Introduction
The Portrait placer Layer in mimoLive is designed to handle videos with mismatched aspect ratios, such as a 9:16 portrait video being displayed on a wide 16:9 screen, or vice versa. This layer is especially useful for presenting vertical content (popular in mobile video formats) on more traditional horizontal screens or displaying horizontal videos on vertical displays. It applies a modern “letterboxing” effect, commonly used to fill the background with blurred or stylized content to avoid empty black bars around the video.
Key Features of the Portrait placer Layer:
- Aspect Ratio Flexibility: Manages both portrait (9:16) and landscape (16:9) videos on screens with the opposite orientation.
- Blurred Background: Automatically fills the surrounding space with a blurred version of the video to maintain aesthetic consistency and prevent black bars.
- Video Source Options: Accepts a variety of video formats and sources, making it versatile for live streaming, recordings, and more.
User Interface Overview:
In the screenshot provided, the user interface shows the following main components:
Layer Stack:
The “Portrait Placer” layer is added to the stack. This is where the magic happens, allowing you to place a portrait video within a wider frame and fill the rest of the space with a blurred background.
Triggers:
Set up triggers that can be toggled or activated to change between different variants of the Portrait placer Layer or switch between multiple sources. This can be useful in live broadcasts to change the presentation style without breaking the flow.
Content Source:
In the “Content” section, you can choose the source for your video. Here, the “Short Speaker_6_vert” video is being used, which has a resolution of 1080×1920 (a typical portrait video).
Playback controls allow you to preview the video, start, pause, or loop it while adjusting settings.
Appearance (Blur Radius):
This controls how much the background (blurred video) is blurred. A slider allows adjustment of the blur radius from 0 (no blur) to 100 (maximum blur). A higher blur radius ensures the background doesn’t distract from the main video content.
Output Destinations:
Audio settings are shown here, allowing you to manage audio output from the video and the layers. You can choose which device to output the sound to and adjust the volume balance.
How to Use the Portrait placer layer:
Adding the Layer:
To use the Portrait placer layer, navigate to the Layer Stack and add the “Portrait Placer” layer by clicking the + button and selecting it from the list.
Configuring the Video Source:
In the “Content” section, click on the source area to choose your video. If you are using a portrait video (9:16), it will automatically center the video in the frame and apply the blurred background around it. For landscape videos (16:9) displayed on portrait screens, the same process occurs in reverse.
Adjusting the Blur Effect:
Use the blur radius slider to soften the background. This effect helps keep the focus on the main video content, making the background less distracting.
Live Control:
You can use triggers or manual layer controls during live broadcasts to switch between different content or adjust the presentation style. For example, you can switch between portrait and landscape content seamlessly.
Best Practices:
Check Aspect Ratio Compatibility:
Ensure that your source video is correctly sized. Portrait content (9:16) should be designed for display on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, or mobile screens, while landscape content (16:9) works well for YouTube or widescreen presentations.
Blur Effect Balance:
The blur effect should not be too strong or too weak. Aim for a balance where the background is indistinct but still complements the main video content.
Use for Mobile Streaming:
This layer is ideal for live streaming events to platforms where mobile users are the majority audience, as it ensures that portrait videos fit nicely on larger screens.
Conclusion
The Portrait placer layer in mimoLive allows for a professional, clean presentation of mismatched aspect ratio content. It’s especially useful when streaming portrait-oriented videos on traditional widescreen displays or showing horizontal videos on vertical screens. By using the blur background effect, your content looks polished, and the viewer’s attention remains on the main subject without distracting black bars.