Windows Video Editing: How to Create Stunning 3D Visuals

You may want to add 3D effects to a video to make something in it appear realistic. For example, you can have balloons moving in a circle around a person’s head, make a building hit by a thunderstorm, etc. However, adding such properties to a footage requires a lot of focus and precision that comes with in-depth learning and a lot of practice.

That said, here you will learn how to add 3D effects to a video using Windows’s free built-in Photos app. In addition, you will also see how easy the process becomes if you use a dedicated third-party software that has been specifically designed for the purpose.

Part 1: How to Add 3D Effects in Windows 11 Photos App for Free

To add 3D effects to a video with the Photos app, you must right-click the media file, go to ‘Open with’, and click to select ‘Photos’ from the submenu. Once this is done, you can follow the steps that are given below to complete the remaining procedure:

Step 1: Open the 3D Effects Panel

In the Photos app, pause the video to avoid any distractions. Click the See more icon (with three horizontal dots) from the top-center, hover mouse to Edit more, and click Add 3D effects.

Step 2: Add a 3D Effect and Customize

Make sure that the Effects tab is selected from the top of the right pane, scroll through the available effects, and click the one that you want to add to the video. Once added, in the preview window, use the scaling handles and rotation tools to resize the effect and change its orientation respectively.

Optionally use the Volume slider from the right pane to increase or decrease the sound volume of the effect to blend it in with the audio of the footage. If required, drag the side handles of the effect in the progress bar at the bottom to increase or decrease the duration of the effect in the video.

Step 3: Use Anchor Point

Drag and place the 3D effect to the location you want it to appear at, turn on the Attach to a point button from the right pane, and drag the anchor point to the object where you want it to stick even if the camera moves.

Step 4: Export the Video

Click the Play button from the bottom to preview the video with the 3D effect, and if everything looks fine, click Save a copy from the bottom-right area.

When the Finish your video box appears, choose your preferred resolution from the Video quality drop-down list, and click Export.

Next, choose your preferred destination folder in the Save As box that opens up next, specify the name of the output file in the File name field, and click Export to export the modified clip in MP4 format.

Note: Videos that you export from the Photos app are by default saved in MP4 format.

As one of the best basic video editing software for beginners , the Microsoft Photos app allows you trim video, add text to video and much more. For details, check how to edit videos with the Microsoft Photos app on Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Part 2: How to Add 3D Effects to Video with Filmora

Although Photos is a free app in Windows 11, it has certain limitations. This is where Filmora video editor , a product by Wondershare, comes into play. Wondershare Filmora is a post-production application for both Windows and Mac computers, and is considered a good competitor of some of the industry-standard video editing applications like Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X, DaVinci Resolve, etc.

While the Photos app can add 3D effects to the videos quickly, Filmora gives more control by offering a plethora of editing tools, options, and presets. In addition, Filmora is a timeline-oriented tool that allows you to add effects, filters, and/or elements in their corresponding layers without making any changes to the original footage.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

You can follow the step-by-step instructions that are given below to learn how to add 3D effects to a video with Wondershare Filmora:

Step 1: Import Source Video and Add It to the Timeline

After installing Wondershare Filmora on Windows 10 or Windows 11, launch the program, click anywhere inside the Media box present at the upper-left section of the interface, and locate and import the source video to the program. Next, hover the mouse over the thumbnail of the video, click the + icon from the bottom-right corner.

When the confirmation box appears, either click Match to Media or Keep Project Settings to adjust the project settings according to the media clip or modify the media clip according to the project preferences while adding the footage to the Timeline respectively.

Step 2: Add 3D Titles and Transitions

Click Titles from the toolbox at the top, type 3D Titles in the Search titles field present at the upper section of the upper-left box, and click 3D titles from the suggestions list.

From all the available 3D title presets that appear next, drag the one you like to the Timeline, and place it above the video track.

After this, double-click the placeholder text in the Preview window, and replace it with your caption. You can customize the font, color, and alignment of the text from the options that appear on left. Click OK from the lower-left area of the left pane to exit the editing mode. Repeat the process for all the texts that the preset has. Optionally, drag the sides of the 3D title in the Timeline to specify its duration of visibility on the screen.

