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Hi. This is Karen McKee, the Scientist Videographer.
In this tutorial, I'm going to talk about how you can use the split-screen technique
in your science videos and then I'll show how to create the split-screen effect in iMovie
and Screenflow.
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Well, split-screen is a filmmaking technique in which the screen is divided into sections,
each showing a different video clip, animation, or image.
In the simplest arrangement, the screen is split in half, and two video clips are played
side-by-side, as in this example.
It's also possible to combine video with still images animated with a Ken Burns effect.
In other cases, the screen may be divided into upper and lower sections, as you see
here, with the upper section showing different views, for example, from a helicopter and
the lower section showing an animation on a map.
Split screen was originally developed and used in the movies to allow an actor to appear
twice on screen, for example, playing twins.
In a science video, a split screen is a great way to compare and contrast two different
types environments or organisms.
Here's an example of the same type of habitat, tide pools, in two different geographic locations,
Australia and the west coast of the US.
You could also use a split screen to show four different perspectives of the same scene
and introduce the clips at different times to gradually reveal the information.
There are many permutations that you can try.
If you do use split screen, my recommendation is to use it sparingly, perhaps once or twice
in a video. Any more and you risk overwhelming the viewer.
Now, let's take a look at how to use movie editing software to create a split screen
effect.
I'm going to start with iMovie, which is a movie editing application for the Mac and
designed for non-professionals.
However, iMovie is a really powerful application that will allow some pretty neat edits and
special effects.
I'm using version 10.1.1 and am assuming that you have some basic familiarity with how to
set up a project and import media.
So here I have a new project started and some clips loaded into an event.
I'll start by adding a video clip from the event folder.
I can double-click to select the clip and when I click the plus sign, the clip drops
into the timeline.
Let's say I want to show that clip alongside another clip.
I select the second clip and I want the same duration.
So I'm going to drag until I've selected 4.7 seconds.
Then I'll drag the selected clip on top of the first clip.
Position it and release it.
Now we'll go to the video overlay settings above the viewing panel.
The overlay settings should appear in the tool bar.
If not, open them by tapping the overlay icon.
Make sure the top clip is selected in the timeline, then use the drop-down menu to select
split screen.
Now you see the two clips playing side-by-side.
You can change the position from left to right or top to bottom.
You can also make the second image slide in by moving this scroll bar.
What about a split screen with a video clip and a photo?
First, add the video clip as before and note the duration, 7 seconds.
I'll minimize the visible frames so that I can see the entire clip I'm working with.
Now drag the photo on top and release.
Then I'll extend the duration of the photo clip to match the duration of the video clip
below it.
Change the overlay setting to split screen.
But when we play it, the lack of movement in the photo looks wrong.
But we can add some movement with the Ken Burns effect.
Make sure the photo is selected, then click the cropping tool which brings up the Ken
Burns option.
Select it if it's not already selected.
Now, just resize and reposition the starting and ending frames.
Notice the yellow arrow, which indicates the direction of movement.
Now when we play it, the view pans across the photo, adding movement that matches up
better with the video clip.
Now, some of you may still be using iMovie 09.
If so, you may need to turn on the advanced tools to access the split screen and other
functions.
To do this, go to iMovie Preferences and in the dropdown menu under General,
be sure Show Advanced Tools is checked.
You'll see the tool icon appear in the toolbar above the timeline.
To create a split screen, you drag and drop the second clip right on top of the first
clip.
Position it and release.
When you release, a menu appears. And select the side-by-side option.
Now, the two clips are played in a split screen.
The limitation with iMovie is that we can only have two video tracks at a time.
A series of clips can be positioned alongside a base clip like this, but we cannot show
three clips simultaneously.
So, let's look at another application that allows multiple video, audio, and text tracks.
Screenflow is an application that will record your computer screen and then lets you edit
the video.
But you can also import other media such as video, photos, and animations and edit them.
I'm going to show you how to use Screenflow to set up a split screen.
Again, I'm assuming you already have some familiarity with this application.
Here is the Screenflow interface.
First we're going to set the canvas size.
Just click this icon.
And you see I've got this already set to 1920 by 1080 pixels.
But you can change it here.
To access media, select the media icon in the toolbar.
To import media just click the add media button and your file directory will open.
I've already got some clips imported as you can see.
To begin, drag one of the clips into the timeline.
Then drag a second clip in and position it in the track above the first one.
I'll trim the length of the first clip by dragging the end of the video track until
it matches.
Now, I have to resize both clips in the viewer window to get them both to show side-by-side.
Select the clip and a frame appears outlining it in the player window.
To resize and maintain the same proportions, be sure to hold down the shift key.
Then drag one corner of the frame.
The guidelines will automatically appear and help you resize.
Then do the same with the other clip.
And you can see the two video clips will play together.
All I need do now is reposition them on the screen so they are even with each other.
Let me quickly show you how to add text.
Click the text option in the toolbar and then click the add text box button.
Type your title, resize the font as needed, and then drag the text box to its position.
Add another text box. Retype. And move to position.
And a final text box. Retype. And move to position.
You can see the three text tracks in the timeline but they need to be extended so that they
are the same length as the video tracks.
The easiest way to do this is to select all three tracks and then drag the ends to match
the video tracks.
You get a nice split screen effect complete with text and sound effects associated with
one of the video tracks.
Which reminds me, you may want to mute one or both of your split screen clips, depending
on what effect you are after.
Let's briefly look at how to show four clips that will appear sequentially on one screen.
Just drag and drop clips into four separate tracks, one above another.
And then I'll line them up so they are even at the end.
As before, I'll select each clip and resize it to fit into one quarter of the screen.
Remember to hold down the shift key to preserve proportions.
Then, I'll trim each one so that it appears in the timeline a few seconds after the previous
clip.
So you can see each clip appears on screen as the playhead reaches the beginning of each
track.
Well that should give you some idea of how to compose a split screen.
With this technique, you can create some unique effects and make your science videos more
visually interesting.
If you found this tutorial helpful, let me know by liking my video or adding a comment.
For more tips and tutorials, visit my website or check out my ebook, which is available
in the iTunes Store and readable on the iPad, iPhone, and Mac.
Thanks for watching!
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