Text is one of the most common media types used in After Effects projects. There are many ways to create and layout text files so you do not have to stick with this article, but for the sake of this article, we will discuss how to select keyframes from one layer in order to export them as text.
Easily done through the Layer menu or the E-mail or Contact tool, these keyframes can be sent as an attachment and then copied and pasted into an email or contact form. Once received, the user can then edit or format their text as they wish!
Bullet point gone: This does not work with all texts nor does it always work. Some characters will not show up correctly when exported as text.
This is due to two reasons. First, certain characters may not be recognized by After Effects as a character type and second, when exported as text, certain characters do not reach the right length to be considered a letter.
Select the text layer
After Effects has several ways of exporting text as keyframes. Some are more efficient than others and After Effects has you choose which one you need!
The first is to use the TEXT tool. This is located in the Timeline Tools section. You can also use the ARROW KEYS or BUTTONs, depending on how you set it up in your timeline.
The second is to use the TEXT TO KEYRING command. This can be found under the TEXT TO command in the Toolbox.
Both of these methods require you to define a default keyframe that After Effects uses when exporting text as keyframes.
Go to Composition > Text Animation > Create Text Animations
Once created, you will need to save your text as a text animation. This allows you to edit the text before you publish your project!
If your project requires other elements such as sound or graphics, then these must be included as well. Compositing your text together is a must for a successful publication!
Using the keyframe system in After Effects, you can create very complex animations quickly. Many times we find clients use the same animation for several reasons.
For example, one client used a drop-goose-egg transition because it was easy to create and was court-case-able (we all know how important that is!).
Name your file
After Effects files are called projects. A project is a collection of images, textures, and tracks all put together to create an image or collection of images.
Choose a location for your file
When exporting your text, you will need to give your text a place to live. Your file should have a beginning and an end, meaning your text has a chance to be read!
Many programs allow you to select where your exported text file can be read, such as Adobe’s Reader. You can also use Windows program called Notepad or Text Editr, both of which have the capability to create readable files.
Click Save
When you are done, your text will be saved in your project as keyframes. You can now preview and export your text as different formats such as markdown, HTML, and PDF.
Now that you know how to make After Effects text keyframes, let’s get started!
Making After Effects Text Keyframes With Autokey Functions and Functions of Functions.io
To begin, you will want to download the Autokey function for After Effects from Function.io. This function will allow you to create autokeyed objects within AfterEffects that change based on your changes to the keyframe settings. You can then convert these autokeyed objects into trigger objects for Triggerpoint!
You will also need to download the Function of Functions.
Go to the Files window and locate your file
If you are working on a project that depends on the text being exported as certain files, make sure you have the right ones.
Your project must have the right text formats exported as text and not images or vectors. Many file formats do not support the flip and rotation commands found in After Effects.
Double-click to open the file in After Effects
If you try to export the keyframes as text, After Effects will simply not recognize them as keyframes and will use the standard white on black format for your frame. This can be tricky, especially if you need to make corrections or add new lines or areas.
Fortunately, there is a way to do this in After Effects. You can click on the New Keyframe icon at the bottom of your timeline, or right-click and choose New Keyframe. Then, select a new color for your keyframe and enter a name for it.
Select all of the text on the layer by holding Shift and clicking each letter. This will make it easier when you go to export your animation as text. Note that you can only export one layer at a time, so make sure this is the layer you want. If not, merge or split layers before continuing. Also note that there are some limitations on what you can animate and how long it can be. You can find more information here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204507
After Effects does have some features that allow you to export your text as iSig or PDF, however, these features are very limited and require a very high level of expertise on your part.
These features include being able to add bold and italics, being able to animate characters moving at different speeds when reading their messages, and being able to add in gesture recognitions like gestures for nodding or shaking. All of these things must be turned off when exporting as text.
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