futureWords parameter, available with fade and blur animations, controls how upcoming words appear on screen before they are spoken. This combination is particularly effective for creating engaging, word-synchronized captions for social media content.
What You Will Learn
Text Animations
Apply entry and exit animation effects to scene captions
Future Words
Control the visibility of upcoming unspoken words on screen
Animation Types
Select from fade, blur, drift, wipe, text reveal, elastic, and typewriter effects
Social Media Ready
Produce scroll-stopping content for TikTok, Reels, and Shorts
Prerequisites
Ensure you have the following before proceeding:- A Pictory API key (get one here)
- Familiarity with Dynamic Captions fundamentals
- AI voiceover enabled for word-level caption synchronization with audio
Available Animations
Entry Animations
| Animation | futureWords Support | Direction | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
fade | Yes | - | Words fade in smoothly as they are spoken |
blur | Yes | - | Words transition from blurred to sharp focus |
drift | No | up, down, left, right | Words slide in from the specified direction |
wipe | No | left, right, up, down | Words are revealed with a sweeping motion |
text reveal | No | - | Words uncover progressively |
elastic | No | - | Words bounce in with a spring effect |
typewriter | No | - | Words appear one letter at a time |
Exit Animations
| Animation | Direction | Description |
|---|---|---|
fade | - | Words fade out smoothly |
blur | - | Words blur out of focus |
drift | up, down, left, right | Words slide out in the specified direction |
wipe | left, right, up, down | Words are swept away |
text reveal | - | Words are progressively hidden |
elastic and typewriter are entry-only animations. They do not have exit variants.The futureWords Parameter
ThefutureWords parameter controls the on-screen appearance of words that have not yet been spoken. This parameter is available exclusively with fade and blur entry animations.
| Value | Appearance | Effect | Recommended For |
|---|---|---|---|
"hidden" | Upcoming words are invisible | Words appear only when spoken, creating a maximum reveal effect | TikTok, Instagram Reels, high-energy content |
"subtle" | Upcoming words are faintly visible | Viewers can preview upcoming text while attention remains on the current word | YouTube Shorts, educational content |
"prominent" | Upcoming words are clearly visible but dimmed | Full text is readable with the spoken word highlighted | Professional videos, presentations |
Visual Comparison
futureWords: "hidden" (words revealed as spoken)
futureWords: "subtle" (soft preview of upcoming text)
futureWords: "prominent" (full text with active word highlighted)
Complete Example
Animation Examples
Fade with Hidden Future Words
Words appear only when spoken. Ideal for short-form social media content:Blur with Subtle Future Words
Words transition from blurred to sharp focus. Upcoming words are faintly visible:Drift Animation
Words slide in from a specified direction:Wipe Animation
Words are revealed with a sweeping motion:Typewriter Animation
Words appear one letter at a time:Elastic Animation
Words bounce in with a spring effect:Text Reveal Animation
Words uncover progressively:Platform Recommendations
| Platform | Aspect Ratio | Recommended Animation | futureWords | maxSubtitleLines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TikTok / Reels | 9:16 | fade | "hidden" | 1 |
| YouTube Shorts | 9:16 | blur | "subtle" | 1-2 |
| YouTube | 16:9 | fade | "prominent" | 2 |
| 16:9 | fade | "prominent" | 2 | |
| Instagram Feed | 4:5 | blur | "subtle" | 2 |
Animation Parameters Reference
| Parameter | Type | Required | Values | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
name | string | Yes | "fade", "blur", "drift", "wipe", "text reveal", "elastic", "typewriter" | The animation type to apply |
type | string | Yes | "entry", "exit" | Specifies when the animation plays |
speed | string | Yes | "slow", "medium", "fast", "custom" | The animation playback speed |
customSpeedValue | number | When speed is "custom" | Minimum 0.5 | Custom speed multiplier |
futureWords | string | No | "hidden", "subtle", "prominent" | Controls upcoming word visibility. Available only with fade and blur entry animations |
direction | string | When using drift or wipe | "up", "down", "left", "right" | The direction of the animation movement |
Best Practices
Select futureWords Based on Platform
Select futureWords Based on Platform
- TikTok / Reels:
"hidden"for maximum engagement through word reveal - YouTube Shorts:
"subtle"to provide a preview of upcoming words - YouTube / LinkedIn:
"prominent"for professional, fully readable captions - Instagram Feed:
"subtle"for a balance between engagement and readability
Match Animation Speed to Voiceover Pace
Match Animation Speed to Voiceover Pace
Select an animation speed that complements the voiceover delivery:
"fast"for quick-paced speakers and short-form content"medium"for a balanced pace suitable for most content"slow"for dramatic pauses and emphasis"custom"withcustomSpeedValuefor precise control
Use Low maxSubtitleLines with futureWords
Use Low maxSubtitleLines with futureWords
For the most effective animated caption experience:
maxSubtitleLines: 1delivers the strongest impact for short-form contentmaxSubtitleLines: 2provides a good balance for most platforms- Higher values display more text simultaneously, which can reduce the visual impact of word-level animations
Vary Animations Across Scenes
Vary Animations Across Scenes
Different animations can be applied to individual scenes for visual variety:
Troubleshooting
Words Not Highlighting in Sync With Audio
Words Not Highlighting in Sync With Audio
Cause: Captions appear but words do not highlight at the correct time relative to the voiceover.Resolution:
- Verify that
futureWordsis set on the entry animation, not the exit animation - Confirm that
typeis set to"entry"on the animation containingfutureWords - Ensure AI voiceover is enabled for automatic word-level timing synchronization
- Verify that the animation
nameis either"fade"or"blur", as these are the only types that supportfutureWords
futureWords Parameter Rejected by API
futureWords Parameter Rejected by API
Cause: The API returns an error when
futureWords is included in the request.Resolution:- Confirm the animation
nameis"fade"or"blur". Other animation types do not supportfutureWords - Remove
futureWordsfrom anydrift,wipe,text reveal,elastic, ortypewriteranimation configurations
All Words Appear Simultaneously Despite Hidden Setting
All Words Appear Simultaneously Despite Hidden Setting
Next Steps
Dynamic Captions
Learn the fundamentals of dynamic captions and the maxSubtitleLines parameter
Custom Subtitle Style
Customize font, color, and background of your captions
Highlight Keywords
Emphasize important words within captions
AI Voiceover Guide
Configure AI voices for your videos
