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Watch the tutorial
Step 1: Add Gaussian Blur to your clip
Open the Effects panel (Window > Effects) and type Gaussian Blur into the search box. You will find it under Video Effects > Blur & Sharpen. Click and drag it onto your video clip in the timeline.
Faster with BetterFX: skip the Effects panel. Press your BetterFX shortcut, type the first letters of Gaussian Blur and press Enter to apply it to the selected clip. Get BetterFX
Step 2: Set the starting keyframes
With the clip selected, open the Effect Controls panel. Move the playhead to the point where you want the zoom to start. Then click the stopwatch next to Scale (in the Motion section) to create the first Scale keyframe. At the same spot, create a keyframe for Blurriness in the Gaussian Blur effect by clicking its stopwatch too. Leave the Blurriness value at 0 so the clip starts perfectly sharp.
Step 3: Zoom in and set the end keyframes
Now move the playhead to where you want the clip to be fully zoomed in. Change the Scale value until you are happy with how it looks. A new keyframe appears automatically. A moderate zoom usually looks best, because the blur already adds a lot of energy to the move.
Next, click the keyframe button (the small circle) next to Blurriness to add a second Blurriness keyframe at this position. It should still be set to 0, so the clip lands sharp again.
Step 4: Add the blur in the middle
This is the step that makes the effect. Zoom into the timeline in Effect Controls so you can see the keyframes clearly, and place the playhead between your two sets of keyframes. Change the Blurriness value to 20. Premiere creates a third keyframe, and the clip now blurs as it zooms, then sharpens at the end.
Not enough blur? Raise the number. Too much? Lower it. The value is yours to tune to the footage, and shorter zooms usually need less blur than long ones.
Step 5: Smooth it with Ease In and Ease Out
Right now the motion is linear, which looks a bit stiff. Drag a selection box around all the keyframes in Effect Controls to highlight them. Then right click one of them and choose Ease In. Right click again and choose Ease Out. The zoom now starts gently, speeds up, and settles softly, which is what makes it feel like a real camera move.
Smoother with EaseFlow: select the keyframes and apply a real easing curve in one click instead of right clicking twice or dragging Bezier handles. See EaseFlow
Press the spacebar to play it back. If it feels too slow, drag the keyframes closer together. If the blur is still visible after the zoom ends, check that your last Blurriness keyframe is set to 0. For another way to polish keyframed movement, read our guide to easing keyframes in Premiere Pro.
Tips
- Keep it short. A blur zoom works best over around half a second to a second. Longer zooms start to feel like a slow push-in rather than an effect.
- Time it to the beat. Place the peak of the blur on a hit in your music or on a cut for the most impact.
- Check your resolution. Scaling past 100 enlarges the footage, so if the clip looks soft after the zoom, use a smaller Scale value or higher resolution source footage.
FAQ
Does the blur zoom effect work on any clip?
Yes. Gaussian Blur and Scale are built into Premiere Pro, so you can use the same keyframes on video clips, images or even nested sequences.
Why does my zoom look jerky?
Usually the keyframes are still linear. Select them all and apply Ease In and Ease Out as shown in Step 5, and the motion will smooth out immediately.
How do I use the blur zoom as a transition between two clips?
Put the zoom and blur peak at the end of the first clip, then do the same in reverse at the start of the second clip. The blur hides the cut, so it feels like one continuous move.
Want more ready-made effects and transitions without building them from scratch? Browse the free presets collection and drop them straight onto your clips.
