Masking Techniques​ in Premiere Pro 2021

[Laura Foulds Moody]

Instructions

1. Set your workspace to the Editing layout
2. Move the clip up one track and make sure any video tracks beneath it are empty.
3. Position the playhead over the clip that needs masking and then click to highlight it.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Locate the Effects Controls Tab. This will be inside the Source window.
5. Locate the Opacity controls
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Once you open the Opacity controls, you will see three icons directly beneath the Opacity heading:
   
   Ellipse,
   Four-point polygon mask
   Pen tool
   
   
7. These are the three options for creating a custom mask. For this example we will create a Mask using the Pen Tool.
8. Select the Pen Tool. Once selected you will see the Mask Control Menu.
9. Locate back to the Program window
10. Select inside the program window to create a mask. For this example I will mask around a lake.
11. You will need to connect both the start and end points to close the mask.
12. Once you’ve finished creating the shape, you will see the mask surrounded by empty space.
    
    
    
    
    
    
13. Locate back to the Effects Control Panel.
14. Locate the Mask Controls
15. Click the check box labelled Inverted, which makes the interior of the mask black, allowing you to see the original footage surrounding it.
16. Adjust the Mask Controls by using the numerical controls provided.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
17.  Choose the footage you want to appear within your mask, and place it beneath the clip you just adjusted. For example; Video Track 1.
18. You will now be able to see the footage in the area that you cut out in the previous steps.
19. Adjust the controls and placement within the Effect Controls Tab.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Before and After