Typewriter Text with Blinking Cursor in After Effects

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Typewriter Text Animation:

Step 1: Create a Composition

1. Open Adobe After Effects.
2. Create a new composition named “Typewriter Text.”
3. Set the resolution to 1920×1080 pixels, frame rate to 30 frames per second, and duration to 10 seconds.

Step 2: Add Text

1. Select the Horizontal Type Tool from the toolbar.
2. Ensure text alignment is set to the left.
3. Click on the screen and type your desired text.

Step 3: Add Expression Controls

1. Right-click on the Text layer.
2. Go to Effects > Expression Controls > Slider Control. Rename it to “Text.”
3. Right-click on the Text layer again.
4. Go to Effects > Expression Controls > Checkbox Control. Rename it to “On/Off.”
5. Right-click on the Text layer once more.
6. Go to Effects > Expression Controls > Color Control.

Step 4: Apply Source Text Expression

1. Copy the provided expression.
2. Under the Text layer, hold the Alt key and click the Source Text stopwatch icon to add an expression.
3. Paste the copied expression which is Expression 01.

Expression 01:

var sign = “|”;
var blinkInterval = 15;
var i = effect(“Text”)(“ADBE Slider Control-0001”);
var on = effect(“On/Off”)(“ADBE Checkbox Control-0001”);
var frames = timeToFrames(time);
var check = frames / blinkInterval;
if (on == 1) {
if (i.valueAtTime(time + thisComp.frameDuration) > i) {
end = sign;
} else {
if (Math.floor(check) % 2 == 0) {
end = sign;
} else {
end = ” “;
}
}
} else {
end = ” “;
}
text.sourceText.substr(0,parseInt(i)) + end;

Step 5: Set Typing Animation Duration

1. Move the time cursor to 1 second.
2. Add a keyframe on the Text slider.
3. Go forward to 6 seconds and change the slider value to reveal the text.
4. If the blinking cursor is missing, click the “On/Off” checkbox.

Step 6: Adjust Typing Speed

1. Select the Text layer and press “U” to reveal keyframes.
2. Move the second keyframe closer to the first to increase the typing speed.

Step 7: Change Cursor Symbol

1. Under the Text layer, go to Source Text.
2. Modify the cursor symbol as desired.

Step 8: Adjust Cursor Blinking Speed

1. Under the Text layer, go to Source Text.
2. Change the blink interval from 15 to 5 to increase the cursor blinking speed.

Step 9: Change the Cursor Color

1. Click the animate button for Fill Color and choose RGB.
2. Copy the provided expressions for the range selector and fill color.
3. Under Text > Source Text, go to Range Selector 1 > Start.
4. Hold Alt and click the stopwatch icon, then paste the expression which is Expression 02.

Expression 02:

text.animator(“ADBE Text Animator”)(“ADBE Text Selectors”)(“ADBE Text Selector”)(“ADBE Text Index End”) – 1;

1. Under Range Selector 1 > End, hold Alt and click the stopwatch icon, then paste the expression.

Expression 03:

text(“ADBE Text Document”).length;

1. Under Advanced, change units from percentage to Index.
2. Hold Alt and click the Fill stopwatch icon, then drag the pick whip to the color control.

Step 10: Set Text Disappearance

1. Select the Text layer and press “U” to reveal keyframes.
2. Go forward to 6 seconds and add a keyframe for the Text slider.
3. Go to the last frame and change the slider value to zero to remove the text.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully created a Typewriter Text Animation with a Blinking Cursor in Adobe After Effects. This tutorial guides you through the process of animating text to appear as if it’s being typed out, complete with a blinking cursor and various customization options.