CS4: Typed Text Effect

[kas8]

I was wondering if it is possible [and fairly easy] to make an effect where you have text being typed onto the screen.

For example like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he_UQoU5syo [Seen from 1:09]

I could then add a typewriter sound when each letter was typed.

But how can I make such an effect with the Typed Text, in Premiere Pro CS4 [Full version, all updates, Windows Vista, 32bit Premiere Pro]??

[Guest]

Do you have After Effects?

If not, you can create your text and then use either a wipe or a crop effect with keyframes revealing each letter at a time. It might be tedious, depending on the amount of text you have.

[kas8]

Yes, I do have After Effects, but i want tthe text to show in Premiere Pro, as that is where i have all the footage... edited and all.

As for the text: Well, The text i want to display will be something like: "May 24th, Greece."

Also, you are talking about a wipe effect, what is that?

PS: Im a beginner with Premier Pro...

[Guest · Accepted solution]

Hello K-Swoosh,

The beauty of the Adobe programs is that they work together well. You could easily import a composition from After effects into Premiere Pro. After Effects has an effect called Typewriter Effect.

In Premiere you would have to create that effect.

Create your title, choose "title" from the menu>new title

type whatever you like and close the title window. Your title will appear to your left in the project window. Drag the title to the timeline and click on it. It will appear in the source window.

Go to effects (window to your left):

Effects>Video Effects>Transition>Linear Wipe

Grab the effect and drag and drop it to on your title in the source window

Press the small arrow to the left of "linear Wipe". The options to the effect applied will appear.

Press the small arrow to the left of "Wipe Angle" and change the degree to 270.

Press the small arrow to the left of  "Transition completion". A slider will appear.

Try moving it to the far right and to the far left. Notice that the text gradually appears and disappears. Take it to the far right, so that all the text disappears. Now press the Toggle animation which is the clock shape to the left of "transition completion". Now you are starting to use Keyframes to animate. Move the playhead to the time you want the first letter to appear. Press the "Add/or remove keyframe button" and move one frame to the right with one press on the right arrow key. Move the "transition completion" slider so that the first letter appears completely. Move the playhead to the time you want the second letter to appear. Press the "Add/or remove keyframe button" and move one frame to the right with one press on the right arrow key.Move the "transition completion" slider until the second letter is seen completely. Repeat until all your text is animated this way.

Hope this is clear. Good luck!

[the_wine_snob]

Yes,

Linear Wipe would work well too.

Now, some time back, I needed the effect of chalkboard writing, but did not want to do this with a pure "write on" effect, and to use a "handwriting" font instead. I also "distressed" the type a bit, as one would see with chalk text.

For this, I used PS to produce the finished DVD Menu (in my case), and Layer Masks to "reveal" the text, in the direction that one would write. For the ultimate control, I just output Layer Comps for use in PrPro to create a Motion Background AV file. To enhance the visual, I used an SFX of chalk on a blackboard, adjusting it for the initial strike of the chalk at the beginning of each letter, or separate portion of every letter.

Hunt

[kas8]

Wow, Editor Naama! This was very helpfull!

Its funny how you manipulate a smooth transition effect to display something in chunks.

However one thing is a bit of a pain though: now each letter is displayed in a frame, but what when i want to have it typed slowly?

I tried a bit, but then the transition looks very smooth...

Do you have a tip for me on how to do this?

[the_wine_snob]

When you say "typed slowly," I am not following. When a typewriter types a letter, it's a pretty quick action. Do you mean that you want the display of each letter to go more slowly, as thought the typist is hunting and pecking? That pacing can be adjusted via Keyframes. One can have each letter display and then pause between letters, if that is desired. For the display (typing) of each letter, I would keep that quick, or it looks more like the letter is fading in, rather than being typed.

Good luck,

Hunt

[kas8]

Yeah, thats exactly what i mean: pauzing between a letter.

Ill try how it works with adding more keyframes

Thanks!

[kas8]

Thanks for the message Bill, though the way with the Linear Wipe and the keyframes works perfectly for me!

Now i only have to find a typewriter hit sound

Thanks a bunch, everyone!

[the_wine_snob]

You might find a useful URL in this ARTICLE.

Good luck,

Hunt

[kas8]

Wow, thanks!

I knew a few already though: Findsounds, Soundsnap and Freesound

Thanks a bunch

[the_wine_snob]

Most welcome.

Though I have amassed many SFX libraries over the years, and record and extract similar from my videos, I often rely on various sites (free and commercial) for those odd sounds, that do not appear in the more common libraries. For me, the biggest problem is find just the correct one for the application.

Good luck,

Hunt

PS - if you happen to have some additional sources, please share them, and I will gladly add them to that list. One can never have too many resources.

[kas8]

I will, thanks

[Star Bill]

Do you know how to lengthen the duration of the Typewriter Effect in After Effects (CS4) on a particular text?  My text will be long and I don't want it to come up "bang, bang bang"  ie.) instead of taking 5 seconds, I would like it to be 20 seconds.  sbtv@mts.net

[the_wine_snob]

I would look into Rate Stretch Tool to get the Duration and pacing, that you desire.

In the Project Panel, you can also Rt-click and use Speed/Duration.

Good luck,

Hunt

[Guest]

After you apply the typewriter effect, open "text" of that text layer. Open "Animator" under the text. You should see two key frames on the "start" located at the timeline. Drag the second key frame to where ever you choose (take it to the right if you want to lengthen it), that should change the length of the animation.

Good luck.

[the_wine_snob]

One way to do this is to create the Title (maybe use a "typewriter" font), and then animate the Crop Effect to reveal one letter at a time. Think about adding an SFX of a typewriter key hitting paper to enhance the visuals.

Good luck,

Hunt

[kas8]

Ive been looking around, but i cant find a Crop Effect tool anywhere in Pr...

I manage to type some text via the New Title thing, but i can only get that to be the size of the whole sequence... not even cropped to the text only.......

[the_wine_snob]

In the Effects Panel (not the Effects Control Panel), there is a query box. Just type "crop" and you will be taken to the Effect.

It is one, that can be easily Keyframed (this is where the Effects Control Panel is very handy), to manipulate it over time. Along the way, I would think about using some of the Bezier Velocity attributes for the Keyframes, to smooth the Crop Effect out.

Good luck,

Hunt

[the_wine_snob]

In this older THREAD, I mention some 3rd party programs/plug-ins that have a "typewriter" Preset. You might find exactly what you want there.

Good luck,

Hunt