After Effects for Absolute Beginners: Text Animation Basics for Creators

Text Layers: What They Are and Why They’re Different

A text layer is a special kind of layer that stays editable: you can change the wording, font, size, tracking, and alignment at any time without rebuilding anything. Text layers also have unique animation tools (Text Animators) that let you animate characters or words without splitting the layer into multiple pieces.

Creating and Editing a Text Layer

• Select the Type Tool and click once in the Composition panel to create “point text” (best for titles).
• Type your text, then press Enter on the numeric keypad (or click away) to commit.
• Switch back to the Selection Tool to move the text layer.
• To edit the text content later, double-click the text in the Composition panel (or select the layer and use the Type Tool).

Tip: Keep each “idea” as its own text layer (e.g., headline, subhead, tagline). This makes timing and animation cleaner than cramming everything into one layer.

Character vs Paragraph Controls (And When to Use Each)

After Effects text formatting is mainly split into two panels: Character (how letters look) and Paragraph (how text blocks align and flow). If you don’t see these panels, open them from the Window menu.

Character Panel: The “Look” of the Letters

• Font family & style: Choose a readable font and a consistent weight (e.g., Regular for body, Bold for headline).
• Font size: Scale for the viewing distance (phone vs TV). Avoid tiny sizes.
• Leading: Line spacing. Increase slightly for multi-line titles to avoid a cramped look.
• Tracking: Overall letter spacing. Small increases can improve readability on video, especially for all-caps.
• Fill/Stroke: Prefer fill-only for clean titles. If using stroke, keep it subtle and test at 100% zoom.

Paragraph Panel: Alignment and Layout

• Alignment: Left/center/right alignment for point text; choose based on composition layout.
• Justification: For paragraph text blocks (less common for title cards).

Practical rule: Use Character to make it readable, then use Paragraph to place it intentionally.

Safe Font Choices and Legibility for Video

Video compression, motion, and small screens can destroy delicate typography. The goal is clarity first, style second.

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Safe Font Choices

• Choose simple, well-built fonts: clean sans-serifs are a safe default for titles.
• Avoid ultra-thin weights: Thin strokes can flicker or disappear after export.
• Avoid overly decorative fonts for key info: Use them only as accents, not for the main message.
• Limit font families: One family with two weights (e.g., Regular + Bold) is usually enough.

Legibility Checklist (Fast Tests)

• Check at 100% zoom: If it’s hard to read at 100%, it will be worse after export.
• Contrast matters: Light text on dark background or dark on light. If the background is busy, add a subtle dark overlay behind text.
• Spacing helps: Slightly increase tracking for uppercase titles; increase leading for multi-line text.
• Keep text away from edges: Maintain comfortable margins so it doesn’t feel cramped or risk cropping on some displays.

Quick Technique: Add a Readability Backplate

If your background is textured or bright, place a simple shape behind the text (a rectangle with low opacity) to increase contrast without changing your design. Keep it subtle and consistent.

Two Simple Approaches to Text Animation

You can animate text like any other layer by keyframing its Transform properties, or you can use Text Animators to animate characters within the layer. Both are useful; the choice depends on the effect you want.

Approach A: Animate Transform Properties Directly (Fast and Clean)

This is ideal for moving the entire text block together (slide in, scale up, fade in).

Step-by-step: Simple Slide + Fade

• Select the text layer.
• Animate Opacity from 0 to 100.
• Animate Position from slightly below to its final position (a small move usually looks more professional than a huge travel distance).
• Apply consistent easing to both properties so the motion and fade feel like one unified move.

Practical tip: Keep the fade duration similar to the move duration so it feels intentional (not like two separate animations happening at different speeds).

Approach B: Use Text Animators (Type-on and Reveal Effects)

Text Animators let you animate properties per character, per word, or per line. The most common beginner-friendly setup is a Range Selector controlling which characters are affected over time.

Concept: Animator + Range Selector

• Animator: defines what changes (Opacity, Position, Scale, etc.).
• Range Selector: defines which characters are affected (Start/End/Offset).
• Animation: usually happens by keyframing Offset so the affected range sweeps across the text.

Step-by-step: Type-on Reveal (Opacity)

• Select your text layer.
• Go to Animate and choose Opacity. This creates an Animator with Opacity and a Range Selector.
• Set the Animator’s Opacity value to 0% (so the selected range becomes invisible).
• In the Range Selector, leave Start/End as default, and animate Offset from -100% to 100% to reveal the text across time.
• Adjust easing on the Offset keyframes so the reveal doesn’t feel robotic.

