npx skills add ...
npx skills add mengto/skills --skill cinematic-gsap-lenis-motion-system
Create premium cinematic web motion systems with GSAP, ScrollTrigger, and Lenis. Use for luxury editorial websites, creative studio portfolios, Awwwards-style interactions, smooth scroll reveals, staggered text, parallax, pinned sections, magnetic hover states, custom cursors, and mouse-reactive layered movement.
npx skills add mengto/skills --skill cinematic-gsap-lenis-motion-system
Avoid:
power3.out, power4.out, expo.out.scrub: 0.8 to 1.4 for cinematic delay.0.75s to 1.1s.0.35s to 0.6s.0.25s to 0.45s.0.035s to 0.07s, lines 0.08s to 0.14s.0.06s to 0.1s.start: "top 82%".anticipatePin: 1.Install:
Initialize once, after the DOM exists. Lenis drives its RAF through the GSAP ticker so ScrollTrigger and smooth scroll stay synced.
Use small data attributes so the motion system can be reused across pages.
Use masked containers for premium text. Prefer manual line wrappers when exact line breaks matter. Use word splitting for flexible responsive text.
Line markup when exact line breaks matter:
Create a small reveal preset map. Use autoAlpha, transforms, and light blur. Use blur sparingly on large elements.
Use speed differences instead of dramatic movement. Backgrounds move slower than content. Foreground accents move slightly faster.
Use pinned sections for story moments only. Keep scroll-synced movement linear, then layer eased reveal tweens inside the scene.
Sticky storytelling pattern:
Use GSAP quickTo for magnetic motion so hover follows the pointer without re-creating tweens on every event.
Hover recipes:
x/y only, keep scale under 1.03.rotateX/rotateY under 4deg.scale: 1 to 1.06, duration 0.7s, ease power3.out.x: 0 to x: 6, fade the duplicate arrow in.16px.Use a cursor follower as atmosphere, not decoration. Hide it on touch devices.
Use one pointer listener per section. Depth should be barely visible.
transform, opacity, and short-lived clip-path.filter: blur() only on text or small elements.will-change only to elements that actually animate.ScrollTrigger.refresh() after images, fonts, or layout shifts.gsap.context() and call ctx.revert() on cleanup.<h1 data-motion-text="lines">Digital products with cinematic restraint.</h1>
<p data-motion-text="words">Every interaction should feel deliberate.</p>
<section data-reveal-group>
<article data-reveal="fade-up" data-reveal-item>...</article>
<article data-reveal="fade-up" data-reveal-item>...</article>
</section>
<figure data-image-reveal data-parallax-section>
<img data-parallax-image src="/studio.jpg" alt="">
</figure>
<a data-magnetic data-cursor-label="Explore" href="/work">Explore</a>
<div data-cursor><span data-cursor-label></span></div>html.has-motion [data-motion-text],
html.has-motion [data-reveal],
html.has-motion [data-reveal-item],
html.has-motion [data-image-reveal] {
visibility: hidden;
}
.motion-line-mask,
.motion-word-mask {
display: inline-block;
overflow: hidden;
vertical-align: top;
}
.motion-line,
.motion-word {
display: inline-block;
will-change: transform, opacity, filter;
}
[data-image-reveal] {
overflow: hidden;
}
[data-parallax-image] {
display: block;
width: 100%;
height: 115%;
object-fit: cover;
will-change: transform;
}
[data-cursor] {
position: fixed;
left: 0;
top: 0;
z-index: 9999;
pointer-events: none;
mix-blend-mode: difference;
transform: translate3d(-50%, -50%, 0);
will-change: transform;
}
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce), (pointer: coarse) {
[data-cursor] {
display: none;
}
}document.documentElement.classList.add("has-motion");
function splitWords(element) {
if (element.dataset.motionSplit === "true") return;
const text = element.textContent || "";
const parts = text.split(/(\s+)/);
element.textContent = "";
element.setAttribute("aria-label", text.trim());
let index = 0;
parts.forEach((part) => {
if (!part.trim()) {
element.appendChild(document.createTextNode(part));
return;
}
const mask = document.createElement("span");
const word = document.createElement("span");
mask.className = "motion-word-mask";
mask.setAttribute("aria-hidden", "true");
word.className = "motion-word";
word.textContent = part;
word.style.setProperty("--word-index", index);