To add the transitions, click Media from the toolbox at the top, click Import Media from the Media box, and repeat the process explained earlier to add a new video clip to the Timeline. Make sure that both the clips are on the same track, and are placed next to each other. Now, go to Transitions from the toolbox, and drag and place your preferred transition effect between the two media clips in the Timeline. Optionally you can drag the sides of the transition inwards or outwards to increase or decrease the speed of the effect respectively.

After this, move the Playhead (Skimmer) to the beginning of the Timeline, and press the Spacebar on your keyboard to preview the video.

Note: It is a good practice to preview your video several times during the entire editing process. This will help you identify the error sooner, and you will be able to address the issue with fewer hassles.

Step 3: Add Elements and Effects

Go to Elements from the toolbox, drag your preferred element from the upper-left box to the Timeline, and place it on a new track. You can drag the sides of the element in the Timeline to increase or decrease its visibility during video playback.

To add effects, go to Effects from the toolbox, drag your preferred effect from the upper-left box, and place it on a new layer in the Timeline. As it is with other entities, you can drag the sides of the effect to increase or decrease the duration of its impact on the video. Next, double-click the Effects layer in the Timeline, and use the available options in the box to make further adjustments.

Note: The options that you get by double-clicking the effect in the Timeline may vary according to the adjustments it allows you to make.

Once this is done, preview the video, click Export from the top-center, and use the tabs and options on the Export box to export the modified video in your preferred format.

Conclusion

If you are new to the VFX and video editing industry, trying hands with the Photos app would give you a fair idea about how things work. Once you are well-versed or if you are already a post-production professional, you can and you must go for a dedicated program like Wondershare Filmora that not only has an intuitive interface, it is also equipped with a plethora of presets to add 3D titles, elements, transitions, and effects to the videos without much hassle.

02 How to Add 3D Effects to Video with Filmora

Part 1: How to Add 3D Effects in Windows 11 Photos App for Free

Step 1: Open the 3D Effects Panel

Step 2: Add a 3D Effect and Customize

Step 3: Use Anchor Point

Step 4: Export the Video

Click the Play button from the bottom to preview the video with the 3D effect, and if everything looks fine, click Save a copy from the bottom-right area.

When the Finish your video box appears, choose your preferred resolution from the Video quality drop-down list, and click Export.

Note: Videos that you export from the Photos app are by default saved in MP4 format.

Part 2: How to Add 3D Effects to Video with Filmora

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

You can follow the step-by-step instructions that are given below to learn how to add 3D effects to a video with Wondershare Filmora:

Step 1: Import Source Video and Add It to the Timeline

Step 2: Add 3D Titles and Transitions

Click Titles from the toolbox at the top, type 3D Titles in the Search titles field present at the upper section of the upper-left box, and click 3D titles from the suggestions list.

From all the available 3D title presets that appear next, drag the one you like to the Timeline, and place it above the video track.

After this, move the Playhead (Skimmer) to the beginning of the Timeline, and press the Spacebar on your keyboard to preview the video.

Step 3: Add Elements and Effects

Note: The options that you get by double-clicking the effect in the Timeline may vary according to the adjustments it allows you to make.

Once this is done, preview the video, click Export from the top-center, and use the tabs and options on the Export box to export the modified video in your preferred format.

Conclusion

02 How to Add 3D Effects to Video with Filmora

Part 1: How to Add 3D Effects in Windows 11 Photos App for Free

Step 1: Open the 3D Effects Panel

Step 2: Add a 3D Effect and Customize

Step 3: Use Anchor Point

Step 4: Export the Video

Click the Play button from the bottom to preview the video with the 3D effect, and if everything looks fine, click Save a copy from the bottom-right area.

When the Finish your video box appears, choose your preferred resolution from the Video quality drop-down list, and click Export.

Note: Videos that you export from the Photos app are by default saved in MP4 format.

Part 2: How to Add 3D Effects to Video with Filmora

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

You can follow the step-by-step instructions that are given below to learn how to add 3D effects to a video with Wondershare Filmora:

Step 1: Import Source Video and Add It to the Timeline

Step 2: Add 3D Titles and Transitions

Click Titles from the toolbox at the top, type 3D Titles in the Search titles field present at the upper section of the upper-left box, and click 3D titles from the suggestions list.

