Easiest way to "black out" a small section of video in an AVI file?

[johnny905]

I have a movie that I shot and edited years ago when I was a teenager. The AVI file contains the finished movie, with all titles, music, sound effects, etc.

The dilema is that I am an idiot and I made a spelling error in the title!!! Luckily (I think) the title fades in and out over a black background.

What is the easiest way for me to black out or erase the title? I figure I can use any video editing software to add a new title, but I have no idea how to get rid of the old title.

Suggestions?

Thanks
John

[guns1inger]

If you have access to an editor then just create the new title, and replace the old one by fading your new one in over the top. If you just want to change a word then it becomes a little more tricky depending ont he software, but not that difficult.

it would help if we could see what you were trying to do, and what software you have available to you.

[johnny905]

The only editing software I have currently have access to is Windows Movie Maker and Cyberlink PowerDirector.

I was hoping I could use one of these programs to make what should be a fairly simple edit. The problem is that (as far as I can tell) the new titles are simply overlayed over the existing video. i.e., I can create a new title, but it just sits on top of the old one, so I see both of them. I can't find a setting that would make the background of the new title a solid black that would cover of the old title.

Am I missing something easy here, or do I need to invest in better software to do this?

Thanks
John

[johnny905]

Nevermind, I think I solved my own problem. I'm still not sure how to do it in Movie Maker, but in Powerdirector there is an option to choose a different background. There are no other backgrounds to choose, but I simply created a black jpg file in Paint and was able to load that into title as the background.

Now I just have to find a font that looks like the old title, which non of the software I have seems to have...

Oh well, one problem solved and one to go.

Thanks for the help
John

[lowellriggsiam]

Paint has typing capabilities, you didn't find one you could use there? You could just type over your black jpeg.

[johnny905]

I haven't found a font that is close enough yet. I am looking for a font similar to one called Quattro.

http://new.myfonts.com/search/quattro/fonts/

But this is a commercial font and I don't want to pay for it for one single edit. I'm sure if I keep looking I'll find something close.

[guns1inger]

This is probably a good starting point for your search

http://www.dafont.com/theme.php?cat=113

[AlanHK]

Or try the "eroded" fonts:
http://www.dafont.com/theme.php?cat=107