Split Screen and Video Collage

I have watched a few videos about making split screen videos using the new "Video Collage" option, but all of the tutorial videos create something that look like the Brady Bunch intro.

Can I make a video that is split into two equal halves - each having a sub-video - with no background or borders showing?

Here is an example...

YT_split-screen example.jpg (328.47 KiB) Viewed 638 times

Likewise, if I want to create a parent video with two child videos and have them fill up most of the parent frame with just a little background showing, is that possible?

Here is an example...

YT_split-screen example_2.jpg (79.26 KiB) Viewed 629 times

I am working on a video that is newsy in nature, and I don't want a bunch of special effects that would look silly.

Right now, I want to have an interviewee on the left side of the parent frame, and a video they are commenting about on the right side of the parent frame.

Use two tracks and use the Inspector Position and Crop. Cropping the top track will reveal all the tracks below.
Edit the sound from each clip to different audio tracks to make mixing easy.

I have no idea what you mean by "parent and child" videos.

Use two tracks and use the Inspector Position and Crop. Cropping the top track will reveal all the tracks below.
Edit the sound from each clip to different audio tracks to make mixing easy.

I have no idea what you mean by "parent and child" videos.

"Parent" as in the final container that shows up on people's screens, and "child" as in the component videos that I want to have in the split screen.

I updated my OP, so please see the examples for a better understanding.

Use two tracks and use the Inspector Position and Crop. Cropping the top track will reveal all the tracks below.
Edit the sound from each clip to different audio tracks to make mixing easy.

So you wouldn't use the "Video Collage" feature then?

Or is your advice directed at that plug-in or whatever it is called?

The first example you could easily do using just 2 tracks and cropping / repositioning in the edit page, very simple.

The 2nd example you probably COULD do in the edit page, you could knock up the 'background' as a static image and then have 2 tracks which gain you crop and reposition, but personally I would probably do that in fusion as for me it would be much easier, but if you are not familiar with fusion it would probably be a bit challenging

You could probably also use the video collage effect to achieve both, but you would have to spend a lot of time twiddling with its config, would probably be harder to do it there to be honest.

The first example you could easily do using just 2 tracks and cropping / repositioning in the edit page, very simple.

I am super new to video-editing and DaVinci Resolve here...

So to your advice - and Peter's advice above - the idea is that when you have multiple tracks they are like their own separate little movies, right?

And the top track covers up the lower ones up, right?

In terms of something I am more familiar with...

In MS Office - especially MS Word - you have the concept of layering and "Bring to Front", "Send to Back", "Move Forward", and "Move Backwards".

Is that similar to what you two are suggesting?

So I would take the interviewee and place him/her on Track #1, and then crop that video so it only takes up the left-half of the frame (e.g. 1st screenshot above), right?

And then I would take the video that the interviewee is watching and put that on Track #2, and then crop things so it only takes up the right-half of the frame, right?

And I would also have to re-position things so the "half" video of the interviewee is on the left-side of the frame, and the video is on the right-side of the frame, right?

The 2nd example you probably COULD do in the edit page, you could knock up the 'background' as a static image and then have 2 tracks which gain you crop and reposition, but personally I would probably do that in fusion as for me it would be much easier, but if you are not familiar with fusion it would probably be a bit challenging

Why would you prefer to use Fusion for yourself?

You could probably also use the video collage effect to achieve both, but you would have to spend a lot of time twiddling with its config, would probably be harder to do it there to be honest.

I thought the idea of the "Video Collage" effect is that it is supposed to make things easier?

The only reason I questioned using it, is that I wasn't sure if you could bump up two half-frame videos and not have borders/seams around them.

Thanks!

Hey Marty, just put some clips in a timeline and play around. Learn how the tracks work. Learn how the Inspector tools work. Learn how transitions work. Get in there and get your hands dirty, make mistakes, learn from them, search the User Manual for the names of tools to learn how they work. You don't need answers here before you try things. This forum is way too slow to be a learning resource.

You will learn more, faster by playing around!

@Peter Cave,

Hey Marty, just put some clips in a timeline and play around. Learn how the tracks work. Learn how the Inspector tools work. Learn how transitions work. Get in there and get your hands dirty, make mistakes, learn from them, search the User Manual for the names of tools to learn how they work. You don't need answers here before you try things. This forum is way too slow to be a learning resource.

You will learn more, faster by playing around!

You make it sound like I haven't done anything yet...

Umm, I have been doing all of those things, and when I can't figure things out on my own I come here.

And fwiw, most of my questions are not covered in DaVinci Resolve training videos or manuals.

I come here for help, because randomly trying things ALSO isn't a really good way to learn...

I'm not suggesting doing things randomly. If I need to reposition & crop, I search for those things in the Edit section of the User Manual and the controls are explained. If you don't know how video layers work but you are already editing then I suggest the same as Jim suggests. Doing some basic training first will speed up your learning process. My general approach is to always use the simplest method to achieve the result.

For your second example I would use the Text+ generator to add the text. The border that contains the text can be added in the Text+ generator using "background" and adjusted using crop. That would require 5 layers total i.e BG, Clip A, Clip B, Text A Text B.

I'm not suggesting doing things randomly. If I need to reposition & crop, I search for those things in the Edit section of the User Manual and the controls are explained. If you don't know how video layers work but you are already editing then I suggest the same as Jim suggests. Doing some basic training first will speed up your learning process. My general approach is to always use the simplest method to achieve the result.

Respectfully...

I said that I watched a training video and that I had questions about it. (Not related to the user manual.)

Then Dave Shortman made some suggestions and I followed up with questions to clarify his suggestions. (Also not related to the user manual.)

Sure, I could read up on tracks in the user manual, but that isn't the same thing I came here asking about.

The manual doesn't talk about different approaches and why one way is better than another.

I'm trying to learn approaches and techniques more than learning on what buttons to press like some monkey.

Again, I am all for book learning, but the real benefit of being here is learning the WHY of doing things more than the HOW...

And, FWIW, I am creating things, so it's not like I am not already learning by doing.

Sure, I could read up on tracks in the user manual, but that isn't the same thing I came here asking about.

Actually, Peter is right: you DO need to read the manual. It puts a lot of Resolve features in perspective. Note there's also a complete (free) textbook on Resolve Editing and also one on Resolve Color -- they're very interesting, and even though I've been using Resolve for almost 15 years, I always learn a few new things when I jump and read the new manual.

https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/produc ... e/training

Respectfully...

This is a user forum not a film school. These forums are about understanding the software, not learning the basics of editing. I wish you well but I disagree with your approach to learning. BTW I taught editing at a film school for a while so I have some experience with the process and how to learn efficiently.

The MOST important thing is to understand the tools and design of Resolve, as that will allow you to create your own methods and approaches to creative issues. Asking on a forum will only give an answer [i]to that particular issue[/i] and will not help much with using your own brain to invent solutions.

It's the old adage: Give a man a fish and he will eat for one day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for the rest of his life.

Best of luck.

Here is a very quick tutorial on how to do example 1, this doesn't address how you might deal with the audio, but that should not be too hard to figure out

Example 2 looks to be beyond your skill level at the minute. Get comfortable with example 1 and then think how you might go about doing example 2, its really only an extension of example 1 in that you add a third track which is either a solid colour or is a pre generated static image. If I were you I would start with trying to put the 2 video tracks over a solid colour