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Creating rolling credits without a character generator for the end of your production is easy. There are two ways of doing this. The first way is with an image editing or draw program. The second way is to use Premiere, although Premiere has limited type options.
The roll credits that you can create these two ways are not for elaborate credit rolls. It is for the person who wants to create simple, but quality, roll credits.
Image Pan Filter
The Image Pan Filter is used to scroll over photos or other large images. This is the filter you will use to scroll your credits accross a long vertical image.
Because Premiere cannot read text from a word processor, you will need to create this image in a program such as Illustrator or Photoshop or a image editor that can save in PICT or Targa.
Creating Image
Open your Image Editor. Set the width of your image to the width of your video image. You can choose any height that you need. If your video is 320 pixels wide and your scroll is average length, you might create an image that is 320 x 800. Play with the length to find what you need.
Because all of the credits we have seen have a black background, we suggest you start with black. Play with the background untill you have one that you are happy with. Choose a text color that will compliment the background and not bleed into it.
After this is done, you are ready to start typing. Choose a font, add your title, cast, crew, people you want the thank, consulting experts, and anyone else you want to add.
Remember to set the left and right margins at 10% so it doesn’t run edge to edge in your video. Always use antialiasing if it is availabe in your image-editor. When you are finished save it in a format Premiere can read, such as Targa or PICT. Now you are ready to add it to your production.
Adding To Production
Start Premiere and open your production file. Open the file you just created and drag it onto the video track in the Construction window. Set the clip to the legnth of time you want the credits to roll.
Setting Image Pan Filter
Click on the clip menu at the top of the screen, and open the filter dialog box. Scroll down untill you come to the Image Pan filter (or type the letter “I”). Double click Image Pan filter to open the settings dialog.
Set the width to the width of your production. Set the “start height” the height of your production. Click on “copy” to set the end setting; this will be the same as the start setting.
Drag the viewing rectangle on the end image to the bottom of the image. Click “OK,” click “enter” and you are ready to preview the credits.
Adjust the length of the credits to roll in the Construction Window so they will roll at the speed you want them to roll simple but effective.