Common Questions Answered: Using Templates in Descript

Introduction to Template Questions

Descript users often have questions about how to effectively use templates. Here are three common questions I receive nearly every day:

1. What exactly can be made into a template?
2. How fancy can templates be?
3. Why don't templates work on my podcast episodes?

What Exactly Can Be Made into a Template?

Question number one comes from Paula, who asked about the scope of what can be templatized in Descript.

Answer: Almost every property or element in Descript can be turned into a template. However, there are specific areas where templates work particularly well, and others where they might not be as effective.

Best Uses for Templates:

• Captions and Titles: If you use a standard font, color, or size, templates can save you the hassle of adjusting these elements for each new project.
• Watermarks and Logos: For consistent branding, placing the same watermark or logo on multiple videos can be simplified with templates.
• Intros and Outros: Have a standard intro or outro for your YouTube channel or course? Templatizing these elements ensures they are applied consistently.
• Interview Layouts: Templates are perfect for multi-camera or multi-speaker setups, where elements like borders, audiograms, and social media handles need to be consistently styled.
• Like and Subscribe Buttons: Customize these elements with your own fonts and colors and save them as templates to use across projects.

For all these templates, you can find free downloadable versions on my website. Just click the link in the description to get started.

Things to Avoid When Creating Templates:

• Animations and Transitions: Creating templates for animations and transitions can lead to unpredictable behavior. These elements are better created from scratch for each project.
• AI Effects: While you can technically templatize elements like studio sound or eye contact adjustments, it's often easier to apply these effects manually. Templates aren't as reliable for these nuanced changes.
• Audio Projects: Since audio projects don't have scenes, controlling where a template would be applied is difficult. Standard intro or outro tracks might be suitable here, but overall, templates aren't meant for audio-only projects.

How Fancy Can Templates Be?

Steve posed the next question, wondering how complex templates could get.

Answer: Simplicity is key. When creating templates, it's best to keep each template focused on one layer or property. Trying to do too much within a single template can lead to unexpected results.

Tips for Keeping Templates Simple:

• Single Property per Template: Change only one aspect (like size or position) per template.
• Stack Templates: Apply multiple templates to a scene if needed, but ensure they are tested together to prevent conflicting properties.
• Few Moving Parts: The fewer changes a template makes, the less likely things are to break.

Imagine a flashlight versus a smartphone: a flashlight has one function and performs it well. A smartphone has many functions and, as a result, is prone to more issues.

Troubleshooting Podcast Templates

Bruce's question was about why templates might not work for his podcast episodes.

Answer: Without exact details about your podcast setup, the most common issue is applying a template meant for sequences to a project that isn’t set up for sequences, or vice versa.

Understanding Sequences:
Templates apply precisely as they were created. If your podcast is structured differently from the template's intended use, it will likely cause issues. I recommend watching my other videos on sequences to get more clarity on this subject. There's a link to a relevant video in the description below.

Conclusion and Free Templates

Remember, you can download over a hundred free Descript templates from this website. Click here to grab them. Templates can simplify your workflow and guarantee a consistent look and feel for all your projects. Happy editing!