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Step 1: Convert your captions to graphics
This tutorial assumes you have already created captions for your video. Regular caption tracks cannot take effects, so they need converting first. Select all the caption clips in the timeline, open the Graphics and Titles menu at the top and choose Upgrade Caption to Graphic. Each caption becomes a normal text layer that you can animate.
Step 2: Add Morph Cut between the text layers
Open the Effects panel and search for Morph Cut. You will find it under Video Transitions > Dissolve. Drag it between the first and second text layers, then double click the transition and set the duration to 5 frames. Click OK.
To add it everywhere, select the Morph Cut and copy it with Ctrl+C (Cmd+C on Mac). Hold Ctrl while dragging a box around all the text layers and press Ctrl+V. Premiere needs a while to analyze every transition, but once it finishes the words blend smoothly into each other. If you want to see how Morph Cut works on footage, read our Morph Cut tutorial.
Step 3: Add motion blur with an adjustment layer
To make the transitions even smoother, add blur on top. Create an adjustment layer from New Item > Adjustment Layer in the Project panel and click OK. Drag it above the text and stretch it to the same duration as the text.
One click with Mako: the free Mako panel adds an adjustment layer over the selected clips, at the playhead, on the first free track, in one click. Get Mako for free
Search for Directional Blur in the Effects panel and apply it to the adjustment layer. Move the playhead to the start of the first Morph Cut, select the adjustment layer and, in Effect Controls, click the stopwatch next to Blur Length. Set Direction to 90 degrees. Then move to the cut itself and set Blur Length to around 15. Finally, go to the end of the transition and set Blur Length back to 0.
You do not have to repeat this by hand. Select the three Blur Length keyframes, copy them, move the playhead to the start of the next transition, click inside Effect Controls and paste. Repeat for every transition in the clip.
Faster with BetterFX: skip the Effects panel. Press your BetterFX shortcut, type the first letters of Directional Blur and press Enter to apply it to the selected clip. Get BetterFX
Step 4: Nest everything and add Wave Warp
Because the next effects should apply to everything you have built, nest it first. Select the adjustment layer and all the text layers, right click and choose Nest, then click OK. Search for Wave Warp in the Effects panel and drag it onto the nested layer.
In Effect Controls, set Wave Height to a small value (the video uses 2, but use whatever you like) and set Wave Width to a high number such as 300. This gives the text a gentle wavy look. To speed the wave up, increase Wave Speed.
Step 5: Make the text float around
Move to the start of the nested layer and click the stopwatch next to Position to set a keyframe. Move forward 20 frames by holding Shift and pressing the Right Arrow key four times, then make a small random adjustment to the position. Hold Ctrl while dragging for tiny changes. Repeat the process until you have around 10 keyframes.
Select all of them and copy with Ctrl+C. Move 20 frames past the last keyframe and paste with Ctrl+V. Repeat this until the movement covers the whole clip.
Step 6: Add a glow
For the last effect, hold Alt (Option on Mac) and drag the nested layer up one track to duplicate it. Apply Gaussian Blur to the top copy and set Blurriness to around 70. Then, under Opacity, change the Blend Mode to Screen or Pin Light. Choose whichever one you prefer, because Screen is softer and Pin Light is punchier.
Tips
- Zoom in on the timeline. Short Morph Cuts are easy to miss, so zoom in to line up the playhead exactly with each cut.
- Keep the blur short. The blur should peak only at the cut and fade right away, otherwise the words become hard to read.
- Test before copying. Get the first transition perfect before you paste the effect onto the other ones.
FAQ
Why do I need to upgrade captions to graphics?
Standard captions in Premiere Pro are limited. As graphics, they become regular clips that accept transitions, effects and keyframes.
Why does Morph Cut take so long?
Morph Cut analyzes every transition in the background. Be patient on long caption tracks and wait until the analyzing banner disappears.
Can I use this effect for single words or full sentences?
Yes. The same steps work for both, although single words usually look best with the blur and floating movement.
Want ready-made animated text instead of building it by hand? Take a look at the Smooth Text Animation Template and apply it to your captions in seconds.
