How to Use Advanced Caption Animations in Sermon Shots

Overview

Caption Animations is a powerful new feature in Sermon Shots that lets you control how captions appear and move in your sermon clips. Instead of a one-size-fits-all caption style, you can now choose from pre-made caption templates, select a display style that fits your content, and fully customize how both spoken and unspoken words look, all from inside the Clip Editor. This article walks you through everything you need to know to get started.

Step 1: Open the Clip Editor and Locate Caption Styles

1. Open your sermon clip project and navigate to Step 3 of the Clip Editor, where you can see the clip preview.
2. On the left side panel, look for the Caption Styles section. You'll find it just below the secondary font settings.
3. Click the Caption Styles button to expand your options.

Step 2: Choose a Caption Template

1. Choose from pre-designed templates.
2. To see all available templates, click the Show All button.
3. Hover over any template to preview exactly how that style will look on your caption before applying it.
4. Click on a template to apply it to your clip.

Step 3: Select a Caption Display Style

Below the templates, you'll find a Styles section with three options that control how captions appear as the speaker speaks.

Default

Words appear one at a time, in sync with the speaker's speech, within each subtitle section. Once a subtitle section is complete, the next one begins and displays the same way. This is the classic Sermon Shots caption behavior.

One Word at a Time

Only a single word is visible on screen at any moment, regardless of how your subtitle sections are organized. Even if a section contains 20 words, only the word currently being spoken is shown. The word appears at the exact moment the speaker says it.

Highlighted Spoken Word

The entire subtitle section appears on screen at once, and the word currently being spoken is highlighted to draw the viewer's attention. The rest of the text remains visible but un-styled.

Step 4: Customize Caption Appearance Using the Edit Toolbar

When you click on a caption in the preview, a caption-specific edit toolbar appears above the preview. This toolbar is separate from the standard text element toolbar and includes special caption controls.

Switching Between Default and Spoken Word Styling

On the far left of the edit toolbar, you'll see a toggle to switch between two styling modes:

• Default Style, Controls how words look when they are not currently being spoken.
• Spoken Word Style, Controls how a word looks at the moment the speaker says it.

Use these two modes together to create a visual contrast that draws viewers' attention to each word as it's spoken.

Both modes share the same set of styling options:

• Bold, Italic, Underline
• Capitalization
• Text Color
• Background Color
• Outline Color
• Outline Thickness

Style Text Block vs. Style Captions

Also in the edit toolbar, you'll find a button that toggles between two editing views:

• Style Text Block, Styles the parent element, meaning the entire text box. This includes:
• • Font Selection
  • Background Color for the whole Text Block
  • Text Alignment
  • Transparency
  • Layer Positioning
  • Hide Element
• Style Captions, Styles how the actual individual caption words look (this is the main caption animation styling view). This includes:
• • Text Emphasis
  • • Bold
    • Italic
    • Underlined
    • Capitalized
  • Text Color Options
  • • Text Color
    • Text Background Color for each word
    • Text Outline Color and Thickness

Click the button to switch back and forth between the two views as needed.

Step 5: Export Your Sermon Clip and View Your Caption Animation

1. Once you're happy with your caption styling, click Export to render your Sermon Clip.
2. When the export finishes, open the clip to preview it.
3. Watch your captions play back exactly as styled, including your chosen display style (Default, One Word at a Time, or Highlighted Spoken Word) and any custom Default Style or Spoken Word Style settings you applied.

FAQs

Where do I find Caption Animations in Sermon Shots?
Caption Animations are available in the Clip Editor at Step 3. Look for the Caption Styles section in the left side panel, below the secondary font settings.

What is the difference between the three caption styles?

• Default builds words within each subtitle section as the speaker speaks.
• One Word at a Time shows only the single word currently being spoken, no matter how long the subtitle section is.
• Highlighted Spoken Word shows the full subtitle section at once, with the currently spoken word highlighted.

What is the difference between Default Style and Spoken Word Style in the edit toolbar?
Default Style controls how words look when they are not being spoken. Spoken Word Style controls how a word looks at the exact moment the speaker says it. Styling them differently creates a visual highlight effect that keeps viewers engaged.

What is the difference between Style Text Block and Style Captions?
Style Text Block lets you edit the overall text box, including font selection and text alignment. Style Captions lets you style the individual caption words and their animation appearance.

Can I save my custom caption style to reuse it?
Yes! After customizing your caption, click Save As Template on the right side of the caption edit toolbar. Give it a name, and it will be saved to your Caption Styles panel for future clips.

Will my saved templates be available for all my clips?
Yes. Once saved, your custom caption templates will appear alongside the pre-made templates in the Caption Styles panel whenever you're editing a clip.

Can I use Caption Animations with any subtitle layout I create in Step 2?
Yes. The caption styles work with however you've organized your subtitle sections in Step 2. Keep in mind that the One Word at a Time style will always show just one word, regardless of how many words are in a subtitle section.

Have more questions or need help? Reach out to the Sermon Shots support team at contact@sermonshots.com, we're happy to help!

Updated on: 08/05/2026