Sometimes videos need a little punch of color to take them to the next level. Whether you want to add a bit of drama to a clip, or a pop of color to a social media post, Adobe Premiere Pro has built-in color effects to add pizzazz to any video. In this post, we’ll show you how to overlay videos with a gradient using this clip of a couple listening to music. You can use this trick for subtle color correction or for creating a stylized effect. Check out the before and after below, then follow along with the tutorial.
Get Set Up in Premiere Pro
Create a new project in Premiere, import your footage, and drag your clip into the timeline to create a new sequence. The sequence will match the settings of the clip. Next, select the Effects workspace (located near the top of your window). This will ensure that the tools we need will be visible. You can also navigate to Window > Workspaces > Effects.
Create an Adjustment Layer
Navigate to File > New > Adjustment Layer. If the option is not available, make sure that your Project panel is selected. The adjustment layer will appear in your Project panel along with your clip and sequence. Drag the adjustment layer to the timeline.
Create the Video Overlay
The Effects panel contains items like video effects, audio effects, transitions, and generators. To create the video overlay effect, we’ll start in the “Generate” folder with generators like patterns and gradients and choose the 4-Color Gradient. The 4-Color Gradient is just what it sounds like: a gradient of four colors. For a simpler, 2-color look, try the Ramp effect. The effects are searchable as well. Drag the desired effect from the Effects panel right to the adjustment layer in the timeline.
Adjust the Effect’s Controls
The Effect Controls panel is where you can edit and manage effects. Each element in your timeline has default effect controls available like scale and opacity, which you can adjust in the Effect Controls panel along with any other effects you’ve added. Click an item in the timeline to view its effect controls.
The 4-Color Gradient has four color pickers where you can choose your colors. For the blend mode, select “Overlay” and lower the opacity until you’re happy with the results.
Compare the before and after by clicking the eyeball next to the adjustment layer in your timeline.
There you have it! Add a gradient video overlay effect to perk up your intros, make your outros pop, and spice up your summer social media posts. All you need is Adobe Premiere Pro and beautiful video clips.
