Welcome to the AP Creative Community Newsletter!
Every other week, I share actionable tips, honest answers, and valuable insights to help you on your creative journey—no fluff, just real talk. This newsletter is here to support your journey, spark ideas, and build a community of creatives. 🗺 When I’m not sharing tips, I feature creatives from the community through the Creator Spotlight.
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Your content has a voice. 🗣 Most people just haven't figured out how to make their visuals match it yet. Today I'm breaking down the exact pop up text animation style I use across all my content, step by step. But more than a tutorial, this is about building a visual identity so consistent and unique to you, that people recognize your content immediately. ⏱
Let me start with something real quick before we get into it.
The pop up text style you see in my videos didn't come from a template. It didn't come from a plugin. It came from me sitting in Premiere Pro, playing around, and figuring out what felt like me. 💭 That's the whole point of today. This isn't just a tutorial. It's a lesson in building something that truly speaks to you. Alright. Let's get into it. 👇
Before we get to the edit, Film with the edit in mind.
That means clean negative space above your head. 😶🌫️ No busy backgrounds. No distracting elements crowding the frame. Your text needs room to live. If you're shooting in a cluttered space, the text has nowhere to go and the whole thing falls apart. Simple background. Open space. 🙌
Step 1. Start with your footage. Duplicate it two layers up. Bring your clip into a new sequence. Then hold Alt (or Option on Mac) and drag that same clip two tracks above the original. You should now have three tracks. Your original footage on V1, an empty V2, and a duplicate on V3. That sandwich is the foundation of everything.
Step 2. Use the Object Mask Tool. Click on yourself. This is where it gets good. Select your top layer on V3. Go to the Object Mask Tool in your toolbar. Click on yourself in the preview window. Premiere Pro's AI will automatically mask you out. You're now separated from your background on that top layer. This is what lets the text sit behind you while you're still in frame. That depth is everything.
Step 3. Add your text in between the layers. Select V2. That's the empty track sandwiched between your two video layers. Grab the Type Tool and start writing. Whatever you want to say goes here. Each word or phrase gets its own text layer. Don't try to put everything in one box. Separate them. That's how you control the animation on each one individually later.
Step 4. Design the whole layout before you animate anything. This is the step most people skip and it's why things look off. Before you touch a single keyframe, design the full frame. Where does each word sit? How big is it? What's the hierarchy? Think of it like a poster. Every element has a purpose and a place. Get the whole thing looking right first. Then you animate.
Step 5. Font. Size. Position. Spacing. This is where you become you. Here's the part nobody talks about enough. The animation technique is the same for everyone. What makes it yours is every decision you make inside that text box. Your font. The size. How tight or loose the letter spacing is. The line height. The color. Whether you go bold or mix weights. This is where taste lives. This is where visual identity is built. Don't rush this part. Sit with it. Try things. Adjust. The goal is that someone sees your content and knows it's you immediately.
Pop-Up Text Animations — Simplified ✏️ A video breakdown for you to follow along HERE.
Here’s Your New Content Strategy 🎞 I break down what will actually make you stand out in 2026, how to become algorithm proof, and the kind of content that grows because people connect with it.
If you enjoyed this and want to go even more in depth, Content College is where I teach the full system. How to write your story, editing, color, structure, and so much more —built for creators who want to level up.
Have a question about cameras/editing/technical skills? Ask me anonymously HERE!
Question of the Week:
I am embarking into my passion for photography and videography. Starting from Zero. What beginners kit ( Cameras ) you recommend?
Submitted by: German
From Adrian 💬
Honestly? The best camera to start on is the one you already have. I know that's not the answer you were looking for. But it's the truth.
Before you spend a dollar on gear, ask yourself this. What story are you trying to tell? What do you want your work to say about you? Because that matters more than the camera in your hand right now. Skill doesn't come from the equipment. It comes from using what's in front of you until you fully understand it. Your phone. A borrowed camera. Whatever is most accessible to you right now. That's your starting point. Learn it. Push it. Figure out what it can and can't do.
Cameras are expensive. And buying one before you know what you need is just guessing. Here's how I'd think about it. Once you feel like you've outgrown what you're currently working with. Once you know exactly what it's lacking and what you wish it could do. That's when you go shopping. Start with the story. Develop the eye. The gear will make sense when the time is right.
Hope this step-by-step guide helps as you experiment with your own voice and branding! Can’t thank y’all enough for being a part of APCC. Stay tuned for some exciting announcements! Take care and as always, happy creating. ✌️
