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Getting started

Open the panel, get your captions in, pick a preset, then refine. Here is the first-run flow start to finish.

MotionCaption runs in both After Effects and Premiere. After Effects gets native text layers and Premiere gets a MoGRT, so each app can do different things.

After Effects330+ presets

Unlimited customization, access to all presets, more controls, and a variety of additional options.

Premiere80+ presets, one clip

80+ caption presets, with every caption on one clip so generation is fast. Style text, boxes, highlights, animations, and effects in the panel, and bake a caption to PNG for an instant preview. After Effects has the larger library and more controls.

The first-run flow

Four steps from raw audio to animated captions on your timeline.

  1. Populate the captions section

    Get captions into MotionCaption using transcription, an imported file, or manual edits in the panel.

    Transcribe from timeline audio

    In the extension, go to the Captions section of the MotionCaption panel and click Transcribe. It runs on your active sequence or composition audio, or you can point it at an audio file instead. Pick the mode that matches your setup:

    • Local model (Whisper): works offline and costs no credits. Choose a Whisper model size in the dialog. Can be slower on machines with limited RAM.
    • Cloud AI: usually faster, and costs 1 AI credit per minute of audio. It returns a start and end time for every word, with punctuation and casing applied. Tick Separate speakers in the dialog if you also want two-speaker labels.
    MotionCaption Transcribe Audio dialog: audio source, Cloud or Local transcription method, and Whisper model size
    Choose the audio source and the transcription method, then click Transcribe.
    Import a subtitle file (.srt, .txt, .csv)

    MotionCaption accepts .srt, .txt, and .csv caption files. If you already have one, import it from the extension and continue with review and presets.

    Create and export captions in Premiere

    When you need a file from Premiere, use the Text panel: transcribe or generate captions from your audio, then export for MotionCaption.

    1. In the Text panel, create or transcribe captions so they appear in the Captions section.
    2. (Recommended) When using Create captions (or similar), set Maximum length in characters to its minimum value and choose Single under Lines. That tends to keep timing aligned with speech (including word-level workflows). Optional if your file already looks right.
      Premiere
      Premiere Create Captions: minimum maximum characters, single line, and related options
      Create Captions in Premiere: short lines and Single line help timing track speech.
    3. Export an SRT: in the Captions area of the Text panel, open the ⋯ menu, choose Export, then Export to SRT file….
      Premiere
      Premiere Text panel: Captions menu with Export and Export to SRT file
      ⋯ → Export → Export to SRT file…
    4. In MotionCaption, import that .srt (or use .txt / .csv if that is what you exported elsewhere).
    Add captions manually in the panel

    You can skip files and transcription: type captions in the + dialog box and retime them in the Captions section of the MotionCaption panel.

    MotionCaption Add Caption dialog: insert position, start and end time, and a caption text box
    Pick where it lands, set the timing, and type one caption per line.

  2. Review the captions

    Every caption is a row in the Captions section, with its own in and out times. Click a caption's text to edit it right there. Select a row and the actions beside the list act on it: Format, Highlight, Retime, and more. Select several rows to act on all of them at once.

    MotionCaption in After Effects
    MotionCaption Captions section: caption rows with in and out times, one row being edited, and the action rail beside the list
    Rows carry the text and timing. The actions beside the list apply to whatever you select.
    MotionCaption in After Effects
    MotionCaption Retime panel: caption and word tracks on a mini timeline with start and end fields
    Retime opens a mini timeline. Drag the caption span, or a single word.

  3. Choose a preset

    Go to the Presets tab and browse the gallery (330+ in After Effects, 80+ in Premiere on one MoGRT).

    Set where captions land first. In the Settings tab, position and scale the captions before you click a preset. Drag the box in the preview, or enter Align XY and Scale values. The preset generates at that position and size.

    MotionCaption in After Effects

    Want to tune the look first? Right-click a preset to open its settings, adjust the options, and save it if you want a reusable setup. Then click the preset thumbnail to generate the animated captions on your timeline.

    Choose how the layers come out (After Effects). In those same preset settings, most presets let you pick how the caption layers are structured, from a single layer for everything up to one layer per word. Some presets are built for one layout. See Timeline output.

    MotionCaption in After Effects

  4. Refine after creation

    Your captions stay editable after they land on the timeline. Open the Styles tab to adjust the look whenever you want.

    After Effects: Use the controller icon in the left sidebar to reveal properties in the Effect Controls panel. Edit transform and styles, or add animation and effects, in the other tabs of the MotionCaption panel: Styles, Motion, Effects, and Media.

    Premiere: In the MotionCaption panel, open the Styles tab and click the Properties button.

See also