mask.appendChild(word);
element.appendChild(mask);
index += 1;
});
element.dataset.motionSplit = "true";
}
function splitLines(element) {
if (element.dataset.motionLineSplit === "true") return;
if (element.querySelector(".motion-line")) return;
const text = (element.textContent || "").trim();
const lines = text.split(/\n+/).map((line) => line.trim()).filter(Boolean);
if (lines.length < 2) return;
element.textContent = "";
element.setAttribute("aria-label", text);
lines.forEach((line) => {
const mask = document.createElement("span");
const inner = document.createElement("span");
mask.className = "motion-line-mask";
mask.setAttribute("aria-hidden", "true");
inner.className = "motion-line";
inner.textContent = line;
mask.appendChild(inner);
element.appendChild(mask);
element.appendChild(document.createTextNode(" "));
});
element.dataset.motionLineSplit = "true";
}
function initTextReveals() {
if (reduceMotion) {
gsap.set("[data-motion-text]", { autoAlpha: 1, clearProps: "all" });
return;
}
gsap.utils.toArray("[data-motion-text='words']").forEach((element) => {
splitWords(element);
const words = element.querySelectorAll(".motion-word");
gsap.set(element, { autoAlpha: 1 });
gsap.fromTo(
words,
{ yPercent: 110, autoAlpha: 0, filter: "blur(8px)" },
{
yPercent: 0,
autoAlpha: 1,
filter: "blur(0px)",
duration: 0.9,
ease: "power4.out",
stagger: 0.055,
scrollTrigger: {
trigger: element,
start: "top 82%",
once: true,
},
}
);
});
gsap.utils.toArray("[data-motion-text='lines']").forEach((element) => {
splitLines(element);
const lines = element.querySelectorAll(".motion-line");
const targets = lines.length ? lines : element.children;
gsap.set(element, { autoAlpha: 1 });
gsap.fromTo(
targets,
{ yPercent: 100, autoAlpha: 0, filter: "blur(8px)" },
{
yPercent: 0,
autoAlpha: 1,
filter: "blur(0px)",
duration: 1,
ease: "power4.out",
stagger: 0.11,
scrollTrigger: {
trigger: element,
start: "top 84%",
once: true,
},
}
);
});
}<h2 data-motion-text="lines">
<span class="motion-line-mask"><span class="motion-line">Cinematic motion</span></span>
<span class="motion-line-mask"><span class="motion-line">with editorial restraint.</span></span>
</h2>const revealPresets = {
"fade-up": { from: { y: 32, autoAlpha: 0 }, to: { y: 0, autoAlpha: 1 } },
"blur-in": { from: { y: 18, autoAlpha: 0, filter: "blur(10px)" }, to: { y: 0, autoAlpha: 1, filter: "blur(0px)" } },
"scale": { from: { scale: 0.96, autoAlpha: 0 }, to: { scale: 1, autoAlpha: 1 } },
"slide-left": { from: { x: 48, autoAlpha: 0 }, to: { x: 0, autoAlpha: 1 } },
"slide-right": { from: { x: -48, autoAlpha: 0 }, to: { x: 0, autoAlpha: 1 } },
};
function initScrollReveals() {
if (reduceMotion) {
gsap.set("[data-reveal], [data-reveal-item]", { autoAlpha: 1, clearProps: "all" });
return;
}
gsap.utils.toArray("[data-reveal-group]").forEach((group) => {
const items = group.querySelectorAll("[data-reveal-item]");
gsap.set(group, { autoAlpha: 1 });
gsap.fromTo(
items,
{ y: 36, autoAlpha: 0, filter: "blur(8px)" },
{
y: 0,
autoAlpha: 1,
filter: "blur(0px)",
duration: 0.95,
ease: "power4.out",
stagger: 0.075,
scrollTrigger: {
trigger: group,
start: "top 82%",
once: true,
},
}
);
});
gsap.utils.toArray("[data-reveal]:not([data-reveal-item])").forEach((element) => {
const preset = revealPresets[element.dataset.reveal] || revealPresets["fade-up"];
gsap.set(element, { autoAlpha: 1 });
gsap.fromTo(element, preset.from, {
...preset.to,
duration: 0.9,
ease: "power4.out",
delay: Number(element.dataset.revealDelay || 0),
scrollTrigger: {
trigger: element,
start: "top 84%",
once: true,
},
});
});
}function initImageReveals() {
if (reduceMotion) {
gsap.set("[data-image-reveal]", { autoAlpha: 1, clipPath: "none" });
return;
}
gsap.utils.toArray("[data-image-reveal]").forEach((figure) => {
const image = figure.querySelector("img");
gsap.set(figure, { autoAlpha: 1 });
const tl = gsap.timeline({
scrollTrigger: {
trigger: figure,
start: "top 82%",
once: true,
},
});
tl.fromTo(
figure,
{ clipPath: "inset(0 0 100% 0)" },
{ clipPath: "inset(0 0 0% 0)", duration: 1.1, ease: "power4.out" }
).fromTo(
image,
{ scale: 1.08, autoAlpha: 0.75 },
{ scale: 1, autoAlpha: 1, duration: 1.2, ease: "power4.out" },
0
);
