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Watch the tutorial
Step 1: Get the film burn clips and import them
A film burn is a short video of a light leak, usually on a black background, that you lay over your edit. You can shoot your own or use a pack. The video uses our free Film Burn Transitions pack, which holds 26 burns.
Unzip the download, then bring the burn files into Premiere Pro with File > Import, or just drag them into the Project panel. In the video they show up as Filmburn 1 and Filmburn 2 next to the footage and the sequence. Each burn comes with its own whoosh sound, so you will get video and audio when you drag it into the timeline.
Step 2: Place the burn above the cut
Set up two clips next to each other on V1. This is the cut you want to hide. Drag Filmburn 1 from the Project panel onto the track above, V2, so it sits on top of both clips. Its sound lands on an audio track underneath.
Now move the burn along the timeline until the brightest part of the flash sits right on the cut between the two clips. That is the moment where the picture changes, and the light covers it so the cut feels smooth instead of abrupt. Drag the clip left or right while you watch the Program Monitor, and move the audio with it so the whoosh stays in sync.
Step 3: Set the blend mode to Screen
At this point the burn is a solid image that hides your footage. To fix that, select the burn clip and open Effect Controls. Scroll down to the Opacity section, open the Blend Mode dropdown (it says Normal) and choose Screen.
Screen makes the black parts of the burn disappear and keeps only the glowing light, which then adds itself on top of your footage. If the burn does not cover the whole frame, adjust Scale in the same Effect Controls panel until it does.
Step 4: Check the transition and fine tune the timing
Press the Spacebar to play the section and watch how the light sweeps in, peaks on the cut and fades away. If the flash peaks too early or too late, nudge the selected burn clip one frame at a time with Alt+Left Arrow or Alt+Right Arrow (Option on a Mac), or simply drag it a little. You can also drag the edges of the clip to shorten it for a faster transition.
When you want a different look, try Filmburn 2 or another burn from the pack in the same way. All of them use the same Screen blend mode setup.
Tips
- Match the mood. Warm burns suit travel, wedding and cinematic edits. Use them between scenes, not between every single clip.
- Keep the sound. The whoosh makes the transition feel real, so leave it on and balance its volume against your music.
- Use it with more transitions. A burn also looks great on top of a quick flash, like in our object flash transition tutorial.
FAQ
What blend mode should I use for a film burn in Premiere Pro?
Use Screen. It removes the dark background of the burn and keeps only the light, so the footage underneath stays visible. Add (Linear Dodge) gives a similar and slightly stronger result.
Where do I put the film burn on the timeline?
Put it on the track directly above your footage, so it covers the cut. The brightest frame of the burn should land on the point where the first clip ends and the second begins.
Do I need special plugins for a film burn transition?
No. A film burn is just a video clip with a blend mode, so it works in every recent version of Premiere Pro without extra plugins.
Want the same burns we used in the video? Download the free Film Burn Transitions pack and drop them into your next edit.