From all the available 3D title presets that appear next, drag the one you like to the Timeline, and place it above the video track.

After this, move the Playhead (Skimmer) to the beginning of the Timeline, and press the Spacebar on your keyboard to preview the video.

Step 3: Add Elements and Effects

Note: The options that you get by double-clicking the effect in the Timeline may vary according to the adjustments it allows you to make.

Once this is done, preview the video, click Export from the top-center, and use the tabs and options on the Export box to export the modified video in your preferred format.

Conclusion

02 How to Add 3D Effects to Video with Filmora

Part 1: How to Add 3D Effects in Windows 11 Photos App for Free

Step 1: Open the 3D Effects Panel

Step 2: Add a 3D Effect and Customize

Step 3: Use Anchor Point

Step 4: Export the Video

Click the Play button from the bottom to preview the video with the 3D effect, and if everything looks fine, click Save a copy from the bottom-right area.

When the Finish your video box appears, choose your preferred resolution from the Video quality drop-down list, and click Export.

Note: Videos that you export from the Photos app are by default saved in MP4 format.

Part 2: How to Add 3D Effects to Video with Filmora

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

You can follow the step-by-step instructions that are given below to learn how to add 3D effects to a video with Wondershare Filmora:

Step 1: Import Source Video and Add It to the Timeline

Step 2: Add 3D Titles and Transitions

Click Titles from the toolbox at the top, type 3D Titles in the Search titles field present at the upper section of the upper-left box, and click 3D titles from the suggestions list.

From all the available 3D title presets that appear next, drag the one you like to the Timeline, and place it above the video track.

After this, move the Playhead (Skimmer) to the beginning of the Timeline, and press the Spacebar on your keyboard to preview the video.

Step 3: Add Elements and Effects

Note: The options that you get by double-clicking the effect in the Timeline may vary according to the adjustments it allows you to make.

Once this is done, preview the video, click Export from the top-center, and use the tabs and options on the Export box to export the modified video in your preferred format.

Conclusion

From Basic to Brilliant: Advanced Title Techniques in FCPX

How to Add Titles in Final Cut Pro X

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

We add text titles to our projects to tell the audience something they can’t figure out on their own, such as the title of our program, the name of the person speaking, or technical details about a subject.

This is a basic tutorial about Apple Final Cut Pro X, professional video editing software. However, if video editing is new to you, consider Wondershare Filmora for Mac . This is a powerful but easy-to-use tool for users just starting out. Download the free trial version below.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

Final Cut Pro X has almost 200 different text effects that we can add, but the process of adding titles is essentially the same. Adding titles is what this article is about.

DEFINITIONS

Just to keep us all on the same page, here are my definitions of key terms related to text:

Text or titles. Words placed on the screen. I use these terms interchangeably.
Superimpose. Text displayed on the the screen with other video below it. These are also called “supers” or “keys.”
Full-screen. Text which occupies the entire screen.
Lower-third. Text which fits below a person talking; in the “lower-third” of the screen.
Info-graphics. Full-screen text which is superimposed on a graphic, generally used to convey technical information. Typical uses are sports statistics or other information which is easier to convey using text than having someone read the words.

JUST THE BASICS

I’d like to introduce “Yertle,” he’s a sea turtle and the star of this article. (Footage courtesy of Jim Walker and Lobsters Gone Wild Productions.)

At its simplest, we use titles to display his (its?) name.

In the Timeline, put the playhead where you want a title to appear and type Shift+Control+T. This inserts the default lower-third title at the position of the playhead. The title, like almost all titles, has a default duration of 10:00 seconds.

Look at the Browser and see the results of your work. A lower-third title is superimposed over the video in the lower left corner. (I’ll talk about formatting the text in a few paragraphs.)

NOTE: The big limitation of this lower-third title is that it can only be positioned in the left corner. Moving it to the center or right corner requires manual adjustment.

You position or trim a title the same as any video clip: drag the clip to a different location, or drag an edge to change its duration.

Select that title and delete it by pressing the Delete key.

