How to Use Video Assets in Switcher

Pre-recorded videos and Clips can be imported into the Switcher Studio app to use in your production. Video assets can be great for show openers, testimonials, interviews, highlights, clips, b-roll, etc. This article covers the work steps for adding and displaying video assets in your production.

In this article:

• Compatible File Types for Video Assets

• Importing Pre-Recorded Videos into Switcher Studio

• Customizing a Video Asset

• Additional Video Customization Options

• Playing a Full-Screen Video Asset

• Playing an Overlay Video Asset

• Pausing a Video Asset

• Looping a Video Asset

• Viewing Playback Time on a Video Asset

• Audio Playback on Video Assets

• Muting Live Audio During Video Asset Playback

• Video Tutorial

Compatible File Types for Video Assets

Switcher Studio supports video assets in the following formats:

• .mp4

• .mov

Importing Pre-Recorded Videos into Switcher Studio

Video files can be imported into the Switcher Studio app from a number of locations, including Switcher Cloud, My Files, and Photos. Additionally, video files that are saved to apps like Google Drive and Dropbox can be imported into Switcher Studio.

Note: Videos imported from Photo Library may become corrupt and unusable if iCloud backup is turned on for the Apple account. We recommend importing assets using Switcher Cloud or saving the video to the My Files app before importing it into Switcher Studio.

To import a video from My Files, Photos, or Switcher Cloud:

• From the main switcher, tap the plus icon (+).

• Tap Video.

• Tap the location where your video is stored (Switcher Cloud, My Files, Photo Library etc.).

  • If you are importing a Clip made in Switcher Studio, tap Video Library on the home screen.

• Tap the video you would like to import.

  • Once you tap the video you want to import, a Video Properties modal window will appear. You can customize the asset in the Properties window, as outlined below.

To import a video from Google Drive or Dropbox, use the steps in these articles:

• Importing Assets from Google Drive

• Importing Assets from Dropbox

Configuring the Video Asset Properties

• Select a Framing option.

  • Contain (arrows outside of box icon): Scales down the video to fit in the frame. If the video has a frame around it after it has been scaled down, you can change the color using the Background Color option.

  • Fill (arrows inside box icon): Scales up the video to fill the entire screen. This removes the frame and can cut off parts of the video. It is useful if you are importing a video that doesn't match the screen size.

  • Custom Position (hand icon): Allows you to customize the size and position of the video. Pinch in or out on the image to resize it. Tap and hold the image to move its position on the screen.

    • When using Custom Position, it will have a solid background if the Layering option is set to Full-screen. The background will be transparent if the Layering option is set to Overlay.

• Select a Layering option.

  • Full-Screen: the asset itself can either be full-screen or can be in-screen with a solid color background.

  • Overlay: An overlay will create transparency around the video asset, allowing you to display it on top of other camera sources or full-screen assets.

    • When you choose Overlay, the screen preview will become smaller, and additional options will appear.

    • You will likely need to adjust the size and position of the screen based on where you want it to appear on screen.

      • Resize the asset by pinching in to make it smaller or out to make bigger.

      • Tap and drag the asset to move it to the desired location.

      • You can also use the Vertical and Horizontal alignment options for easier positioning.

• When you are finished adjusting the video properties, tap Done in the top-right corner.

  • The video will appear in your Sources panel.

Additional Video Customization Options

Depending on the framing and Layering options selected, some or all of the following settings can also be adjusted.

• Background Color: Allows you to set the background color (if your video doesn't take up the entire screen).

• Thumbnail Selection: Changes the thumbnail that you'll see in the Sources panel to make it easier to identify the video.

• End On Last Frame: Changes whether the video ends on a still of the last image or on a black solid black frame. If you enable the option, the button will be blue, and it means your video will end on the last frame.

• Enable Audio: Turns audio from the video off or on when it is played. When audio is on, the toggle bar is blue and the button is to the right. When audio is off (muted) the toggle bar is grey and the button is to the left.

• Trimmer: Allows you to adjust the start/end of a video asset to make it shorter. This article provides step-by-step instructions: Trimming a Video Asset

• Volume: Determines how loud or quiet the audio will be when the video is played. The slider becomes greyed out if Enable Audio is turned off.

Playing a Full-Screen Video Asset

• Tap the video asset thumbnail in the Sources Panel.

• The video will automatically start when you tap it (or when moved from Preview to Live if you're using the Preview window). 

  • There will be a yellow bar along the bottom of the asset in the Sources panel that shows the play progress.

• When the video ends, the bar at the bottom of the thumbnail will turn red.

• Tap a camera view or full-screen asset to move on with the production.

Playing an Overlay Video Asset

• Tap the video asset in the Sources Panel.

• It will appear on top of the live source or full-screen asset.

  • There will be a yellow bar along the bottom of the asset in the Sources panel that shows the play progress.

• Tap the thumbnail again to remove it from the live feed.

Pausing a Video Asset

• When a video asset is playing, long-hold on the asset in the sources panel.
• Tap Pause.
• The video will pause, displaying the current time and time remaining.

Note: This feature is available in version Switcher 10.1 and later.

Looping a Video Asset

To loop a video asset:

• Tap and hold the video asset in the Sources panel.
• Tap Edit Properties.
• Tap Playback Settings.
  • Full-Screen Assets: Select Infinite Loop.
  • Overlay Assets: Select Infinite Loop, Loop Count, or Display Duration.
    • Infinite Loop: The video will continue to loop until you remove it from the live feed.
    • Loop Count: Designate a number of times the video will loop.
    • Display Duration: Select an amount of time you would like the video to loop.
• Tap Done.
• Tap Done again.

Viewing Playback Time on a Video Asset

When you tap a video asset to play it in the Sources panel, the current playback time will display in the bottom-left corner and the time remaining will display in the bottom-right corner.

Note: This feature is available in version Switcher 10.1 and later.

Audio Playback on Video Assets

When you play a video asset during your production, the audio will not play out of the main switcher's speakers. That is an intentional setting to prevent audio feedback. The VU meter in the switcher will confirm that audio is playing. If you want to monitor the audio, you will need to use headphones. 

Muting Live Audio During Video Asset Playback

By default, the audio input source (such as the mic on the main switcher) remains on, while a video asset is playing. This allows you to talk over the video if desired.

If you want to disable the mic while the video is playing, tap the mute button next to the VU meter. When you have muted the audio, there is a blue box around the microphone icon, as shown below.

Note: Turning on the mute button does not mute your video, only any incoming audio connected to your primary device. If you need to provide commentary or talk over your video you should not mute the device's microphone.

Video Tutorial

Keyword(s): video, asset, overlay, full, screen, import