How to Use Default Transitions in Adobe Premiere Pro

A “transition” in video editing is a visual devise placed between edits that can help a sequence move between cuts, shots and scenes. You will probably mostly use simple cuts to edit from shot to shot, but in other cases you may need to transition using fades, crossfades or more stylized effects. The Adobe Premiere Pro program has many transitions that you can apply to your sequence, including dissolves, wipes, slides, and zooms. In Adobe Premiere Pro you can set up default transitions that you can apply universally across a sequence or project.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. To add a default transition between clips, click on the header of the track which is targeted. Position your current-time indicator at the cut point between your two clips.

2. Go to your Sequence Menu at the top of your workspace, and then go to Apply Video Transition. (or Apply Audio Transition), depending on your target track.

3. To chose transition to make as the default, go to your Window menu, and then to Effects. Expand the Video Transitions or Audio Transitions bin by clicking on the arrow to the left.

4. Select the transition that you want to make the default by clicking on it, and then click the “Menu” button in the Effects panel. From there, choose “Set Selected As Default Transition.”

5. Next set the duration of the default transition by going to the Edit Menu. Select Preferences, and then General.

6. Click the Effects panel menu button again, and then go to “Default Transition Duration.” Here you can change the value for the Video Transition Default Duration (or Audio Transition) depending on your desired length, and then click OK.

7. To preview a transition, play the sequence ion the Program monitor, or drag your current-time indicator through the transition manually.

Tips & Warnings

• You should play around with test clips and different transitions to get the hang of what each transition looks like when used.