Step-by-step: Reveal with Motion (Position + Opacity)

This creates a more dynamic reveal where characters slide into place as they appear.

• Select the text layer.
• Go to Animate and choose Position.
• Set the Animator’s Position to something subtle like 0, 20 (characters start slightly lower).
• Add another property to the same Animator: click Add next to the Animator and choose Opacity, then set it to 0%.
• Animate the Range Selector’s Offset from -100% to 100%.
• Fine-tune: reduce the Position amount if it feels bouncy or messy; keep it clean and readable.

Common pitfall: Overdoing per-character motion makes text hard to read. For titles, subtle movement usually looks more professional.

Structured Assignment: Three-Line Title Card (Staggered, Consistent, Reusable)

You’ll create a simple three-line title card where each line animates in with a slight delay, using consistent easing and a reusable animation preset workflow.

Goal

• Three separate text layers (Line 1, Line 2, Line 3).
• Each line reveals with the same animation style.
• Timing is staggered (Line 2 starts after Line 1, Line 3 after Line 2).
• Easing is consistent across all lines.
• Save the animation as a preset with a clear name.

Step 1: Build the Three Lines

• Create three text layers and type your lines (example):
  • Line 1: “NEW EPISODE”
  • Line 2: “Design Basics”
  • Line 3: “In 60 Seconds”
• Use one font family across all three lines.
• Use weight/size to create hierarchy (Line 2 largest, Line 1 and 3 smaller).
• Align them consistently (often center-aligned for title cards).
• Adjust leading so the three lines feel evenly spaced.

Step 2: Choose Your Animation Style

Pick one of these two styles and use it for all three lines:

• Style A (Transform): Position + Opacity on the layer.
• Style B (Text Animator): Range Selector reveal using Offset (Opacity, optionally Position).

Step 3: Animate Line 1 (Create the “Master” Animation)

Recommended for this assignment: Text Animator reveal (Opacity + small Position) because it’s reusable and feels “designed.”

• On Line 1, add a Text Animator with Position and Opacity.
• Set Position to a subtle offset (e.g., 0, 20) and Opacity to 0%.
• Animate Range Selector Offset from -100% to 100% over a short duration.
• Apply the same easing style you’ve been using in the course so the reveal feels smooth and intentional.

Step 4: Stagger Timing for Lines 2 and 3

• Duplicate Line 1 twice (so the animation structure matches perfectly).
• Replace the text in each duplicate with Line 2 and Line 3 content.
• Offset the layers in time so they start one after another (for example, each starts a few frames after the previous line).
• Keep the animation duration the same for all three lines to maintain consistency.

Consistency check: Scrub through and confirm that each line accelerates/decelerates the same way. If one line feels “snappier,” its keyframe spacing or easing likely differs.

Step 5: Make It Readable as a Title Card

• Ensure contrast between text and background (add a subtle backplate if needed).
• Check readability at 100% zoom.
• Keep margins comfortable so the title doesn’t feel glued to the edges.

Step 6: Save as a Reusable Animation Preset (Clear Naming)

Animation presets let you reuse your text animation on future projects without rebuilding it.

• Select the animated text layer that contains the Text Animator you want to reuse (your “master,” e.g., Line 1).
• In the layer’s properties, select the components you want included (typically the Animator and its Range Selector and keyframes).
• Save as an Animation Preset and name it clearly using a consistent convention.

Step 7: Reuse the Preset (Quick Workflow Test)

• Create a brand-new text layer with different words.
• Apply your saved preset to it.
• Confirm the animation still looks good with different letter counts and line lengths.
• If it breaks (too fast/slow), adjust the keyframes and re-save as a new version (e.g., v02).

Troubleshooting: Common Beginner Issues

“My type-on reveal goes the wrong direction.”

Reverse the Offset animation (swap start/end values) or adjust Range Selector settings so the sweep moves the way you expect.

“Some letters pop instead of smoothly revealing.”

Reduce the Position amount, ensure Opacity is included in the same Animator, and verify your Offset keyframes are eased consistently.

“The text looks jittery or too busy.”

Use less per-character movement, avoid extreme tracking changes, and keep the reveal duration slightly longer for readability.