Universal Safe Zones
There is still a need for Safe Zones! Not only for the physical displays, but for elementary design considerations.
Both SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) and EBU (European Broadcasting Union) agree that modern (since the introduction of HD) zones should be 7% for action safe and 10% for title safe.
Final Cut already has safe zone guides available, however, they are “old school” zones: 10% margins for action safe and 20% margins for title safe and only for the project size. These cannot be changed.
Universal Safe Zones displays the zones for individual clips — any aspect ratio (e.g., vertical video in a horizontal project.) If you need project size zones over non-conforming clips, apply to an “adjustment layer”.
Universal Safe Zones offers both “modern” and “classic” methods as well as a Center Cut Safe option!
The Center Cut in Universal Safe Zones can have either “classic” or “modern” vertical offsets — it’s only a matter of selecting checkboxes. Center Cut works in any aspect format (wider than 4:3) and always presents 4:3 horizontal guides regardless of aspect.
For vertical and square videos, the horizontal guides will be off-clip (and therefore, not visible).
There are options to change the colors of the margin boundaries to make them 1) easier to see, or 2) for creative use (e.g., using Effect Masks Shape Mask to isolate/show a corner and hide the rest.)
Create your own versions of this effect for repeated use without having to deal with the parameter selections by saving Effect Presets.
This effect is called Universal because it automatically adapts to every aspect ratio footage it is applied to — even your saved Effect Presets will automatically adapt wherever applied.
Universal Safe Zones is absolutely minimal (as a feature!) with negligible effect to the project. Use more than one on a clip to have both regular zones along with center cuts.
If you only need the Center Cut Safe zones, you can get this one free: Center Cut Safe Zones
If you need a free version with 14 different “fixed” aspect ratios available, check this out: Safe Zones — it’s a much older version.
Parameter List:
There are two options: Classic, to turn on the 10/20% zones and Center Cut. They can be used in combination.
The others are just to color the outlines.
Save your settings as Effect Presets!
Used on different aspect ratios:
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A good place to see all of my effects as well as several tutorials and other demonstrations in use is on my YouTube channel.
