Starting with Photoshop CS2, Adobe introduced a new feature called data sets. This allows you to create a set of data that applies variable text, variable visibility settings, or pixel replacement for art layers. This is a great feature for use with templates, especially those for lower-third titles.
By harnessing the power of data sets, you can dramatically speed up the production of repetitive graphics. In fact, by feeding in a text file, hundreds of lower-third graphics can be generated in a few clicks. The advantage of this method is that a producer or production assistant can gather all of the needed names and titles into a single text file (easily created with any word processor). This file can then be loaded to generate as many graphics as needed. While the process is a little tricky at first, it’s pretty easy to get the hang of.
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