Another creative way to enhance the standard wipe effect in Adobe Premiere Pro CC is by creating a custom mask transition while using an actual object that literally wipes through your frame thus showing another video underneath.
I’m sure that you’ve seen this effect many times on multiple occasions, but if you still wonder how you can pull this off on your own, the following video tutorial by editor Justin Odisho will walk you through the process by showing you each and every step along the way.
The example with the walking shot is a bit trivial, but it still can be used as a good reference. Nevertheless, you can choose a different object as long as it fits the bill and blocks the camera throughout the entire frame in one way or another.
As for the transition itself, once you drop your clip on the Premiere’s timeline, use the arrow keys to find the very first frame where the actual transition should commence. Then click on the clip itself, go to the Effects Control panel and grab the Pen tool to create a mask.
If you want to have more space to work with, just double-click on your Program Monitor. Then create a line by following the outline of your object as precise as possible. Finally, connect the last point with the first one to create a shape just as shown in the screengrab below.
When you enable the Invert mode of the mask in the Effects Control panel, you should be able to see the transparent space filled with black color by your mask. This way it will be easier for you to track the object, add keyframes and animate the whole movement that takes place. Before you start with the animation, though, you need to toggle all Mask Path, Mask Feather, Mask Opacity and Mask Expansion controls under the Mask tab.
Now by tracking the mask with a single frame forward, you have to tweak its shape so that the latter fills the space with black color just as shown in the video above. Every time you move forward, you’ll have to double-click on the Mask in the Effects Control panel to make the keyframes active again and adjust them accordingly.
To get the best results, just take your time and don’t rush through the process. It’s also worth noting that you can add as many points to your mask as you like in case you need more flexibility for certain frames. Once you reach the final frame and your screen is completely masked out, you can go back at the starting position of the custom wipe transition, take your second clip and pull it under your main track.
Even though this workflow is a bit tedious and overwhelming, it could be extremely useful at the same time, so it’s totally up to you to decide whether it fits the style and aesthetics of your project. Either way, it’s a fantastic video editing technique that can be applied in different situations as long as you have the patience to pull it off.
[source: Justin Odisho]
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