Prequel Text Tool: further and further

Step 1: First text effects

The idea behind the Prequel app is to make it possible for everyone to express themselves, tell their own stories, and speak up. In order to ensure this, our team is constantly working on multiple features: effects, filters, presets, templates—everything fully customizable. Yet, it felt like visual tools only might not be enough to express the whole idea that a creator might have. There are cases when a short quote is literally a need, not a want.

That is why we brought our first effects with text to the app. The most remarkable of them were Story and Bubble Gum, the two having different aesthetics and vibes. Story is a perfect tool for nostalgic edits with a set of subtitle-like font settings across its several variations. Bubble Gum has a sixties feel to it and features bubblegum pink font.

These two effects quickly became coveted by the majority of Prequel users. Our takeaway from that was that a separate caption feature had to be developed at some point.

Step 2: Expanding text-effects horizons

Few text-containing effects was definitely not enough for our users—they were striving to see more effects enabling adding their own custom text. That had our Art Department keep on adding new effects with customizable texts. Special Halloween effects were a big step there. Inspired by a horror and thriller staple, anonymous notes made out of letters cut from newspapers or books, the Ransom Note effect was created, followed by the Boogie effect and the Psycho effect with animated ominous texts.

A bit later, the concept of the Ransom Note effect was changed into a cheerful effect called Typo that alludes to magazine collaging.?

Since all these were quite a success among Prequel users, a rich variety of other text-featuring effects was developed. There were ones styled like posters and magazines, then special Christmas ones, and so much more. However, there still were some limitations for Prequel creators: despite the fact that Prequel already had a rich selection of fonts, they were only available with a certain effect. E.g., it was impossible to use the font from the Story effect with the Prism effect. Reflecting on this was how the idea of a separate text tool solidified.

Step 3: The freedom of texts

The first priority was making it possible to use the fonts already there in the app, in our text effects, without actually applying the respective default effect for the font. So all the fonts that used to be available in our text effects only finally became free. Any font could be matched with any filter and any effect—so any Prequel user could communicate any message in (any) style.

At the same time, Prequel’s Art Department was not going to stop creating fresh effects with custom text. Some special examples, like the inspiring effects dedicated to the Pride Month and the International Women History Month, were also specifically meant as a perfect vessel for those who want to speak up and be heard. And the majority of font styles appearing in those new effects was consistently being added as an independent option into the text tool.

Step 4: Even more freedom of texts

As soon as the text tool became available in the Prequel app, as mentioned, almost all the fonts in it were ones migrated from effects, inherently elaborate or playful. However, it was pretty clear that some plain basic fonts are needed as well. Since then, the text tool has been under constant redevelopment and has grown to be a significant feature Thus, categories were created in the text tool in order to make the process of browsing easier. First categories appearing were a basic one with most accessible and neutral fonts, one with such optimized for subtitles, one with paper collage fonts. A bit later, we also added variations of festive fonts, inspired by Christmas aesthetics. Another huge category added was fonts for fan edits—for those who wanted to pay homage to their favorite franchises (Harry Potter, Star Wars, Euphoria and so much more) and could now easily do it with fonts straight from those.

In the meantime, we also decided to create some fonts from scratch (as we love to do at Prequel) and the idea of a handwritten fonts category came to be. Our Art Department team put effort into drawing numerous letters and characters, and the collection of Prequel fonts became significantly richer and more sophisticated.?

Last but not least, we worked on bringing more interesting geometry to the fonts. From the rollout of the text tool, some of those present inside the app were not only horizontal but diagonal. However, the Prequel Art Department, in synergy with the Tech one, has developed a shaped set that includes a variety of fonts in a variety of shapes; furthermore, every user is now able to choose circle and arc forms for their text besides normally adjusting position and scale.

Step 5: Keep going

Recently, we added even more freedom to the text tool feature. Just a few months ago the color of the letters for each font was set—now, the user can choose the one they like the most. And we keep on working on developing new fonts. One looking like embroidery is coming up very soon. Stitching on!