Animated Captions: TikTok-Style Word-by-Word Text | RemotionAI Blog
· 3 min read · Tutorial
Auto-generate animated word-by-word captions with customizable styles, positions, and timing for maximum engagement.
RemotionAI's animated captions feature automatically generates TikTok-style word-by-word subtitles from video audio using OpenAI's transcription API, with customizable animation styles, positioning, and font settings.
How it works
Upload a video that has audio — a talking head clip, a voiceover recording, a podcast snippet — and our system transcribes it using OpenAI's transcription API. The transcription includes precise word-level timestamps, which we use to generate animated captions that sync exactly to the audio.
Customization options
- Animation style — Fade In, Typewriter, or Word Highlight. Fade In is subtle and professional. Typewriter has a storytelling quality. Word Highlight is the classic TikTok style.
- Position — Top, center, or bottom of the frame.
- Font size and color — Match your brand or go with high-contrast white text with a dark outline.
- Background — Optional semi-transparent background behind the text for readability.
Why word-level timing matters
Word-by-word animation directs the viewer's attention. Their eyes follow the highlighted word, which keeps them actively reading rather than passively glancing. This is why engagement numbers are significantly better than static subtitle approaches.