This time, type Control+T and the default full-screen title appears in the center of the screen. Again, this has a default duration of 10 seconds.

If you look right in the center of the screen, you’ll see the word “Title.” Yes, its darn near invisible. And, yes, it looks, um, ugly. However, we have a TON of formatting control to make this look however we want.

Select and delete that full-screen title.

There’s one more way to apply a title: dragging from the Titles Browser.

Click the Title icon in the Toolbar. This displays the contents of the Title Browser. The column on the left displays title categories, the icons on the right indicate individual titles, the search box at the bottom allows you to search for specific titles by name, while the number in the lower right indicates the number of titles currently displayed. (Your number may not match mine because I’ve added a few custom titles to my system.)

Let’s add a totally ridiculous title to our turtle - drag Clouds from the Title Browser and place it above the clip at the point where you want a title to appear.

NOTE: I’m using a marker in the Timeline to help me find the same place in a clip so my screen shots are consistent. Markers are not needed in any way for titles.

Um, yeah. So, some titles look more professional than others… You can delete this title now.

So, we:

Add titles using keyboard shortcuts
Drag titles from the Title Browser
Change position by dragging the title
Change duration by dragging the edge of the clip
Delete a title by selecting it and pressing the Delete key

CHANGING TEXT

Add a new full-screen title (type Control+T) to the Timeline. To change the text in a title, double-click it in the Viewer. Here, I’ve changed my title to “An Undersea Adventure.”

NOTE: We can also change the text using the Inspector. I’ll show you how in a few paragraphs. Pick whichever method is easiest for you.

All text, in any title, can be changed by double-clicking it in the Viewer to select it, then typing the new text you want to use.

FORMATTING TEXT

You can format any text that you can select. This means that you can format entire phrases, words, or individual letters differently. For this article, I will format everything the same, because once you know how this works, you can experiment on your own.

Here, I selected my entire title and opened the Inspector (shortcut Cmd+4). Click the Text tab at the top. This section of the Inspector allows you to format the text.

NOTE: The text box near the top of the panel is the second place you can select text for formatting.

If you want a fast way to format text, click the word “Normal” at the top. This displays a menu filled with different text formats. Some of these formats look pretty dreadful; the rest look worse.

NOTE: You can create your own text styles. Refer to the Help for information on how.

The Basic section of the Inspector allows you to change fonts, size, alignment… all the standard font settings we see in other programs. Here, I’ve changed the font to Hobo Std, at 167 points.

While many of these settings you already know there are a few you may not:

Line spacing. Adjusts the vertical distance between lines within the same paragraph.
Tracking. Adjusts the horizontal spacing between letters.
Baseline. Adjusts the vertical spacing of text compared to the horizontal line running thru the center of the white circle in the Viewer.

The Face section allows us to change font color, opacity and blue. Outline and Glow allows us to add, not surprisingly, outlines and glows. You can adjust these as you see fit - I tend not to add outlines or glows.

However, I STRONGLY recommend adding drop shadows to all text that you want viewers to read. Video, even HD video, is low resolution compared to print. Drop shadows make your text much easier to read. These are the settings I recommend for drop shadows.

After making a few changes in the Inspector, here’s the final result. Very cool - and very different from where we started!

ACTION SAFE/TITLE SAFE ZONES

Since television was first invented, we needed to compensate for the differences in TV sets by designing graphics to stay within Action Safe and Title Safe boundaries.

While much of today’s video is designed for the web, your titles will look the best if you follow the same guidelines.

Titles015

Go to the Switch in the Viewer and select “Show Action Safe/Title Safe Zones.”

This displays two pale rectangles in the frame. The outer rectangle is called “Action Safe,” the inner one is called “Title Safe.” Action Safe is 5% in from all edges; Title Safe is 10% in from all edges.

When designing text and graphics for the web, keep all essential elements inside the outer rectangle. When designing graphics and text for broadcast or cable, keep all essential elements inside the inner rectangle.

Here, for example, notice that my title is fully contained within Action Safe.

SUMMARY

Titles give our programs character and personality, plus they explain what’s going on to the audience. Final Cut Pro X provides a wealth of formatting options to make our text look great.

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango