by 
Watch the tutorial
Step 1: Animate the scale
Select your text layer and make sure the playhead is at the start of it. In Effect Controls, click the stopwatch next to Scale to create a keyframe, and increase the value to around 105. Then hold Shift and press the Right Arrow key twice to move forward about 10 frames, and reset the value to 100.
Now move to the end of the clip and increase the scale to around 120. The text drops in slightly and then slowly grows for the rest of the clip.
Smoother with EaseFlow: select the scale keyframes and apply a real easing curve in one click instead of dragging Bezier handles. See EaseFlow
Step 2: Fade the text out
Move to around the 3 second mark and create an Opacity keyframe by clicking its stopwatch. Then go to the end of the clip and set the opacity to 0%. The text now fades away while it keeps growing.
Step 3: Add Gaussian Blur
To make the fade even smoother, add the Gaussian Blur effect to the clip. Align the playhead with the first opacity keyframe and create a keyframe for Blurriness at 0. Then move to the end of the clip and set the value to around 35. The text now melts away.
Faster with BetterFX: skip the Effects panel. Press your BetterFX shortcut, type the first letters of Gaussian Blur and press Enter to apply it to the selected clip. Get BetterFX
Step 4: Tint the text red
Now create the red fading text. Apply the Tint effect to the layer. Make sure Tint sits above the text in Effect Controls, otherwise it will not work. Because the text is white, click the Map White To swatch, set the color to red and click OK.
Step 5: Fade the tint away
Go to the start of the clip and create a keyframe for Amount to Tint at 100%. Then move to the two second mark and set the value to 0%. The text starts red and turns back to white after two seconds.
Step 6: Duplicate the layer for a subtle white text behind
To add a subtle white text behind the red one, duplicate the clip by holding Alt (Option on a Mac) and dragging it up one track. Select the bottom layer and, in Effect Controls, remove the Tint and Gaussian Blur effects from it.
Then select both opacity keyframes on that layer and align the first keyframe with the start of the layer. Move the playhead to the last scale keyframe and increase the scale to around 140. A larger faded white copy now sits behind the text, which completes the Ryan Trahan text effect.
Tips
- Use a bold, condensed font. Heavy titles hold up best when they grow and blur.
- Adjust the timing. Shorten the clip for a punchy title or lengthen it for a slow cinematic push.
- Pair it with another title style. Try our cinematic text fade for a different look.
FAQ
Why is the Tint effect not working?
Tint has to sit above the text in the Effect Controls list. Drag it up if it is below the text.
How do I make the red fade back to white?
Keyframe Amount to Tint from 100% to 0% over about two seconds.
What scale values should I use?
The video uses around 105, then 100 ten frames later, and about 120 at the end. Adjust them until the motion feels right.
Want ready-made animated titles? Browse our ultimate text preset pack.
