How to Make Motion Blur Effect in Adobe Premiere Pro

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Looking for a step-by-step guide on how to make motion blur effect in Adobe Premiere Pro? I will describe 2 methods for creating and adjusting motion blur from different angles and with varied depths. I will touch upon every stage of the creative process, as well as the settings you need to tweak. Besides, I will explain to you what instruments to use.

Method 1. Through Transformation Effect

This method involves basic knowledge of Adobe Premiere Pro, mainly, you need to use the transformation effect. By changing the settings, you can achieve the desired unique result quickly and easily.

STEP 1. Open Your Image

open project to make motion blur effect in adobe premiere pro

Open your file in Premiere Pro.

STEP 2. Choose Transform Effect

transform effect to make motion blur effect in adobe premiere pro

Head to the piece of a video where you want to add a Premiere Pro motion blur effect. Next, click Effects > Video Effects > Distort > Transform. Drag and drop this effect onto the uploaded file.

STEP 3. Set the Effect

shutter angle value to make motion blur effect in adobe premiere pro

Head to the Control window to fine-tune your effect. Uncheck the “Use composition’s Shutter Angle” box and then alter the value. The larger the shutter angle, the heavier your blurriness will be. When you add motion blur to your video, don’t be afraid to experiment till you see the result that fully satisfies you.

Method 2. Through Directional Blur

An alternative method for making motion blur effect in Adobe Premiere Pro, which is described in many Premiere Pro tutorials, involved using the “Directional blur”. Going this path, you will be able to adjust the Direction and Blur Length for an accurate result.

STEP 1. Find Directional Blur

search for effect to make motion blur effect in adobe premiere pro

Open the search bar in the Effects panel and type in “Directional Blur”. Drag the effect you’ve found to the workspace.

STEP 2. Set the Effect

set the angle to make motion blur effect in adobe premiere pro

Set the desired settings in the effect control window. Specify an angle and a degree of blur. The higher the value, the heavier the blur you can achieve. Adjust everything for your video based on your vision.

STEP 3. Add a Mask

add a mask to make motion blur effect in adobe premiere pro

If you are dealing with a moving object, it is necessary to track the mask. For static elements, you can skip this step.

Click the Track Mask arrows. Make sure to customize the mask if it drifts off the object. If your object appears and disappears on the screen, you should start tracking in the middle and move backwards/forwards to finish the track. For more precise tracking, you should concentrate on one frame at a time. Play the track to ascertain your mask stays on track.

To make the edges of the mask softer, it is necessary to increase Mask Feathering.

FAQ

  • • What is motion blur in a video?

This effect is the blurriness that appears while an object is moving when a camera captures the frame.

  • • What is positive about motion blur?

This effect can totally overhaul the perception of video content where objects constantly change their positions. It is frequently used in racing games for increasing realism and a sense of speed. Besides, making motion blur effect in Adobe Premiere Pro, you can also smooth out visuals in a game, especially those rendered at 30fms or slower.

  • • How do motion blur and blur differ?

Blur makes the distant objects slightly blurry. The main idea here is that we perceive this effect due to our peripheral vision and such a phenomenon doesn’t interfere with our perception of reality. Motion blur appears when a camera moves and objects acquire a beautiful cinematic effect.

  • • Does performance drop because of motion blur?

No, display motion blur doesn’t make a toll on FPS.

Tata Rossi

Tech Trends Journalist

Tata Rossi is a photographer-advisor, key contributor at FixThePhoto, sharing her expertise about photography and 55% of photos you see at our blog are taken by her. She is a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. She is the main so-called teacher in our team, conducting courses on photography and editing for beginners and anyone interested.

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Tetiana Kostylieva

Photo & Video Insights Blogger

Tetiana Kostylieva is the content creator, who takes photos and videos for almost all FixThePhoto blog articles. Her career started in 2013 as a caricature artist at events. Now, she leads our editorial team, testing new ideas and ensuring the content is helpful and engaging. She likes vintage cameras and, in all articles, she always compares them with modern ones showing that it isn’t obligatory to invest in brand-new equipment to produce amazing results.

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