How would I make something like this in Storyline 360?

Hi Jennifer,

The "Frame" and "Donut" shapes on the Insert > Shape menu can get you part of the way there. Getting those shapes to subtly grow and contract like the highlight boxes do in that video would be a challenge in Storyline, however.

If you simply want to make a non-interactive video, I recommend doing this in PowerPoint and then exporting that out to a video, 

I would be happy with just a static shape on a piece of the text while the rest of the document is either blurred out or in another color (like the video). Plus having the video pause while an explanation is given.

In that case, the Frame or Donut shape should work well. Just insert one or the other, adjust it to fit the content you want to highlight (and stretch the shape to extend off the slide a bit) and then adjust the time on the timeline when the highlight should appear and disappear in sync with your narration.

For another idea, check out this vid here. The vid explains how to create an interactive screenshot, but you could use the same effect and trigger the 'zoom-ins' based on cue points on the timeline.

Do I just make the shape transparent? How do I get the text to show through the solid shape (color)?

Michael, 

This is really cool. I don't totally understand how they did it (I'm very new to SL). I wish there was a video showing it step by step. 

The frame and donut shapes already have a hollow (transparent) center. Give one a quick try. Just insert it, scale it up, and use the tiny yellow square (on the upper left of the frame and on the middle left of the donut) to change the size of the hollow center.

I should have added... Once you have the hollow area of the frame or donut around the area you want to highlight, make the fill semi-transparent black, or whatever color you like; perhaps 40% transparent or so.

I just tried it and can't get it to work. I started with a picture, put a solid color rectangle over it, then put the donut shape over that. I can't see through the donut shape to the picture below. All I see is the colored shape. I can't figure out how to see through the donut shape. 

Remove the solid color rectangle. Then you should see the portion of the picture in the middle of the donut.

I'm not sure if I'm explaining what I would like to achieve very well.

The end result is I would like a shape to reveal part of a picture, while the rest of the picture is covered (or blurred).

In the video they have the bill, which has a blue overlay. Then a shape "reveals" the bill (in white w/no blue).

On the slide I have started with my picture. Then over that I put the solid color (to block the picture). Now I need to have some shape that reveals part of the picture. This is the step I'm stuck on. I essentially have to "cut out" a shape from the solid color to reveal the picture underneath.

Please try these steps:

1. Delete the solid color; you don't need that, and in fact it will interfere with what you're trying to accomplish.
2. Click the Insert menu.
3. Pull down the Shape options.
4. In the Basic Shapes category of shapes, select either the Frame (for a rectangular reveal) or Donut (for a circular reveal) shape. You can tell which shape is which by hovering your mouse pointer over a shape and waiting for the description to pop up.
5. Once you have the preferred shape selected, click and drag to draw the shape onto the slide. Have it fill the whole slide.
6. Using the Format menu, make the fill of the shape semi-transparent (such as 40% black). You may want to remove the line border completely.
7. Now using the little yellow square on the left or upper left of the shape you selected, adjust the width/height of the empty space so that it surrounds the area you want revealed. 
8. If the area you want to reveal is on one of the sides of your background image and not in the center of the image, you may have to drag one edge of the outer boundary of the shape further off the slide so that the center reveal area moves one way or the other.

If I find some time today, I'll make you a little MP4 movie that walks you through these steps.

Here is what I get after following the steps....

Not what I'm trying to achieve. Clearly there is something I'm missing.

I can't tell for sure from that screenshot but it looks like you selected a plain circle shape, not the donut. When you mouse over the shapes in the Shapes drop-down, be sure the word "Donut" pops up. If some other word pops up, keep moving your mouse pointer over the circular shapes until you get the donut shape.

I double checked, it's the donut shape.

OK, give me an hour or so and I'll make you a quick video.

One other possible option you could try is the `slide background fill` option for a shape. See here a quick example. The only thing you couldn`t replicate from your original is the animation of the cutouts.

I have attached a video for you, showing how to use the donut shape to highlight an area of the screen. After Michael responds, you can decide which technique best meets your needs.

Good luck!

I'm assuming this cannot be done over a video though...the background document would have to be static.

Very helpful! Thank you! 

One of the great features of Storyline is that you can overlay a video with objects, so yes indeed, this will work with a video. Just determine at what time along the timeline the donut should appear and disappear and adjust the duration and timing of the donut accordingly along the timeline.

Correct, the slidebackground has to be a static image, but you can easily cover it up. See here a quick example with a (not related to the content, just an example) video and overlaid with the cutouts from the previous version. 

Excellent video. ;)

Thanks to both you and Steve for all your help!