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The Ken Burns effect is a popular video editing method. It is used primarily in documentary filmmaking, but creators across the world use it when creating videos. We will dive deep into what the Ken Burns effect is, and we will also cover a few ways to apply it in your own video or image editing work.
A widely used video editing tool today is Final Cut Pro. It is probably the go-to choice for some of you, and that’s why we’ll cover it in this article. However, we have a much better tool suggestion for you.
Read the entire article to find out everything there is to know about the Ken Burns effect, how to apply the effect in Final Cut Pro, and a special bonus suggestion that will knock your socks off.
In this article
How to Define Ken Burns Effect?
Imagine that you are making a historical video. In such videos, viewers expect to see historical images taken decades ago. You can just show the image for several frames with a voiceover on top of it, but there is a much better way.
Let’s say that the video is talking about a historical figure at a particular instance. You have prepared a text about this person, and you intend to convey that information to your audience by reading the text and showing the image of them. Zoom into the person’s face and then slowly zoom out and pan the camera to the center of the image and time the effect to last as long as the voiceover lasts.
That’s the Ken Burns effect.
You have a lot of creative freedom here. You can choose the start and end frame, and you can move the camera around the zoomed image to match the story you are telling.
Use the Ken Burns Effect in Final Cut Pro - Step-by-Step Guide
Let’s get started by showing you how to apply the Ken Burns effect in Final Cut Pro. We will assume that you have the app installed on your Mac device and that you have opened the app and created a new project.
Step 1: You need to add media files to your timeline. We will add an image. Select the photo from the Clips section of the interface and press E on your keyboard to add the image to the timeline.
Step 2: Since you uploaded an image, Final Cut Pro will prompt you to choose how this image will behave as a video file. You need to set the format, resolution, and frame rate. You can go with the recommended settings or add your preferred parameters. When you are done, click OK. After that, you need to hold the Shift key and the Z (Shift + Z) button to fit the image into the timeline.
Step 3: Now it’s time to add the Ken Burns effect. Click on the media file in the timeline and direct your attention to the lower-left corner of the video player. You will find a drop-down menu, where you can select the Crop function. Now, in the middle of the player, select Ken Burns, and you will see a green rectangle that represents the frame where the effect will begin and a red rectangle that marks the frame where the effect will end. The screenshot below explains everything.
Step 4: You can move the rectangles around and adjust their size. An arrow will appear, showing the direction in which the camera will pan during the duration of the effect. After you are done, preview your results by clicking the Play button.
As you will notice, the steps above might be a little too complicated for beginners. It takes a while to adjust to the interface. That’s why we have a much easier solution for you. There is a tool out there that has stellar video editing features, tons of image and audio editing options, and a stack of creative AI tools.
Try Filmora Instead - A Better Alternative for Applying the Ken Burns Effect than FCP
Over the years, Filmora has stood out as a powerful video editing solution. Packed with features and led by a very intuitive interface, Filmora manages to be a tool that is great for beginners, but also very intuitive and easy to pick up by beginners.
Compared to Final Cut Pro, Filmora offers more or less the same features, but it is available on all devices. That’s why our Filmora guide for today will have screenshots taken from the Windows version. Everything is the same on Mac devices, so no worries there.
Powerful AI video editor for all creators
When you download Filmora and complete the installation process, you can run the program, create a new project, and import your image or video files. Now, you can start applying the Ken Burns effect.
Step 1: Drag the image to the timeline.
Step 2: Now that it’s in the timeline, click on it and type Alt + C on the keyboard. This will open the Crop and Zoom feature, where you just need to click on Pan & Zoom, and you will immediately be taken to the Ken Burns effect setup.
We covered this in our tutorial above, where we explained how to add the Ken Burns effect in Final Cut Pro. Simply adjust the start and end frames and click Apply when you’re done.
Do you see how easy it is? It takes two steps, and you get the same result as Final Cut Pro. To further illustrate how fun Filmora is, we have prepared a few step-by-step tutorials that show how some AI features work.
Check Out Some AI Features to Enhance Your Video Even Further
Whatever the video you are making is about, you can always use some AI help to make the video better fast. Here are three AI features that you can use in Filmora.
Create Images from Prompts
Filmora offers a cool AI Image feature, and here’s how it works.
Step 1: When you open a new project, locate the Stock Media tab on the upper-left and click on AI image.
Step 2: Click on the text box, and then select the theme of your image from the popup menu. For this tutorial, we selected Portrait.
Step 3: Type a prompt within 500 characters and click on Generate.
Filmora will generate four images. You can select one, add it to the timeline, and apply the Ken Burns effect if you want.
You Can Even Create Videos from Prompts
Yes, Filmora also offers the AI Text-to-Video feature. It is very simple to use.
Step 1: From the welcome screen, click on Toolbox, and then find the AI Text to Video feature. Click on it.
Write the steps for each of the AI features below. Add a separate H3 for each feature.
Step 2: You will see a new window where you can type a prompt. When you are done, click on Text to Video.
Now, just wait for a minute or two and then check the results when the project opens up. You will be surprised.
You Can Enhance Videos with One Click
Filmora offers the AI Video Enhancer which basically improves the quality of your video in seconds.
There are no steps. When you add a video to the timeline, click on it, and on the right side, you will click on AI Tools, locate the AI Video Enhancer, and click on Generate.
You will wait a few seconds, and presto! The video will be enhanced.
Conclusion
By now, you have learned everything there is to know about the Ken Burns effect. You also know how to apply it in Final Cut Pro, but you are also armed with information about Filmora. The tool offers countless features that are fun to experiment with. There is even a mobile version of the app where you can edit your photos and videos on the go. Use these tools to apply the Ken Burns effect and work on learning about other effects and transitions.
