Premiere Pro Tutorial: How to Create a Glitch Effect
Adding an Adobe Premiere Pro glitch effect to a video project is a good way to enhance your storytelling, add an artistic touch, or create an effective transition. It is also a lot of fun to make and leaves a lot of room for creativity.
A glitch gives your video or text a brief distorted look that can be jarring to see. It is an effective approach to transitioning between scenes, creating an uneasy feeling, or grabbing the viewer’s attention.
This tutorial walks you through the basics of adding a glitch effect in Adobe Premiere Pro.
How to Make the Glitch effect
You can add a stunning glitch effect to your next Premiere Pro project with these simple steps.
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Select Your Clip
Import your selected video footage into Adobe Premiere Pro and drop it onto the timeline.
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Split the Clip
On the left side of the timeline, you should see a Razor tool (it looks like a razor). Select it. When you move your mouse over your timeline, the pointer should now look like a razor. Click on the timeline where you want to split the clip. Each split portion will now act as a separate clip.
To continue with the glitch effect, drag the clips apart to leave a small gap between them.
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Copy the Clips
Select the split-apart clips and copy and paste them onto the V2 video track above the original. This creates a duplicate layer.
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Use Effect Controls
Select the first part of the split clip and navigate to the Effect Controls panel. Find the Opacity setting and adjust its value to 50%. Then, navigate to Motion > Position and change the Position value so the duplicate overlay is no longer in line with the original. You can also adjust the scale values or try the Blend Mode to see what looks best.
These steps will create a basic glitch effect. From there, you can customize it with more effects.
Download this clip of a computer glitch screen
How to Use Glitch Effect on Text
Instead of making a glitch effect with your video clip, you can add a glitch effect to text. This can make your text more visually appealing and add to the overall story.
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Add Your Text
Click in the Program Monitor and add your text using the Text tool. Format the text how you want it using the formatting tools, like font, size, and alignment, in the Effect Controls panel. Position your text where you want it to appear on the screen and place an anchor point in the center of your text.
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Copy the Text
Select the text layer on your timeline. Create a copy of it by holding Alt and dragging it to the track above. This will be the layer you add the glitch effects.
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Add a Wave Warp Effect
While you can create a glitch effect using various tools, a Wave Warp is an easy effect to create. You can search for this effect in the Effects tab. Drag it onto your duplicate text track. Navigate to Effect Controls > Wave Warp > Wave Type. Change the Wave Type to Square.
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Adjust the Effects
You want your glitch effect to look jarring. Use the Razor tool to cut out short sections in the glitch-affected layer. These cuts should only be 1-2 frames long.
Use the Selection tool to highlight one of the small clips you just made. Then, under the Wave Warp setting, adjust the Direction, Wave Width, Scale, and Wave Height to create some variation. Repeat this for each of your cut sections.
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Delete Extra Layers
To prevent double images, you will go back to the original timeline and use the Razor tool to cut the portion beneath the glitch layer, then delete it. Do the same to any unaffected text in the glitch layer.
Download this glitch clip here
How Do You Import an Adobe Premiere Pro Glitch Effect?
There are numerous Adobe Premiere Pro templates available with preset glitch effects already programmed. Once you download the template or preset pack that you want, you can import it into Premiere Pro.
- With Adobe Premiere Pro open, navigate to the Effects and Presets tab. There, you will right-click on Presets and select Import Presets.
- Select the file you want to import and press OK.
- You will then see a folder with your selected files.
- Drag and drop this preset glitch effect onto your desired clip in the timeline.
How is the Glitch Effect Used in Videos?
The glitch effect is used in videos to enhance the mood and add to the overall story of a video. Glitch effects are frequently used in videos that deal with computers, other digital themes, and the horror genre.
You can use a glitch effect to:
- Simulate a recording failure
- Grab the viewer’s attention
- Replay scenes
- Create an uneasy feeling
- Add a certain aesthetic to your project
- Create a nostalgic feeling
Some famous examples of glitch effects include the Matrix movies, the transitions between scenes in the horror movie Cloverfield, and in the show Upload, which centers around people uploading their consciousness into a digital afterlife.
You could even use a glitch effect as a video conferencing background to creep out your friends and associates.
Utilize Storyblocks Templates for Easy Video Content Creation
Glitch effects are a fun and effective way to add more drama and visual interest to a video project. While doing it manually can be satisfying, it can take a lot of time, especially if you use this effect frequently.
Another way to add glitch effects to your videos is by using templates and presets. Storyblocks has an extensive library of Adobe Premiere Pro templates and Adobe After Effects templates. These collections include multiple options for glitch effects.
To use these templates along with the massive collection of royalty-free stock videos, sound files, and still images, you can subscribe to Storyblocks. With an All Access subscription, you get unlimited downloads each month to help you fast-track your video content creation.
Ready to see where Storyblocks can take your creativity? Join the Storyblocks community today.
