Adding a Media Overlay to a Media Asset

Overview

Using the media overlay feature, you can layer a media asset (image or video footage) on top of another one. Once added, the media overlay becomes an inherent part of the parent media asset. This means that if you remove the parent asset, the media overlay is removed as well. Refer to the Notes at the end of this article for more specific details regarding the behavior of media overlays.

Among many use cases, you can use this feature to create a unique composition comprising two media assets. And just as with a standard media asset, you can also personalize the media overlay using Message by Audience or a data stream to show viewers media assets customized especially for them.

Note that a media overlay can only be added to a media asset within a media placeholder. A media overlay cannot be added to an empty media placeholder.

Adding a Media Overlay to a Media Asset

1.	Open the relevant video in the Studio.
2.	From the scene line-up, select the relevant scene.
3.	Select the media asset that you want to add a media overlay to.
4.	On the toolbar, click the Add a text or media overlay icon. ▶ If this option is disabled, this indicates that the current scene does not support adding a text overlay. See Notes below for more information.
5.	Select Media Overlay.
	A transparent placeholder, with a checkered background, is added to the media asset. ▶ The default position of the placeholder is based on design considerations but can be changed according to your preferences.
6.	Select Media in the sidebar to access the Media Library and then add a media asset to the placeholder. ▶ Just as in a standard media placeholder, the media asset in the media overlay can be personalized. See the following articles to learn more: Configuring Media According to a Data Stream Media: Message by Audience
	The media asset is added to the overlay placeholder.
7.	(Optional) Move and resize the placeholder according to your preferences.
8.	(Optional) Edit the media asset according to your preferences.

Moving and Resizing a Media Overlay

To move, grab the overlay placeholder and drag it to the new location.

As you drag the placeholder, note the following guides on the media asset:

The horizontal and vertical guides help you place the media overlay precisely on the media asset while the four borders designate the recommended margins. The media overlay can be placed beyond the borders but not beyond the media asset.

To resize the height and width simultaneously, drag one of the corner handles until the overlay is the size you want.
To resize the height and width independently, drag one of the side handles.

Deleting a Media Overlay from a Media Asset

1.	Select the media asset whose media overlay you want to delete.
2.	Select the media overlay that you want to delete. ▶ You will know that the media overlay is selected when you see a blue dashed border.
3.	On the toolbar, click the Delete placeholder icon. ▶ You can also press Delete or Backspace.
	The media overlay is deleted.

Notes

1.	More than one media overlay can be added to a single media asset. To add an additional overlay, select the parent media asset again and then click the Add a text or media overlay icon on the toolbar.
2.	Multiple overlays within a media asset can be overlapped. The overlay that was last added will be the uppermost layer.
3.	If the media placeholder is hidden, all overlays within it are hidden as well.
4.	When a parent media asset is removed, all the overlays added to it are removed as well. After a parent media asset is added again to the same media placeholder, the media and text overlays previously added are restored.
5.	If there are both media overlays and text overlays on the media asset, the text overlays will always be the uppermost layer.
6.	When using video footage: ▶ If the parent media asset is set to loop, the looping will continue until the video footage in the media overlay finishes playing. ▶ Among other factors, the length of a scene is determined by the duration of the longest-playing video asset (when Play full duration is set for the video). This can be the video footage in either the parent media asset or any of the media overlays. To learn how the duration of a scene is set, see Setting a Minimum Duration for a Scene and Setting the Duration of a Video Asset Inside a Scene.
7.	After adding a media overlay to a media asset, you may want to switch the scene layout. When viewing the available scene layouts, you will see an indication on those layouts that do not support adding a media overlay.