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Watch the tutorial
Step 1: Create a Color Matte in the Project panel
Head to the Project panel and click the New Item icon at the bottom right of the panel. In the menu, select Color Matte. The same list also holds Adjustment Layer, Black Video and Transparent Video, so it is a handy place to remember.
Step 2: Confirm the video settings
A New Color Matte window opens. By default it uses the size and frame rate of your sequence, for example 1920 x 1080 at your sequence timebase with Square Pixels (1.0). Leave these as they are so the matte fills your frame, and click OK.
Step 3: Choose your background color
Next, the Color Picker appears. Drag inside the large square to pick a shade, use the vertical bar to change the hue, or type an exact hex code into the field at the bottom if you have a brand color. Click OK again, then give the matte a name in the Choose Name box, or keep Color Matte, and confirm with OK.
Step 4: Drag the matte to the timeline
Your new matte now sits in the Project panel. Drag it onto the timeline, usually on the lowest video track such as V1, and put your text or footage on tracks above it. If the matte is shorter than your clip, drag its right edge to stretch it, because a color matte can be extended as far as you like.
One click with Mako: the free Mako panel adds a color matte over the selected clips, at the playhead, on the first free track, in one click. Get Mako for free
Step 5: Change the color later
You are not locked into your first choice. Double-click the Color Matte clip on the timeline and the Color Picker opens again, so you can choose a new color. Every instance of that matte in your project updates. If you want two different backgrounds, create a new color matte instead and use each where you need it.
Tips
- Keep the text readable. Pair a dark background with light text, or the other way around, so the contrast stays strong.
- Add motion. A flat background is a great base for animated text, like our typewriter text effect.
- Use a hex code for brand colors. Typing the exact value in the Color Picker keeps your videos consistent.
FAQ
How do I make a solid color background in Premiere Pro?
Click New Item in the Project panel, choose Color Matte, pick a color and drag the matte to the timeline below your other clips.
How do I change the color of a color matte?
Double-click the matte on the timeline or in the Project panel. The Color Picker opens and you can pick a new color.
Can I make a black background instead?
Yes. Choose Black Video from the same New Item menu, or make a color matte and pick black.
Want a more interesting backdrop than a flat color? Lay our free grid overlay on top of your solid background.
