Add Motion Blur in After Effects

Everyone has seen those transition or animation video cuts when something doesn't quite seem right; the movement appears forced or the playback is choppy. Typically, this occurs because a motion blur effect was not used while editing. Learning the ins, outs, rights, and wrongs of Motion Blur in After Effects is one of the most thrilling early steps in the motion graphics adventure. Learning how and when to utilize it successfully is a true "level up" moment for most designers.

Making everything you add to a motion graphic or animation project appear like it belongs there organically and hasn't been "artificially" inserted is a crucial component. Adding motion blur After Effects Is a fantastic tool for making items mix more naturally in your compositions. Let's quickly examine Motion Blur with all of this in mind. To help you better grasp motion blur and how to add motion blur to flawlessly merge objects in your video projects or even create styled effects, we've put up a detailed guide here.

Part 1. What is Motion Blur Effects

Let's start with a little introduction before learning how to apply motion blur. The visual result of an item moving while being photographed in conjunction with the shutter speed of the camera is called motion blur. When we swiftly move our heads from side to side, this effect also naturally occurs with our eyes, but we aren't aware of it since our brains "edit" it for us. It may be startling and awkward to watch when items are moving on the screen, particularly rapid motion, without any kind of blurring effect.

Motion blur was introduced into animation to aid in the blending of frames and replicate the blurring that was seen in earlier cameras as a result of fast-moving objects. When a moving item keeps moving while light is still reaching our eyes, motion blur results. The goal of Motion Blur in After Effects is to replicate this phenomenon. After Effects will duplicate your layer several times when it changes in size or location. Then, it will offset it in various ways. This is closely related to the direction and pace of your layer's animation.

These days, we have cameras with fast shutter speeds, which allows us to almost completely remove motion blur. Without motion blurring, each frame of your animation is like a flawless still image, making the action seem a little disorienting. Each picture captures the exact moment in time, despite the fluid motion. However, the absence of motion blur is what viewers do notice. Because of this, visual effects creators often use artificial motion blur in their effects to replicate what the viewer would experience if the element were really there in the picture.

Part 2. How to Add Motion Blur in After Effects

In videos, slow-motion may be used in a variety of ways, such as to convey the emotional context of a story or make beautiful slideshow backdrops. It doesn't matter why you want to make a slow-motion sequence; After Effects' slow-motion effect will work well. Click the Motion Blur layer switch to turn Motion Blur on or off. Make sure you can render out Motion Blur by turning on the Enable Motion Blur composition option at the top of the Timeline panel.

Using the motion blur option in your layer settings is the first and easiest approach to apply motion blur in After Effects. You'll see many choices on the left and right sides of the screen after choosing a certain video. There are several techniques to motion blur a video, which we wish to accomplish. But because this guide is for novices, we will choose the simpler option. Follow the steps below to learn how to add motion blur to a video in AE:

Steps to Add Motion Blur to After Effects:

So, it goes without saying that After Effects makes it simple to access Motion Blur's magic. You should shoot the movie at a frame rate that is faster than the average if you want the greatest slow-motion effects. How many photos are being captured each second is indicated by the frame rate.

Step1 Download and install Adobe After Effects if it isn't already on your PC. Since Adobe After Effects is a commercial program, it is not available for free. Open the program after installation. After installation, launch it and choose "New Project" to begin editing a brand-new file. Look through the video you wish to alter.

Step2 You have a variety of settings in Adobe After Effects on the right side. Then, choose "Effects & Presets." A search bar will appear as a result. Enter "CC Force Motion Blur" in the search field if you wish to add motion blur to the video. You may apply this effect to whatever layer you choose since your movie is made up of layers.

Step3 Next, drag the "CC Force Motion Blur" to the layers that represent your imported video at the bottom left of the screen. On the left side of the screen, under "CC Force Motion Blur," you will find settings for motion blur. Here, you may change the motion blur to suit your needs. You may type in the values and watch the video as appropriate. There are several choices available for you to modify.

Note: Before applying any speed effects, first trim your film to the proper length. Once the speed effects have been included, you need also make sure that your composition is lengthy enough for your clip. Once you're satisfied with the footage you want to slow down, choose one of the ways—Time warp or Time Stretch.

Step4 Customize "Shutter Angle" and "Motion Blur Samples." Always be careful to preview the video after any modifications. Adjust to your needs and specifications. Additionally, if you wish, you may add any additional effect to the video. When finished, save the video by selecting "File" in the upper left corner.

Step5 Finally, hit the OK button and afterwards, export the project with the Motion Blur embedded inside the main video. Adobe AE also gives you flexibility to export to the desired format with the preset project settings.

Part 3. Other Video Editor to Add Effects to Videos

Due to its cost and adaptability, Adobe After Effects is quite expensive; especially for the beginners. So, we’ve a handy option, Filmora by Wondershare, that is a fantastic option since most high-end video editors are, to put it mildly, expensive. It may seem natural to just add motion blur to everything before rendering while working on a conventional 2D project in After Effects, but there are occasions when having no motion blur at all is preferable. When used properly, After Effects' slow-motion features are extensive and reliable.

Wondershare: A video-making and editing program has its flagship product called Filmora. You may use the tools to create a wide variety of styles and appearances. Less complicated and user-friendly for beginners, the program. With the help of this program, you may edit your video at home like an expert. With this user-friendly tool and stylish effects, making excellent films doesn't have to be difficult. When you open the app and choose Editor mode as it will walk you through each stage of the procedure.

Import Files

Media files may be easily added to the timeline in Filmora from the device's library. .mpg,.mpeg, and many more file types are supported for this video file format's input.

Utilize Filmstock

On Wondershare Filmora, there is a full-service shop called Filmstock that offers a ton of exciting media and after-effects for download. You may get free sound effects and short video clips to add to your videos on this website.

Edit Effect

Download films from the effect store or import them from your device and add them to your timeline in Filmora to modify your videos. Utilize the software's drag-and-drop feature to modify the video.

Apply filters

Overlays and video filters are effects used to enhance the appeal of the video. Open the effects tab and select your desired filter to apply overlays and filters. To apply it, drag and drop it into the timeline's video. Additionally, filters may be adjusted to change the time scale and transparency.

Export

Exporting a video to a variety of platforms comes after editing it. Filmora allows users to export video in a number of different file types, including mp4, Wmv, Mkv, ts, 3gp, f4v, Mkv, MOV, mpg, 3gp, GIF 4K, and mp3.

Conclusion

Motion blur is crucial when animating characters to move. Your videos require some blur to seem realistic when there is motion, particularly when there is quick movement. You have learnt how to include motion blur into your animation project from this guide. To add motion blur effects to your movie or animation, After Effects offers a wide variety of options. To inform you about this wonderful gesture, we utilized Filmora and Adobe After Effects and recommend Filmora for easiness and handy outputs.