How to create a locked-on stabilization effect in Premiere Pro

Hi, friend! This is our new tutorial on creating a locked-on stabilization effect in Premiere Pro. It's easy - pick a video you need, choose the center point and place the keys. Let's see how it works!

Picking a video

To create this effect, we need to find a suitable video. If you don't have one yet, EasEdit Viewer will help you with this task. It is a plugin with a huge number of graphic templates. For example, the Hyper set contains popular templates to help you create cool videos and has a useful function with which you can add footage from popular sites: videos, GIFs, and many others. To do that, simply enter the keyword and choose the right video. 

Choosing the video

Click on it to add to your timeline. 

The first method to create locked-on stabilization effect

Adjust the video

Now, let' turn on the tools that will help us determine the center of our composition - Safe Margins, Show Grids and Show Rulers. 

The tools you need - Safe Margins, Show Grids, Show Rulers

Defining the center point of your video

Now, with the help of them, we can define the center point. Next, go to the Effect Controls tab. Moving the image will create black spots on the edge. To remove them, you need to increase the video size. Now let's place the boxer's head clearly in the center of the frame. And with the help of enlargement we remove the black edges: 

Use enlargement to remove the black edges

Place the keys and add Easy In

Now we can create the first key. Click the Position button, then switch to the next frame, so you can expose the image and the head will be in the center. Now the dedicated part - you have to create a key on each frame. Do it every 2-3 frames for better effect:

Create a key on each frame you need

A big plus when creating an effect using the Motion tab is that you can move the image not also by using values, but also by dragging it with the mouse cursor. After all keys have been put down, let's see the result:

The result of the first method

In this case, the camera moves sharply and linearly; this can be corrected by changing the dynamics of the keys. This is how linear speaker looks like:

Linear speaker in Premiere Pro

By clicking the right mouse button and choosing Easy In in parameters, we can make dynamics softer.

Use Easy In to make your dynamics softer

The second method to create locked-on stabilization

It's quite simple to create, but there's still the difference in results between of these two methods. Turn on the mark-up to see the center and use Transform:

Creating locked-on stabilization effect by using Transform

After, we enlarge the image and set starting point, like in the previous method. After this, we'll create keys, like in the first option. For more precise alignment, use details in the video; it will always place our character's ear in the center of the video:

Placing keys with alignment

Click Easy Out to change the dynamics of the animation. The most important detail there is Shutter Angle. With this parameter, we can create a blur effect at the moment where the camera position changes. Having chosen the desired value, set the blur level. By changing the dynamics of the animation and setting the blur value high, we will get our result:

Adjusting shutter angle

To get the final result!

Several steps and you have a video with the effect applied. Which method would you use?😊

If you want to learn how to create more effects in Premiere Pro or After Effects - check our Blog and YouTube channel😍Good luck with your projects and see you next week!