});
}function initParallax() {
if (reduceMotion) return;
gsap.utils.toArray("[data-parallax-image], [data-parallax-layer]").forEach((layer) => {
const speed = Number(layer.dataset.parallaxSpeed || 0.18);
const section = layer.closest("[data-parallax-section]") || layer;
gsap.to(layer, {
y: () => window.innerHeight * speed * -1,
ease: "none",
scrollTrigger: {
trigger: section,
start: "top bottom",
end: "bottom top",
scrub: 1.2,
invalidateOnRefresh: true,
},
});
});
}function initHorizontalGalleries() {
if (reduceMotion) return;
gsap.utils.toArray("[data-horizontal-gallery]").forEach((section) => {
const track = section.querySelector("[data-horizontal-track]");
if (!track) return;
gsap.to(track, {
x: () => -(track.scrollWidth - window.innerWidth),
ease: "none",
scrollTrigger: {
trigger: section,
start: "top top",
end: () => `+=${track.scrollWidth}`,
scrub: 1,
pin: true,
anticipatePin: 1,
invalidateOnRefresh: true,
},
});
});
}function initStoryScenes() {
if (reduceMotion) return;
gsap.utils.toArray("[data-story-scene]").forEach((scene) => {
const panels = scene.querySelectorAll("[data-story-panel]");
gsap.timeline({
scrollTrigger: {
trigger: scene,
start: "top top",
end: () => `+=${panels.length * window.innerHeight}`,
scrub: 1.1,
pin: true,
anticipatePin: 1,
},
})
.to(panels, { yPercent: -100 * (panels.length - 1), ease: "none" })
.to(scene.querySelectorAll("[data-story-depth]"), { yPercent: -16, ease: "none" }, 0);
});
}function initMagnetic() {
if (reduceMotion || window.matchMedia("(pointer: coarse)").matches) return;
gsap.utils.toArray("[data-magnetic]").forEach((element) => {
const strength = Number(element.dataset.magnetic || 0.18);
const xTo = gsap.quickTo(element, "x", { duration: 0.45, ease: "power3.out" });
const yTo = gsap.quickTo(element, "y", { duration: 0.45, ease: "power3.out" });
element.addEventListener("pointermove", (event) => {
const rect = element.getBoundingClientRect();
const x = (event.clientX - rect.left - rect.width / 2) * strength;
const y = (event.clientY - rect.top - rect.height / 2) * strength;
xTo(x);
yTo(y);
});
element.addEventListener("pointerleave", () => {
xTo(0);
yTo(0);
});
});
}function initCursor() {
if (reduceMotion || window.matchMedia("(pointer: coarse)").matches) return;
const cursor = document.querySelector("[data-cursor]");
if (!cursor) return;
const label = cursor.querySelector("[data-cursor-label]");
const xTo = gsap.quickTo(cursor, "x", { duration: 0.35, ease: "power3.out" });
const yTo = gsap.quickTo(cursor, "y", { duration: 0.35, ease: "power3.out" });
document.addEventListener("pointermove", (event) => {
xTo(event.clientX);
yTo(event.clientY);
});
gsap.utils.toArray("[data-cursor-label]")
.filter((target) => !cursor.contains(target))
.forEach((target) => {
target.addEventListener("pointerenter", () => {
if (label) label.textContent = target.dataset.cursorLabel || "";
gsap.to(cursor, { scale: 1.75, duration: 0.35, ease: "power3.out" });
});
target.addEventListener("pointerleave", () => {
if (label) label.textContent = "";
gsap.to(cursor, { scale: 1, duration: 0.35, ease: "power3.out" });
});
});
}function initMouseParallax() {
if (reduceMotion || window.matchMedia("(pointer: coarse)").matches) return;
gsap.utils.toArray("[data-mouse-parallax]").forEach((section) => {
const layers = section.querySelectorAll("[data-mouse-depth]");
const setters = Array.from(layers).map((layer) => ({
layer,
depth: Number(layer.dataset.mouseDepth || 0.04),
xTo: gsap.quickTo(layer, "x", { duration: 0.8, ease: "power3.out" }),
yTo: gsap.quickTo(layer, "y", { duration: 0.8, ease: "power3.out" }),
}));
section.addEventListener("pointermove", (event) => {
const rect = section.getBoundingClientRect();
const x = event.clientX - rect.left - rect.width / 2;
const y = event.clientY - rect.top - rect.height / 2;
setters.forEach(({ depth, xTo, yTo }) => {
xTo(x * depth);
yTo(y * depth);
});
});
section.addEventListener("pointerleave", () => {
setters.forEach(({ xTo, yTo }) => {
xTo(0);
yTo(0);
});
});
});
}initTextReveals();
initScrollReveals();
initImageReveals();
initParallax();
initHorizontalGalleries();
initStoryScenes();
initMagnetic();
initCursor();
initMouseParallax();
ScrollTrigger.refresh();