Layouts

How to use layouts in Tella

Layouts are one of the most important features for customizing the look of your videos in Tella. They allow you to control how your camera feed, screen recording, or both are displayed in your final video, giving you the flexibility to emphasize different aspects of your content. This guide will explain how to use layouts, customize them, apply them across multiple clips, and when to take advantage of Multi-layouts.

What are layouts?

In Tella, a layout determines how the visual elements in your video—such as your camera feed and screen recording—are arranged. Depending on the type of clip you’ve recorded, you’ll have different layout options available. For instance:

• Camera-only recordings offer layouts focused on just the camera feed.

• Screen-only recordings provide layouts that showcase only your screen content.

• Screen and camera recordings allow for a variety of layouts that combine both elements in one view.

These layout options give you control over how your viewers engage with the content. For example, you might want to prioritize your screen when showing detailed demos, or feature yourself more prominently when explaining concepts.

Choosing a layout

To select a layout:

1. Open your video in Tella.

2. Click on the Layouts button in the sidebar. You’ll see a list of available layouts depending on the type of clip (camera-only, screen-only, or screen and camera).

3. Browse through the layouts and select the one that best suits your needs.

For example, if you are recording a product demo with a screen and camera setup, you may want to choose a layout that gives equal importance to both elements, like the side-by-side layout. Alternatively, if your focus is more on the details of your screen, choose a layout where the screen is dominant and the camera feed is minimized.

Customizing layouts

One of the most powerful aspects of Tella’s Layouts feature is the ability to customize layouts. While Tella provides a set of preset layouts, you can move and resize elements within those layouts to create something more personalized.

Here’s how to customize a layout:

1. After choosing a preset layout, click on the canvas in the editing window.

2. Drag and adjust the position of the camera feed or screen recording to fine-tune the composition.

3. Once you’ve adjusted the elements, Tella will indicate that you are using a custom layout instead of a preset. This gives you the flexibility to create exactly the layout you need.

Custom layouts are especially useful if you want a non-standard arrangement, such as placing your camera in a corner or resizing the screen recording to fill more of the frame.

Apply layouts to matching clips

If your video consists of multiple clips, you don’t need to manually apply the same layout to each one. Tella’s Apply to Matching Clips feature allows you to automatically apply the current layout to all other clips of the same type in your video.

Here’s how to use it:

1. Select your desired layout (or custom layout).

2. Click Apply to Matching Clips in the sidebar. This will automatically apply the layout to all clips that match the type of the current clip (e.g., camera-only, screen-only, or screen and camera).

This feature is a huge time-saver, especially if you have a long video made up of several clips that all require the same layout. You won’t have to go through each clip and manually adjust the layout—it’s done for you in one click.

Using multi-layouts

One of the standout features of Tella is Multi-Layouts, which allows you to add multiple layouts to a single clip. This is useful for creating dynamic videos where the layout changes at different points to better emphasize specific content.

For example, you might start with a camera-only layout for an introduction, then switch to a screen-and-camera layout when you begin demonstrating something on your screen. Later, you could switch to a screen-only layout to highlight specific details.

To use Multi-Layouts:

1. Move the playhead on the timeline to where you want the layout to change.

2. Click Add Layout. The clip will now be split into two sections.

3. Apply different layouts to each section, depending on what you want to emphasize.

4. You can further fine-tune where the layout change occurs by adjusting the handle between the two sections.

Multi-layouts are particularly effective when you want to keep your audience engaged by switching the visual focus between different elements throughout a single clip.

Adjusting transitions between layouts

Whenever you add multiple layouts to a clip, Tella automatically inserts a smooth transition between them. This creates a seamless shift from one layout to another, enhancing the viewing experience.

You can also customize the transition:

1. Click on the transition handle between two layout segments.

2. Choose between a smooth transition (default) or a hard cut. A smooth transition is ideal when you want the change to feel fluid, while a hard cut is better for direct, instantaneous switches between layouts.

For example, a smooth transition works well when switching from a camera and screen layout to a screen-only layout, while a hard cut might be more appropriate for switching between two very different sections of the video.

When to use layouts vs. multi-layouts

Deciding whether to use single layouts or Multi-Layouts comes down to the style of your video:

• Use single layouts if your content stays consistent throughout the clip (e.g., a straightforward screen recording or a talking-head video).

• Use Multi-layouts to create variety and highlight different elements within the same clip (e.g., switching between a detailed screen focus and a camera view).

For longer videos, you can also combine multiple clips, each with different layouts, to make the video more engaging while keeping your recording sessions simple.

Conclusion

Tella’s Layouts feature offers a robust set of tools for customizing the look of your video, whether you need a simple camera or screen recording or a dynamic mix of both. With the ability to apply layouts across multiple clips, customize them, and use Multi-layouts for added flexibility, you can easily create professional-looking videos tailored to your specific content.