by 
Watch the tutorial
Step 1: Apply Turbulent Displace to a paper clip
Start with a flat white paper texture or a plain white image on your timeline. Open the Effects panel, search for Turbulent Displace and drag it onto the clip. This effect warps the picture with noise, which is exactly what gives paper its crumpled look.
Step 2: Set the size
With the clip still selected, open the Effect Controls panel and find Turbulent Displace. Raise Size to around 300, or whatever looks good to you. A larger size gives you big, soft folds, and a smaller one gives you tiny wrinkles.
Step 3: Keyframe Evolution
Move the playhead to the start of the clip and click the stopwatch next to Evolution to set the first keyframe. Then go to the end of the clip and increase the Evolution value quite a bit. Make the value high enough that the paper animation does not feel too slow, because Evolution controls how fast the folds change over time.
Smoother with EaseFlow: select the Evolution keyframes and apply a real easing curve in one click instead of dragging Bezier handles, if you want the crumpling to speed up or settle gently. See EaseFlow
Step 4: Add Posterize Time
Smooth movement looks like a digital warp, so we will make it choppy like a hand-made stop motion animation. Head back to the Effects panel, search for Posterize Time and apply it to the same clip. You can find it under Video Effects > Time.
Faster with BetterFX: skip the Effects panel. Press your BetterFX shortcut, type the first letters of Posterize Time and press Enter to apply it to the selected clip. Get BetterFX
Step 5: Lower the frame rate
In the Effect Controls panel, make sure Turbulent Displace sits above Posterize Time in the list, so the displacement is calculated first and then reduced to fewer frames. Then set the Frame Rate under Posterize Time to 2 or 3. The paper now jumps between folds a few times per second instead of moving smoothly.
Step 6: Play it back
Press the spacebar and watch your animated, crumpled paper. If it moves too slowly, increase the Evolution value at the end of the clip. If it is too jittery, lower the Frame Rate a little. Then place your text or images above it on a higher track.
Tips
- Use a high-resolution texture. A sharp paper image holds up better when the effect stretches it.
- Keep the order right. Posterize Time must come after Turbulent Displace in the Effect Controls panel or the effect will not look choppy.
- Add paper sounds. A quick crunch sound effect when the paper appears sells the illusion.
FAQ
Where do I find Turbulent Displace in Premiere Pro?
Search for it in the Effects panel. It is in the Distort folder under Video Effects.
Why does my crumpled paper look too smooth?
Apply Posterize Time and set its Frame Rate to around 2 or 3. This removes in-between frames and gives the paper a stop motion feel.
Can I use the effect on a photo or a logo?
Yes. Turbulent Displace works on any clip. Try it on text or an image for a paper-cut, hand-made look, or ease your keyframes for more natural motion.
Looking for a ready-made paper look? Grab the Paper Animation Template.
