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Video Studio: Quick Start Guide ​

This tutorial walks you through creating your first promotional video in Video Studio. By the end, you'll have a finished video ready to share on social media.

Prerequisites ​

Before you begin, make sure you have:

  • A DopplerTown account with staff access
  • At least one audio file uploaded to your Asset Library (WAV or FLAC)
  • Optional: Images or video clips for your background

Step 1: Create a New Project ​

  1. Open the Video Studio from the sidebar

  2. Click New Project

  3. Fill in the project details:

    • Project Name: Give your project a descriptive name (e.g., "Summer Single Promo")
    • Organization: Select the organization you're working in (if you have access to more than one)
    • Preset: Choose a format based on where you'll post:
      • Portrait 9:16 for TikTok / Reels / Shorts
      • Portrait 4:5 for Instagram feed
      • Square 1:1 for general social
      • Landscape 16:9 for YouTube
    • Duration: Set how long your video should be (e.g., 30 seconds)
    • Mode: Choose Saved Online to store your project, or Ephemeral for a quick experiment

  4. Click Create to open the editor

Step 2: Add Your Audio ​

  1. In the Layer Panel (left side), click the Audio layer
  2. Click Add Media to open the Library Picker
  3. Select an audio file from your Asset Library
  4. The audio waveform will appear in the Timeline (bottom)

Tip: You can also drag and drop a local audio file directly onto the audio layer. It will stay local until you save the project.

Step 3: Set Your Background ​

  1. Click the Background layer in the Layer Panel
  2. Choose one of these options:
    • Add a still image: Select a cover art or promotional image from your Library
    • Add a video clip: Pick a video file from your Library or drop a local file
  3. Adjust the background using the Properties Panel (right side):
    • Position — Drag to reposition, or enter exact X/Y values
    • Scale — Resize to fit or fill the frame
    • Fit Mode — Choose between Fit (show full image) or Fill (crop to fill)

Looping Background Videos ​

If you added a video background, choose a loop mode in the Properties Panel:

  • No loop — Video plays once
  • Loop — Video repeats from the start
  • Rewind — Video plays forward, then backward, then repeats

Step 4: Add Lyrics or Text ​

  1. Click the Text layer in the Layer Panel (or create a new one)
  2. Open the Properties Panel to access text controls
  3. Import lyrics:
    • Click Import LRC to paste an LRC file with timing data
    • Or paste plain text and adjust timing manually
  4. Customize the appearance:
    • Font, size, and weight
    • Fill color and alignment
    • Position and anchor point
  5. Fine-tune timing:
    • Drag lyric blocks in the Timeline to adjust when each line appears
    • Resize blocks to change duration
    • Use Word Timing chips for word-level sync (tap-to-mark supported)

Step 5: Preview Your Video ​

Use the Preview Canvas (center) to watch your video:

  • Click Play to watch from the current position
  • Drag the playhead in the Timeline to scrub to any point
  • Make adjustments to layers, timing, or properties and see changes instantly

Note: The preview uses the same rendering logic as the final export, so what you see is accurate.

Step 6: Export Your Video ​

  1. Click the Export button
  2. Review the export summary:
    • Preset and aspect ratio
    • Duration
    • Number of outputs (one per asset group member if using groups)
  3. Choose your save behavior:
    • Download Only — Save the video file to your device
    • Save to Library — Upload the rendered video as a VIDEO asset in your Asset Library
  4. Click Start Export
  5. Wait for the render to complete (runs in your browser)
  6. Your video will download or appear in your Library

Important: Do not close the browser tab during export. Rendering happens locally and closing the tab will interrupt the process.

Next Steps ​

Now that you've created your first video, explore more advanced features:

  • Editor Guide — Learn about the full editor layout, keyboard shortcuts, and all available tools
  • Asset Groups — Create rotating slideshows with multiple images or videos
  • Lyrics & Text — Master word-level timing and text animations
  • Exporting — Learn about export formats, batch exporting, and saving strategies