How to Use an Image as a Transition in Adobe Premiere Pro

A “transition” in Adobe Premiere Pro is an effect that either “fades” or “wipes” your clips from one to the next. Most of the time, you will likely be using simple cuts in between clips. In other cases, depending on the type of video you are editing, you may want to do something fancier, such as using an image as a transition. This is not as difficult as it may seem.

Things You'll Need

• Digitized video footage
• Black-and-white bitmap image
• Black-and-white JPEG or other photographic image

Instructions

1. Use a black-and-white bitmap image to use an image as a transition mask. The bitmap will function as stand-in in the transition, where your “A” clip will replace the black part of the mask, and your “B” clip will replace the white part of the mask.

2. Use a grayscale image for the mask. The pixels in the image that contain 50 percent or more gray will be converted to black, and pixels containing less than 50 percent gray will be converted to white.

3. Go to your Effects panel and expand the arrow next to "Video Transitions." Then go to the "Special Effect" bin. The image you choose will serve as a “mask” when you create the transition.

4. Click on “Image Mask” and drag it to a point between your edited clips in the Timeline panel.

5. Click on “Custom” in your Effects panel and then “Select Image.” Navigate to the image you want to use and double-click on it. The selected image will appear in the Image Mask Settings dialog box. Click "OK."

Tips & Warnings

• When you are ready to preview the transition, you can drag the current-time indicator through the Timeline panel over the area with your "Image Transition."