The Best Way to Circle Crop Video in Premiere Pro

Introduction

This tutorial will guide you through the process of creating a circle crop effect in Adobe Premiere Pro. This effect enhances video engagement and is commonly used in tutorial-style videos. By following these steps, you'll learn how to easily apply this effect to both videos and photos, elevating your editing skills.

Step 1: Import Your Media

• Open Adobe Premiere Pro and create a new project.
• Import the video or photo you want to circle crop.
  • Go to the "Media Browser" panel.
  • Right-click on the media file and select "Import" or drag the file directly into the project panel.

Step 2: Create a New Sequence

• Create a sequence to work on your media.
  • Right-click on the media in the project panel and select "New Sequence from Clip."
• This will create a sequence that matches your media settings.

Step 3: Add an Ellipse Mask

• Select the clip in the timeline that you want to circle crop.
• Go to the "Effect Controls" panel.
• Locate the "Opacity" property.
• Click on the “Create Ellipse Mask” option (it looks like an oval).
• An ellipse mask will be created around your clip.

Step 4: Adjust the Mask

• In the "Effect Controls" panel, you can adjust the mask:
  • Use the handles on the mask to resize and position it as needed.
  • If you want a perfect circle, hold down the Shift key while resizing.
• You can also adjust the feathering to soften the edges of the crop:
  • Increase the "Feather" value to create a smooth transition from the circle to the background.

Step 5: Change the Background (Optional)

• If you want to change the background behind your circle crop:
  • Add a background layer below your video layer in the timeline.
  • This can be a solid color, a gradient, or another video clip.

Step 6: Fine-tune Your Effect

• Play back the sequence to see how the circle crop looks.
• Make any necessary adjustments to the mask’s position, size, or feathering to achieve your desired look.

Conclusion

You’ve successfully created a circle crop effect in Adobe Premiere Pro! This technique can significantly enhance the visual appeal of your videos. Experiment with different media and background options to see what works best for your projects. For further learning, consider exploring additional effects or transitions in Premiere Pro to continue improving your editing skills.