Typography & Shape

Text with real depth thickness rotates or flies in 3D space so its sides catch light.

This is for a motion graphics video. Title [scene] with "3D Extruded Text" (also called 3D text animation or an extruded title): the letters have real thickness, and they rotate or fly through 3D space so their sides catch the light.
Shade the sides differently from the faces and let that shade change as the text turns — the depth has to read as a solid block, not as a flat drop shadow behind the letters.
Play the move over [duration], and ease into a final angle where both the faces and the sides are visible.

A line extends from a point of interest to a label or box that pops in, pointing out part of the picture; distinct from Lower Third because it targets a spot inside the image.

This is for a motion graphics video. Add a "Callout" (also called a callout line or a sketch callout) to [scene]: a line extends from a point of interest in the picture to a label that pops in at its end.
Anchor the line on the exact spot it is about, draw the line first and bring the label in after — unlike a lower third, which sits in a fixed strip at the bottom, a callout points at something inside the image. For a sketch version, draw a ring around the spot and the line as if by hand.
Play it over [duration], keep the line thin so it does not hide the picture, and hold the label long enough to read.

A circle or ring expands quickly from a point and fades, adding an accent behind an arriving element.

This is for a motion graphics video. In [scene], accent an arriving element with a "Circle Burst" (also called a circle pop or ring burst): a ring expands quickly from the element's center and fades away behind it.
Let the ring thin out as it grows and be gone by the time the element has settled — unlike a line burst, the accent is one closed ring, not separate strokes shooting outward.
Fit it into [duration], fast at the start and easing out, and fire it at the moment the element appears.

A flat column of names scrolls steadily upward (or sideways for staff rolls) at constant speed.

This is for a motion graphics video. End [scene] with a "Credit Roll" (also called a credit crawl, staff roll or end credits scroll): a flat column of names scrolls steadily up the frame.
Keep the speed constant from start to finish and the text flat and the same size all the way — unlike a title crawl, nothing tilts back or shrinks into the distance. For a staff-roll version, run the names sideways across the frame instead.
Run it over [duration], slow enough that each line can be read as it passes.

The full caption stays on screen while each word lights up as it is spoken; distinct from Pop Captions because the text never appears or disappears word by word.

This is for a motion graphics video. Caption [scene] with "Karaoke Captions" (also called word highlight captions or karaoke subtitles): the whole caption stays on screen and each word lights up as it is spoken.
Only the highlight travels from word to word — unlike pop captions, no word appears or disappears. Mark the spoken word with a color change, a block behind it, a slight scale-up or a small bounce.
Time the highlights to the speech across [duration], and keep the caption in the lower part of the frame, clear of the subject.

Short strokes radiate outward from a point or element, then retract or fade; used as an accent when something pops in.

This is for a motion graphics video. In [scene], accent an arriving element with a "Line Burst" (also called a radial line burst or shape burst): short strokes shoot outward from around the element, then retract or fade.
Space the strokes evenly around the element, and let each one grow from its inner end and vanish toward its outer end — unlike a circle burst, the accent is a ring of separate rays, not one closed circle. For a polygon version, throw small shapes outward instead of strokes.
Fit it into [duration], quick and snappy, and fire it at the moment the element pops in.

A chart line is drawn along its data points from left to right, markers popping at each point.

This is for a motion graphics video. In [scene], show a trend with a "Line Chart Draw" (also called a line graph draw-on): the chart line draws itself from left to right along its data points, and a marker pops in at each point as the line reaches it.
Keep the axes and gridlines still and already in place, so only the line and its markers move — unlike a map route, nothing travels along the line; each marker stays on its own data point.
Draw it over [duration] at a steady pace, and time each marker's pop to the moment the line arrives.

Shapes and text stretch, ripple and flow like water with smooth wobbling edges; distinct from Blob Morph because it warps real artwork rather than a standalone shape.

This is for a motion graphics video. In [scene], animate the artwork with "Liquid Motion" (also called liquid animation, fluid motion or fluid simulation): the shapes and text stretch, ripple and flow like water, with smooth wobbling edges.
Warp the actual artwork rather than a separate blob — let each part squash and stretch as if it had volume, throw off drops that fall back and merge, and cling to its neighbors for a moment when they touch.
Play it over [duration], and let the wobble die down gradually until the artwork is sharp and still again.

Elements fly or drift in and converge to resolve into the final logo; distinct from a plain reveal because the logo is assembled at the end of the movement.

This is for a motion graphics video. Bring the logo into [scene] with a "Logo Resolve": separate elements fly or drift in from different places and converge until they lock together as the finished logo.
Keep the logo unreadable until the very end — unlike a plain logo reveal, where the mark is uncovered in place, here it only exists once the last piece has arrived. Start the pieces scattered, turned and at different sizes, and stagger their arrivals.
Spend most of [duration] on the convergence, then let the assembled logo settle and hold.

A short sequence that transitions to a brand mark with motion; the umbrella term for most logo animations, with bumper and ident being the short placement formats.

