Inside of Premiere Pro CC, you’ll find an extraordinary number of different video effects that can be used to elevate the production value of any of your projects. However, what many folks are unaware of is the fact that they can further customize these effects with the use of masks.
The masking tool can be an extremely powerful asset as it allows you to literally shape the way an effect is applied to your image. So, if you’re curious as to how you can use masks to customize the effects of your choice, check out this succinct, yet informative video by seasoned video editor and filmmaker Kyler Holland below.
First, start by applying a video effect to your clip. You can access the mask option inside of the Effect Controls. With this tool, you can isolate any part of the frame an have the effect only applied in that specific area. In this particular case, Holland added a directional blur to a drone shot of a city at night.
Afterward, he created an elliptical mask that covered a majority of the frame. He then adjusted the directional blur, inverted the mask, and increased the mask feather. In the end, the seasoned video editor created his own twist on a classic vignette, giving the edges of the frame a unique, stylistic appearance.
The use of masks with video effects can be referred to all sorts of techniques, such as masking a person’s face. This is typically done by duplicating your subject’s video, then applying the blur effect to your clip. Next, you’ll need to create a mask around the subject’s face and then track it to follow along.
If you’re curious as to what you can do with the mask tool, feel free to roam around Premiere Pro CC’s collection of effects and try it out for yourself. By experimenting with the different tools included with the NLE, you can certainly uncover creative techniques that will help you better tell your stories down the line.
[source: Kyler Holland]
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