Magnetic Text Effect

Layers Needed

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Create the Magnet Layer

   Create a Shape Layer and rename it MAGNET.

   The layer's anchor point acts as the center of the magnetic attraction.

   

2. Add Three Slider Controls

   Select the MAGNET layer and go to:

   Effect → Expression Controls → Slider Control

   Add three sliders and rename them:

   

   

   • Gravity — controls attraction strength
   • Radius — controls how far the effect reaches
   • Falloff — controls how smoothly the effect fades with distance

3. Pre-compose the Text

   Create your text layer and rename it Text 1.

   Pre-compose the layer before applying Puppet Pins.

4. Add Puppet Position Pins

   Select the pre-composed text layer and choose the Puppet Position Pin Tool.

   Place pins across the letters or word wherever you want the distortion to react.

   

   Use more pins for finer deformation. For a simple word, one pin per letter or one pin around key intersections is often enough.

5. Open a Puppet Pin Position

   Open the Text layer until you reach a Puppet Pin's Position property:

   Text 1
   └─ Puppet
      └─ Mesh 1
         └─ Deform
            └─ Puppet Pin 1
               └─ Position

   Alt-click the Position stopwatch to enable an expression.

   

6. Paste the Magnetic Expression

   Paste the following expression into the Puppet Pin Position property:

   magnet = thisComp.layer("MAGNET");
   
   gravity = magnet.effect("Gravity")("Slider");
   radius  = magnet.effect("Radius")("Slider");
   falloff = magnet.effect("Falloff")("Slider");
   
   magnetPos = magnet.toComp(magnet.anchorPoint);
   pinPos = thisLayer.toComp(value);
   
   d = length(pinPos, magnetPos);
   
   strength = 1 - clamp(d / radius, 0, 1);
   strength = Math.pow(strength, falloff);
   
   dir = magnetPos - pinPos;
   
   resultComp =
       pinPos +
       dir * strength * gravity / 100;
   
   thisLayer.fromComp(resultComp);

7. Apply the Expression to Every Pin

   Copy the expression and paste it onto the Position property of every Puppet Pin you want the magnet to affect.

   Puppet Pin 1 → Position
   Puppet Pin 2 → Position
   Puppet Pin 3 → Position
   Puppet Pin 4 → Position

   Each pin measures its own distance from the Magnet layer, so nearby pins react more strongly than distant ones.

8. Test the Effect

   Move the MAGNET layer around the composition.

   The Puppet Pins should now bend and pull toward it automatically.

Recommended Starting Values

Soft, Wide Distortion

Gravity: 25
Radius: 500
Falloff: 2

Strong, Tight Distortion

Gravity: 80
Radius: 200
Falloff: 4

How the Expression Works

magnetPos = magnet.toComp(magnet.anchorPoint);

pinPos = thisLayer.toComp(value);

d = length(pinPos, magnetPos);

strength = 1 - clamp(d / radius, 0, 1);
strength = Math.pow(strength, falloff);

resultComp =
    pinPos +
    dir * strength * gravity / 100;

Download the Practice Project

Want to experiment with the setup instead of rebuilding it from scratch? Download the included After Effects project and test the MAGNET controls, Puppet Pins, and expression directly.

See the Effect in Action

These clips show how the Puppet Pins respond as the MAGNET layer moves around the text.

Final Result