ASCII 2.0 ― After Effects file

Build ASCII-driven motion that actually reads, scales, and ships.

Read more about ASCII in my latest Substack article!

You know the pain 🫠

One‑click “ASCII” presets that turn footage into mush. Filter soup. Legibility gone. Export hell. You tweak contrast for an hour and it still looks like a screensaver from 2003. Been there. Fixed it.

This is a fully art‑directable ASCII sandbox for After Effects — built to behave like a system, not a gimmick.

What it is

• A production‑ready .aep that maps luminance to a curated character ramp (the 95 glyphs that matter), with controls for density, contrast, falloff, speed, and noise.
• Prebuilt comps for black‑on‑white, white‑on‑black, and brand‑color ASCII, plus color‑grade passes that keep edges crisp in social compression.
• Modular rigs to swap characters, weights, and ramps without breaking timing—so the text stays legible at broadcast sizes and thumbnail sizes alike.
• A clean layer hierarchy with labeled sliders, nulls, and toggles for quick iteration and versioning.

How it works (fast)

• Drop in footage.
• Pick a density ramp.
• Set target contrast, pace, and read time.
• Export loops, sequences, or full edits with consistent character behavior across scenes.

Why it’s different

• Characters act like material, not a filter: you control silhouette, rhythm, and reveal, instead of accepting whatever a converter spits out.
• Built for motion first: tempo, easing, and beats are tuned so the eye reads shape before detail, even at speed.
• Compression‑proofed: tested for Reels/TikTok, 1080p/4K, and platform‑specific bitrates so your text doesn’t dissolve when it matters.

Who it’s for

• Motion designers who want code‑native vibes without the “look what plugin I found” sheen.
• Brand teams shipping launches, platform updates, and product stories that need type‑as‑image.
• Creators who like to experiment with ASCII without too much of a headache.

What you get

• After Effects project (.aep), CC 2021+ compatible.
• 1 ASCII comp editable
• 2 character ramps: shape / character base

Use cases

• Product teasers, update stings, and code‑adjacent brand moments.
• Overlays that turn flat footage into tactile, “system” texture.
• Kinetic type where letters respond to audio, gravity, or camera moves.

Tech notes

• Works best with high‑contrast, well‑exposed footage (grayscale prepass included).
• Monospace typefaces included for default rigs; bring your own for brand fidelity.
• GPU‑friendly where possible; preview proxies and prerenders are set up for long sequences.

License

• One license per user. Use on unlimited client, freelance, or internal projects.
• Redistribution or template reselling is not allowed.

Support

• Quick fixes and minor updates included.
• Questions? Reach out—happy to help troubleshoot edge cases or suggest settings for a specific brief.

Bonus for my Substack community

• My Substack subscribers get this file for FREE, plus early access to other projects and exclusive content.
• I’ll also share select community builds in upcoming posts—tag to be featured.

Your turn

If you’ve made it this far, it’s time to get hands‑on. Start small—swap footage, tweak luminance, adjust density, and feel how those 95 characters start telling a different story. Play with motion speed, contrast, and rhythm until the text feels alive. The file isn’t a tutorial—it’s a sandbox. Edit shapes or letterforms, test different ASCII formats, or overlay the effect on existing projects to add a tactile, coded texture. Every adjustment changes the mood. Try breaking it. Combine ASCII with 3D, or link character motion to audio for kinetic type. And when you’ve built something you’re proud of—share it. Post in the comments or tag me on LinkedIn (Blanca Villalobos) so I can feature your work in an upcoming post.

FAQ

• Is this beginner‑friendly or advanced?
  Both. The rigs are labeled and annotated, with sane defaults for first‑timers and enough headroom for specialists.
• What do I need?
  After Effects CC 2021+ and any system that can preview 1080p comps without crying.
• How many projects can I use it on?
  Unlimited—client, freelance, or internal.
• Refunds?
  Because this is an instant digital download, all sales are final. Questions or hiccups? Email and support will follow.