Adding an Adobe Premiere Pro glitch effect to a video project is a good way to enhance your storytelling, add an artistic touch, or create an effective transition. It’s also a great effect to use as it leaves a lot of room for creativity.
You can apply a glitch effect to your video or as an effect on text to add a visual distortion. It can be especially effective when you’re transitioning from one scene to the next to grab your viewer’s attention.
In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through the basics of adding a glitch effect to your video or text in Adobe Premiere Pro.
How to make the glitch effect
You can add a Premiere glitch effect to your video in just 4 steps.
1. Select your clip
Import your selected video footage into Adobe Premiere Pro and drop it onto the timeline.
2. Split the clip
Select the “Razor” tool on the left side of your timeline and hover over your video to “split” your
clips. Then drag the clips apart, leaving a small gap between them.
3. Copy the clips
Select the split-apart clips and copy and paste them onto the V2 video track above the original. This creates a duplicate layer.
4. Use Effect Controls
Select the first split clip. Then navigate to the “Effects Controls” panel. If you don’t see the panel on your screen, go to the top navigation bar in Premiere Pro and select Window, then choose Effects Controls from the drop down menu. Once you have the panel open, adjust the Opacity value to 50%.
Then navigate to Motion > Position. Change the value for Position so that the duplicate overlay isn’t in line with the original. Try adjusting the scale values or Blend Mode to see what you like best.
These steps will create a basic glitch effect. From there, you can customize it with more effects.
Download this clip of a computer glitch screen
How to create a text glitch effect
You can also apply the Premiere Pro glitch effect to your text and get the same cool and eye-catching tone as when the effect is applied to video. Learn how to apply this text effect in six simple steps.
1. Add your text
Click in the Program Monitor and add your text using the Text tool. Adjust the settings on your text using the formatting tools in the Effect Controls panel. Once you’re happy with how your text looks, position it where you want it to show up on the screen. Then place an anchor point in the center of your selected text.
2. Copy a copy of your text layer
Select the text layer on your timeline. Create a copy of it by holding Alt and dragging it onto the track above it. This will be the layer where you add the glitch effect.
3. Add a Wave Warp Effect
Navigate to the the Effects tab. Then search for Wave Warp Effect and drag it onto the copy of your text layer. Then select Effect Controls > Wave Warp > Wave Type and change the Wave Type to Square.
4. Create cuts in your text layer
Use the Razor tool to create cuts 1-2 frames long in the glitch-affected layer. This will make the jarring, jumpy effect of your glitch.
5. Adjust the glitch effects
Use the Selection tool to highlight one of the small clips you just created. Then, adjust the Direction, Wave Width, Scale, and Wave Height to create variation under the Wave Warp settings. Do this for each of your cut sections.
6. Delete extra layers
To prevent double images, go back to the original timeline. Next, use the Razor tool to cut the portion beneath the glitch layer. Then delete it. Follow the same process for any unaffected text in your glitch layer.
You’ve successfully added the glitch effect to text in your video! You can now easily replicate this effect with other text in your videos.
Download this glitch clip here
How do you import an Adobe Premiere Pro glitch effect?
There are numerous Adobe Premiere Pro templates available with preset glitch effects in the Storyblocks library. Once you download the template or preset pack that you want, import it into Premiere Pro to add it to any of your projects.
1. Import your file into your library
With Adobe Premiere Pro open, navigate to the Effects and Presets tab. Then, right-click on Presets and select Import Presets.
2. Select the file
Select the file you want to import and press OK. Once you do that, you’ll see a folder with your selected files.
3. Import the preset glitch effect
Drag and drop this preset glitch effect onto your desired clip in the timeline.
How is the glitch effect used in videos?
The glitch effect is used in videos to enhance the mood by adding an unsettling or creepy vibe. It can also add to the overall story of a video. You’ll usually see glitch effects in videos that deal with computers or other digital themes, along with the horror genre.
The possibilities for glitches are endless, but here’s some ideas for how you can use a glitch effect to:
- Simulate a recording failure
- Hook a viewer’s attention
- Create the illusion of a “replay” of a scene
- Add an uneasy feeling or tension
Some famous examples of glitch effects include the V/H/S horror series and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. You can also see TikTok creators like @mirkovgna or @maicon_guf use them in their videos.
Utilize Storyblocks templates for easy video content creation
Glitch effects are a fun and effective way to add drama and visual interest to any of your video projects. But if you create them from scratch, it can take a while to perfect and get right. Especially if you use them frequently. If you ever run into an actual glitch within Premiere or experience lag when you’re editing, check out our post on proven fixes to speed up editing.
That’s why pre-made glitch effect templates are a popular choice among creators. Storyblocks has an extensive library of templates for Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, DaVinci Resolve, and Apple Motion. You can find customizable glitch effect templates along with tons more effect types for any of those video editors.
To get access to these templates along with a huge library of royalty-free stock videos, audio, and images, subscribe to Storyblocks today! To learn how to do even more in Premiere Pro, check out our tutorials on creating a Ken Burns effect, motion blur effect, and text effects.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to include additional information. It was originally published on September 21, 2022.
