Retro Computer Screen Title Animation | After Effects Tutorial

In this After Effects Tutorial, I'll show you how to create Retro Computer Screen Title Animations.

Content:
0:00 Intro
0:20 Setting up the typewriter effect
1:24 Breaking down the expression
2:10 Creating the background
3:25 Adding the lo-res text effect
4:35 Adding wiggle expressions
5:12 Adding a light
6:15 Version 2 of the title animation
6:40 Adding an expression for the position
6:57 Problems and workarounds
8:03 Outro

The effect is procedural. So the font, the size, colours and the amount of text are completely up to you. The title animations are animated with expressions. The lo-res computer screen effect is created with standard effects.

►This is the link to the EXPRESSIONS I use in the tutorial. I've added them to my website:

►If you want to DIVE DEEPER. This is where I found all the bits and pieces:

► Software: Adobe After Effects 17.5

If you have any further questions, let me know in the comments below. I do my best to answer all of them!

► Subscribe to my channel here:

I am very curious how this tutorial inspired your work!
Put the link in the comments below or even better: tag me on Instagram.
► @manueldoesmotion

#aftereffectstutorial #animation #motiondesign

[societesimulator]

Hey ! For people who are not english (for example french) for the first expression line 2, instead of writing "T = replace Slider with "Curseur", the translation of slider in your language in after effects.

For french people the result will be :
L = text.sourceText.length;
T =
F = Math.round(T % 1);
if(F==1 |(T<L & T>0)){Fl="_";}else{Fl=" ";}

substr(0, T)+Fl;

[defaultnano]

If you'd like to make it so the animation starts at the text's in point, instead of the begnning of the comp, try this:

L = text.sourceText.length;
T = (time -
F = Math.round(T % 1);

if(F==1 |(T <L & T>0)){Fl="_";}else{Fl=" ";}

substr(0, T) + Fl;

I've added - inPoint to calculate time from in point instead of time from start.

[Elomaramaro]

Quick tip... In the video, the mosaic effect had the grid estimated using the calculator app. I believe it may be to better understand the principle, but you can do it inside after effects, just click on the numbers and type the operations you need, for ex (without quotes): "1920/6" when you press enter, it will give you the result of the operation right on the spot.

[shuangcai]

Hi, just a reminder for anyone who's trying this out now or after 2022. I believe the new javascript engine does not like this.sourceRectAtTime(). The new functioning script for that line should be: pos =

[AngelusDarkshadows]

For everyone having issues with "substr not defined" and you have named the effect to "Speed": please note that you should be inputting the expression on the "Text" "Source Text" clock, not on the "Speed" "Slider" clock. I was having this issue and didn't notice that at first.

[CriticalDispatch]

Great tutorial, very easy to follow. And I appreciate you breaking down each step and why it happens, including the expression. Truly the best way to actually learn and not just copy. Thanks a ton!

[alicesun]

OMg .It is much easier than other tutorials with similar content. Thank you for this. You save my assignment scores haha.

[JosepMotion]

Amazing tutorial!!! Thanks! I love retro style. It reminds me my first computer as a teenager and makes me happy :)

[hsensn]

Hey man!! love the tutorial, I got a question tho, is there a way to make the text go backwards as if you added a typewriter effects but you reversed the keyframes?

[gardenfilms]

If you are having trouble with the cursor speed going wild, adjust your [ F= Math.round(T % X);

[mrelad.]

how can i control the speed of the line flicking ? its way too fast for me

[ЕленаЗахарова-бр]

Thank you for the great tutorial! Everything worked well! :)

[briansharp]

Great tutorial, effect works great! Thank you for all that you do. question: Is there a way to make the effect start at a different time in the timeline? I'm trying to combine the coded text box with a regular text box to make an animation where it starts with words already on the screen.

[CarlosRaulEstrellaRuiz]

hello hello!!!
Thank you for taking the time and making these tutorials for those of us who want to learn.

I would like to ask if there is any way to change the percentage of change in the expression used so that the text goes up.

In my project apparently it does not turn out evenly.

I already tried writing the text instead of copying it but it didn't work.

Thanks again!!!

[connordoyle]

Thank you so much for this!! I have a question: I'm trying to get another set of text to begin typing after the initial text comes up, but the expression seems to start at the beginning, so by the time the second set of text appears on screen it has already been "typed". Any suggestions on how to fix this? Maybe a way to start the expression later? Thanks again for you're help, you're fantastic.

[tomwhittaker_test]

Thank you for this tutorial. Works great. One problem I. have is the text I am animating needs to have different colour words but when adding this effects the paragraph stays the same as the first word. Do you know how to change this?

[MG-jomc]

Hey Manuel, great job! Do you have a direct link for the project file? The link in more just takes me to your website. Do you have a link to this specific project?

[chrisharrigan]

so for anyone having problems with the expression giving you speed doesn't or exist or is mistyped, make sure the first letter of the slider named "Speed" is capitalized or the expression will ultimately fail. otherwise it works as it should.

[oguzkaanboga]

I'm using the latest version of AE and the first expression doesn't let me align my text to the left for some reason. Any suggestions?

[HB-vqus]

Muchas gracias por tu tutorial, es muy bueno