by 
Watch the tutorial
Step 1: Add Posterize Time to your clip
Put your clip on the timeline. Footage that runs for a while and has movement in it works best, such as traffic, people walking or a changing sky. Open the Effects panel (Window > Effects) and type time into the search field. Under Video Effects > Time you will find Posterize Time. Drag it onto your clip.
Posterize Time makes the clip play at a lower frame rate. That choppy, stepped motion is what gives a timelapse its typical look, since a real timelapse is made of single photos taken seconds apart.
Faster with BetterFX: skip the Effects panel. Press your BetterFX shortcut, type the first letters of Posterize Time and press Enter to apply it to the selected clip. Get BetterFX
Step 2: Lower the Frame Rate
Select the clip and open Effect Controls. Scroll down to Posterize Time and find the Frame Rate value. It starts at 24 (the frame rate of your sequence). Click it and type a much lower number. The video uses a value of around 1, which means the picture only updates about once per second.
Play the clip back. If the motion looks too jumpy, try a slightly higher value. If it still looks too smooth, go lower.
Step 3: Open Speed/Duration
Now speed the whole thing up. Right-click the clip on the timeline and choose Speed/Duration from the menu. You can also select the clip and press Ctrl + R (Cmd + R on a Mac).
Step 4: Speed the clip up to 2000%
In the Clip Speed / Duration window, set Speed to 2000 percent and click OK. In the video, this takes a clip of about 43 seconds down to roughly 2 seconds. Leave Time Interpolation on Frame Sampling, because you want crisp stepped frames, not blended ones.
The clip is now much shorter, so you may need to close the gap on your timeline. Play it back and you have a timelapse. Adjust the speed percentage to make it faster or slower.
Tips
- Pick the right footage. Slow, steady change looks best when sped up. Fast action just turns into a blur.
- Use a tripod shot. A locked-off clip makes the movement inside the scene stand out, just like a real timelapse.
- Add music. A timelapse with a rhythmic beat feels far more intentional. Cut your speed so the clip ends on a beat.
FAQ
How do you make a timelapse in Premiere Pro?
Apply Posterize Time to your clip and lower its Frame Rate, then open Speed/Duration and raise the speed a lot, for example to 2000 percent.
Where is Posterize Time in Premiere Pro?
Search for it in the Effects panel. It sits under Video Effects > Time.
What is the keyboard shortcut for Speed/Duration?
Select the clip and press Ctrl + R on Windows or Cmd + R on a Mac.
Looking for more looks to drop onto your footage? Check out the Ultimate Premiere Pro Presets pack with over 500 presets.