This is for a motion graphics video. Land [scene] on the brand mark with a "Logo Reveal" (also called a logo sting, logo intro, logo animation, ident, logo bumper, logo build or logo assemble): a short sequence in which the logo appears with motion and then holds.
Pick one treatment and stay with it — a clean wipe and slide, particles gathering into the mark, a liquid splash it rises out of, a glitch that snaps into place, neon tubes flickering on, or a 3D orbit that swings round to face the viewer. Unlike a logo resolve, the logo is uncovered where it stands rather than assembled from pieces that fly in.
Keep the whole reveal within [duration], and leave the finished logo still on screen long enough to register.

A name or title graphic slides, wipes or fades into the lower part of the frame, holds, then animates out without covering the main picture.

This is for a motion graphics video. Add a "Lower Third" (also called a chyron, name strap, super, aston or CG) to [scene]: a name and title graphic animates into the lower part of the frame, holds, then animates out.
Keep it in the bottom strip and off to one side so it never covers the main picture — unlike a callout, it does not point at anything inside the image. Bring it in with a slide or wipe, and take it out the same way in reverse.
Fit the in, the hold and the out into [duration], with the hold long enough to read both lines.

A line draws itself along a route between places on a map while a marker travels along it.

This is for a motion graphics video. In [scene], trace a journey with a "Map Route" (also called a map route animation or travel route): a line draws itself along the route between two places on a map while a marker travels along it.
Keep the marker on the leading tip of the line and turn it to face the way it is heading through every bend — unlike a line chart draw, there are no axes or data points, just one traveler moving from place to place.
Run the trip over [duration], easing out of the start and into the arrival, and mark the destination when the marker gets there.

A flat layer such as a screen or card is tilted back in 3D so it recedes toward one edge and gains depth; the layer tilts, not the camera.

This is for a motion graphics video. In [scene], give a flat screen or card a "Perspective Tilt": it leans back in 3D so one edge recedes into the distance and the layer gains depth.
Tilt the layer itself and leave everything behind it exactly where it is — unlike a camera tilt, the rest of the picture must not move. Let the far edge shrink and the near edge grow so the perspective reads clearly.
Ease the tilt in and out over [duration], and stop at an angle where the content on the layer is still readable.

Captions appear one word or short phrase at a time, each popping in as spoken and replacing the last.

This is for a motion graphics video. Caption [scene] with "Pop Captions" (also called build captions or word-by-word captions): show one word or short phrase at a time, each popping in as it is spoken and replacing the last.
Keep every word in the same spot so the eye never has to travel — unlike karaoke captions, the full sentence is never on screen at once. Give each word a quick scale-up with a slight overshoot.
Time the words to the speech across [duration], and keep them large, bold and clear of the subject.

An element scales up from zero with a slight overshoot and settles; the energetic arrival used for words and shapes alike.

This is for a motion graphics video. In [scene], bring an element on with a "Pop-In" (also called a scale pop, pop, text pop or line pop): it scales up from nothing, overshoots slightly and settles at full size.
Scale it from its own center, in place, and keep the overshoot small so it reads as a springy arrival — nothing flies or slides in from elsewhere. Use the same move for a word, a shape or a line; a line pops along its length.
Fit each pop into [duration], fast out of the gate and quick to settle, and stagger several elements so they arrive one after another.

Many lines of text, comments or raw data cascade, scroll or rain across the screen as a texture.

This is for a motion graphics video. Fill [scene] with "Streaming Text" (also called text rain or a data cascade): many lines of text, comments or raw data pour across the screen and read as a moving texture.
Layer lines of different sizes moving at different speeds so the field has depth, and never pause on any single line — nobody is meant to read it, only to feel the volume.
Run it for [duration] at a steady flow, and keep it dim enough to sit behind whatever is in front.

One word or letter transforms into another by changing shape, font or weight in place rather than swapping.

This is for a motion graphics video. In [scene], turn one word or letter into another with a "Text Morph" (also called text morphing, fluid typography or liquid morphing text): the letterforms reshape in place until they have become the new ones.
Carry every stroke continuously from its old shape to its new one — nothing fades out, cuts or swaps, so the viewer watches one form become the other. Morph letter to letter, shift the weight or font of the same word, or let the shapes melt together and set again like liquid.
Fit the change into [duration], and hold each word long enough to read before and after the morph.

Text sits on a curved path and travels along it, entering, swirling and leaving while following the curve.

This is for a motion graphics video. In [scene], animate a line of "Text on Path" (also called text path animation or text along path): the text sits on a curved path and travels along it, entering, swirling through the bends and leaving.
Keep every letter standing on the curve and turning with it as it goes, so the line of text bends like a ribbon instead of sliding across as a rigid block.
Run the pass over [duration] at an even flow, and keep the path one smooth, sweeping curve so the letters stay readable through the bends.

Paragraphs of text scroll up and tilt back in perspective, shrinking toward a vanishing point; distinct from Credit Roll, which stays flat.

This is for a motion graphics video. Open [scene] with a "Title Crawl" (also called an opening crawl, roll-up or scrolling typography): paragraphs of text scroll up while tilted back in perspective, shrinking toward a vanishing point.
Lay the text on a plane that leans away from the viewer, so lines enter large at the bottom and fade out small in the distance — unlike a credit roll, which stays flat and the same size all the way up.
Run it over [duration] at a steady pace, slow enough that each line can be read before it recedes.