callout(s) to better position the text or to have multiple text on the screen and then group them together so they move together.
You can save a custom annotation by customizing an existing annotation and then clicking the Add Preset button (+) at the top of the Properties panel.