How to Create a Glitch Text Effect?

Have you noticed the glitching effect that appears when you play a video or in games, creating a sporadic shaky effect on video edges? While this usually signifies a systematic software issue in these cases, the effect itself can work to create a dynamic visual style for different objects when done intentionally.

In fact, many video editors today use the glitch effect on elements in their videos, like the introductory title in movies or trailers. It creates a futuristic look to the text, which highly appeals to viewers who engage more in the video itself.

Suppose you are looking to add a similar effect to the title of your video project or other text-based content that you will add to your video, use a good tool for that. Wondershare Filmora, in particular, makes adding this effect very simple. Let's learn how.

1. Launch the Filmora software

The first step in preparing a customized glitch text effect is getting your software ready.

Visit the official website of Wondershare Filmora and tap on the Download button at the top to get the free software. The features necessary to create this effect are available under the free version, so you can avoid the plan upgradation process at this point.

After clicking the free download icon, the software's installer version will save into your device automatically. Double-click on and agree with the related Terms and Conditions prompt. Then, tap on the Install button, and the software will take a few seconds to complete the installation process fully.

After that, click on the Start Now button to launch the software on your Mac or Windows computer that you are using. Filmora will open on its homepage.

2. Add the default title to timeline

Next, click the Create New Project button on the main page to access the editor section. Then, you have to click on the Titles tab and choose the Default Title option from the menu.

Drag it down from the media library section to the timeline and drop it in the Track 2 row. After that, move the play head with your cursor to the 1-second and the 10^th frame on the timeline. Then, hold and move this clip until the end part of the clip is at this mark.

3. Adjust the font of the title

Next, double-click on this clip on the editor timeline to open the text editing window. Here, under the Preset section, change the title font to what to want to first word of your title to be.

Change the font style to a bigger bold option like Impact and increase the font size to 100. Then, scroll a little downward and tap on the Text Spacing option. Increase this value by 5 and press the OK button when you are done.

4. Add and copy all of the word clips

After adjusting the text font, tap on this clip on the timeline and copy it. Then, paste it just after the first clip ends, reducing its duration to around 1 second.

Then, double-click on the copied clip to open the text editing window. Click on the section where you can add the text and change it to the second word of your title. Again, copy this clip and paste it next to it, adjust it to be one second long, double-click on it to adjust the text to read the third word, and so on.

Continue until all of your intro's words are added in these clip forms.

5. Create and add the snapshots

Following the previous step, click on the My Media section. Then, tap on the first clip in the collection and tap on the Snapshot icon at the end of the editing toolbar right above the timeline. Repeat this step for all the clips you have added until a snapshot of each of the words is stored in the media library.

Next, you have to grab hold of the first snapshot that you click and move it to the Track 1 of the timeline. Use the cursor to hold it and reduce the size of the clip to the same amount as the first clip on Track 1. To be sure, you can place the playhead at this point to see that the ending time for both clips is aligned.

6. Adjust the text effect for the first word

You have to click on the first-word snapshot in Track 1 of the Filmora editing timeline and double-click on it. Next, when the text editing window opens, you must change the Scale section to display the value of 290%. Following that, click on the slider in the Opacity parameter and decrease it to the 7% mark. Then, press the OK button.

On the timeline, right-click on this edited clip and choose the "Copy Effects" option from the drop-down menu.

7. Edit the snapshots for all words

After making changes to the first word, you must take hold of the second word's snapshot from the media library. Drag and then drop it onto Track 1 of the editing timeline right next to the first clip. Then, hold the edge of this clip and reduce its size to fit the same duration as the second clip adjacent to it on Track 2.

Following that, you must choose this clip on Track 1 and right-click on top of it. Click on the "Paste Effects" option from the next drop-down menu, and the same adjustments will apply to this clip.

Repeat this step with all of the next snapshots of the following words.

8. Add the first effect layer

Next, you have to add stylish effects to your text. For that, you must tap on the Effects tab from the top toolbar of Filmora- a list of many effects collections will appear on the left panel.

Scroll down until you reach the Filmstock option. You must click on it and find the Flicker option from the list. Under this collection, there are many options available. You must choose the Video_seg effect and drag it to the editing timeline above Track 2.

At this point, ensure the effect falls right above the first and second clip parts in the track below. Tap on the edges of this clip to reduce the size of the video effect, taking careful note to keep the clip 8 frames long overall.

Then, copy the cut-down effect from Track 3 and paste it at every intersectional point between the separated word-based clips in Track 2.

9. Zoom in to edit the first effect layer

Following this, you must zoom into the timeline for a better view and editing control for the next part.

Go to the Effects tab at the top and choose the Filters collection next. Under it, choose the Chaos 1 effect option, drag it down to the timeline, and place it above the previous clip on Track 4. Adjust the starting edge of this clip to have the same starting point as the Video_seg effect on Track 3 with an overall 8-frame duration.

10. Edit the Effect

Next, you have to double-click on this clip to open the editing window for this effect. In this section, go to the Frequency parameter and increase the slider to 400. Following that, click on the Position X parameter and move the slider to the 0.20 point. Next, do the same for the Position Y parameter, but to the 0.70 point.

Change the Position Z parameter by typing the value 40 and disable the RGB Separate setting. Then, press the OK button and go to the timeline again.

11. Adjust the Glitch effects

Click on the effect clip on Track 4 and copy it. Please do the same as you did for the effect in Track 3 and paste it at the same locations between the clips in this track.

Afterward, go to the Effects tab again and choose the Filmstock tab. Among the collections here, you have to choose the Glitch option and select Glitch Stripe 1 from the collection. For an easier searching experience, you can directly type the effect in the search bar under the Effects tab.

Then, drag and drop it on Track 5 of the timeline right above the previous effect and reduce its duration to the same level as the first two effects. Copy it and then paste the clip again for each clip-to-clip intersection.

After this part, drag the Glitch Dispersion effect down to the timeline. Place it above the previous effect and adjust the clip's size to the same length. Again, copy the effect and repeat the steps again. Next, repeat the same whole process with the Negative Flicker effect from the Flicker collection on Track 7.

12. See the preview and save the file

Finally, you are done adding all the effects, and you have to click on the Render Preview icon in the toolbar above the timeline. Then, press the Play button on the Preview window to see the full glitch text effect play out properly.

Conclusion

Now, you are done with creating a visually exciting and dynamic look for your introductory or ending title in the video using the glitch effect. For the best results, you should practice this process sometimes to get used to it and even make certain preferential changes to the font style. Ultimately, with the help of this software, you can expect a high-quality title look and use it for further video editing work.