Premiere Pro Tutorial: How to Add and Create Text Effects

If you are creating a video project that includes text, using Adobe Premiere Pro text effects can give your project a more professional and exciting look. Text effects can be used to opening titles, on-screen dialogue, ending credits, and lower thirds. Premiere Pro offers numerous text animation styles. In this tutorial, we will give you an overview of how you can add professional-looking text effects to your next project!

If you are creating a video project that includes text, using Adobe Premiere Pro text effects can give your project a more professional and exciting look. Text effects can be used to opening titles, on-screen dialogue, ending credits, and lower thirds.

Premiere Pro offers numerous text animation styles. In this tutorial, we will give you an overview of how you can add professional-looking text effects to your next project.

How to Add Adobe Premiere Pro Text Effects

You can create simple text effects from scratch in Premiere Pro. Follow these steps to add your first text effects.

  1. Add Your Text

To add text, navigate to Window > Essential Graphics. Use the Text Tool (T) to type your text. This will be one layer of your text effects project. You can select the Text layer in the Edit tab to view its properties.

Within the Effects Controls panel, you can center the text with the Align and Transform tools, change the font using the Text tool, and adjust the color or add a drop shadow with the Appearance tool.

  1. Use an Animated Template

Adobe Premiere Pro comes with some pre-animated text templates within the Essential Graphics panel. Navigate to Graphics > Essential Graphics to browse through the templates. Once you find one you like, drag it to the timeline where you want it to appear.

  1. Edit the Text Template

You will need to edit the template to fit your needs. Double-click on the text to start the editing process. In the Essential Graphics panel, select your text in the timeline, this will bring up the customization options. Play back the text animation to see how it looks.

How to Edit Text Effects

If you do not like the current text effects, you can always go back and edit them.

These steps explain how to edit text effects in Adobe Premiere Pro.

  1. Select the Text

Select the text layer within your timeline. This will show you the keyframes applied to the text effect.

  1. Adjust the Keyframes

Open the keyframe box in the Effects Control panel. Find the keyframe you want to adjust. To speed up the animation, slide the keyframes closer together. Click on the drop-down arrow next to your desired property and open the Velocity controls. Make any adjustments to the speed of your text effects here.

How to Add Animation Text Effects

A simple text gets the job done. However, adding animation to your text effects can improve the overall appearance and effectiveness of your graphics.

Here are some fun animation text effects that you can try.

Scale Text Animation Effect

The Scale property changes the size of your text. Use these steps to adjust the Scale of your text effect.

  • Select your text in the timeline.
  • Use the Scale setting within the Effects Control panel.
  • Drop a playhead where you want the animation to end. This will create a keyframe.
  • Click the stopwatch next to Scale.
  • Drag the playhead to the very beginning of your text effect to create another keyframe.
  • Adjust the size of your text
  • Play back the animation to see your text grow or shrink.
  • With more keyframes that make the text shrink and grow, your text will have a bouncing effect.

Fade Text Animation Effect

If you don’t want your text to just suddenly appear or disappear, a simple fade can give you more nuance.

  • Select your text in the timeline.
  • Use the Opacity setting within the Effects Control panel.
  • Drop a playhead where you want the animation to end. This will create a keyframe.
  • Click the stopwatch next to Opacity.
  • Drag the playhead to the very beginning of your text effect to create another keyframe.
  • Lower the opacity to 0% for invisible text.
  • Play back the animation to see your text gradually appear.
  • You can add additional keyframes to give your text a strobe effect by appearing and disappearing.

You can combine any of these elements, plus others, to create a dynamic text animation. However, be sure you don’t add too many elements that make it difficult to read or follow your text.

What are the Types Of Text Effects in Premiere Pro?

There are countless ways to add visually interesting text effects in Adobe Premiere Pro.

Here are two of our favorites:

Text Reveal

A text reveal hides your text under an object, like a wall as it gradually appears.

  • Import your video footage and add it to your timeline.
  • Use the Type Tool to type the words you want to appear over your clip.
  • Use the Selection Tool to place your text where you want it.
  • On the timeline, match the length of the text layer to match the video clip.
  • Select the video footage on the timeline, hold down Alt or Option, and drag the clip to the V3 track to create a duplicate.
  • Navigate to the Effect Controls window, open the Opacity tool, and select the Free Draw Bezier Tool that looks like a pen.
  • In the Program window, draw a rectangle around your text.
  • At the bottom of the Program window, adjust the Fit to 100% to get a better view of your work.
  • In the Effect Controls window, choose the Mask feature, and adjust the Mask Feather value to match the sharpness of the border you’re creating to the background.
  • With the duplicate clip selected, click on Mask Path in the Effect Controls window. This will show you the mask you created.
  • Click on the stopwatch button next to Mask Path to create your first keyframe.
  • Press the right arrow key on the keyboard 5 times. This will move the clip 5 frames forward. Adjust the mask position to line up with your reference edge. This will add another keyframe. Repeat this process until you reach the end of the clip.
  • When played back, your text should gradually appear across the footage.

Video in Text

An interesting text effect is to have a video appear within the letters of your text. Think back to the Marvel Studios animation at the beginning of every Marvel movie when you can see the movie scenes within the letters.

You can create a similar effect by following this video within the text tutorial.

Utilize Storyblocks Templates for Easy Video Content Creation

Using templates to add text effects to your video projects is an easy way to add a professional look to your videos. Storyblocks has an extensive library of Adobe Premiere Pro templates and Adobe After Effects templates.

In addition to templates, Storyblocks has a unique subscription service that offers unlimited monthly downloads of video effects, royalty-free stock video, templates, audio files, and even still images. With these files, you can accelerate your video content creation process.

Want to improve your video content? Sign up for Storyblocks today.