Adding Text and Titles in Adobe Premiere Pro

Text and titles are essential ingredients for any compelling video. They provide information, create visual interest, and establish a consistent style for your project. In Adobe Premiere Pro, adding text is a straightforward process that offers a surprising amount of creative control. This guide will walk you through the steps of incorporating text into your video, from the basic mechanics to advanced customization options.

Getting Started: The Type Tool

There are two primary ways to add text in Premiere Pro:

1. The Type Tool (T): This is the most common method. Locate the "T" icon in the toolbar at the bottom of the Program Monitor window. Alternatively, press the "T" key on your keyboard.
2. Essential Graphics Panel: Access this panel by navigating to Window > Essential Graphics. Within the panel, you'll find a button labeled "Text" that serves the same purpose as the Type Tool.

Adding a Text Box:

• With the Type Tool selected, click anywhere in the Program Monitor window. This creates a new graphic layer and a text box will appear, ready for you to type.
• To create a text box of a specific size, click and drag with the Type Tool to define the desired area.

Typing and Formatting Text:

• Simply start typing your desired text within the text box.
• Highlight the text, or hover over it with your cursor, to access formatting options in the Program Monitor or Effects Controls panel (located to the right of the Program Monitor).
• The Effects Controls panel allows you to adjust various text properties, including:
  • Font: Choose from a wide range of fonts installed on your system.
  • Font Size: Adjust the size of your text.
  • Bold, Italic, Underline: Apply basic text styles.
  • Fill Color: Change the color of your text. You can also add a stroke (outline) with a separate color and adjust its thickness.
  • Opacity: Control the transparency of your text.
  • Position and Scale: Fine-tune the placement and size of your text box within the frame.

Advanced Text Customization:

• Essential Graphics Panel: This panel offers a more comprehensive set of controls for customizing your text. You can access animation presets, add drop shadows, and create more complex text layouts.
• Motion Graphics Templates: Premiere Pro provides pre-built Motion Graphics templates that include animated text styles. Explore the Essential Graphics panel to discover these templates and incorporate them into your project.

Pro Tips for Effective Text and Titles:

• Font Choice: Select a font that complements the overall style of your video and is easy to read. Consider using sans-serif fonts for titles and headings, and serif fonts for longer bodies of text.
• Text Hierarchy: Create a visual hierarchy by using different font sizes, colors, and weights to distinguish titles, subtitles, and captions.
• Readability: Ensure your text has sufficient contrast with the background video for optimal readability. You may need to adjust the opacity or add a drop shadow for better visibility.
• Animations: Utilize animations sparingly and strategically. Subtle animations can add visual interest without being distracting.
• Alignment and Spacing: Pay attention to the alignment and spacing of your text. Centered or left-aligned text is generally preferred for titles and headings.

Additional Considerations:

• Importing Captions: Premiere Pro allows you to import captions from external files, which can be helpful for creating subtitles or closed captions.
• Auto-Transcription: The software offers an auto-transcription feature that can transcribe the audio content of your video and generate captions automatically. However, it's essential to review and edit the transcribed text for accuracy.

By mastering these techniques, you can effectively add text and titles to your Premiere Pro projects, enhancing their visual communication and storytelling power. Remember, practice and experimentation will help you develop your own unique style for incorporating text into your videos.