One can add different effects to videos to create a more appealing movie style. One of the most well-liked and widely used effects is the freeze frame effect, which creates a short frozen frame effect on clips.
You can use different video editing software to create this effect in videos. But not all of them come close to the easy-to-use functionality of Wondershare Filmora. On a video, you can utilize this feature to freeze a specific reaction of the character on screen or add a dramatic effect for a pivotal moment, like scoring a touchdown.
Upon enabling this effect, the video clip automatically splits at the frozen moments. Users insert another image file for that duration and activate the background audio and effects. If you are wondering how to carry out this feature on Filmora, read all the steps involved here.
In this article
Launching the Software
The first step is downloading the software on your computer, whether it is macOS-powered or Windows. Go to the software's official website and click on the blue Download button at the top of the home page.
You do not have to do a lot of steps to complete this process since an installer of the app will automatically download into your device at this step. Make sure you are downloading the Wondershare Filmora 11 version since it is the latest version of the software with advanced upgrades, like the Freeze Frame support.
To install the software, you have to double-click on the app installer that got downloaded and agree to the permissions that it prompts. Then, the installation process will continue. The software will launch automatically after the process ends and you press Start Now.
Adding the footage
Next, your main step is to add the video you will edit into the Filmora software. First, you must click the Create New Project tab on the homepage. When the editor opens, tap on the "Click here to import media" button and insert the video you will edit from your device. Next, drag it down to the editing timeline for making further changes. Choose the Keep project settings option when the prompt comes up to ensure the same quality of the video.
Still, it would help if you tapped the play button on the screen to see a Preview of the video clip to check its stability and quality. Also, ensure that your main subject is darker than the backdrop in the video clip.
Adjust the playhead location
On the video clip, you added to the editing timeline, click on the playhead. Then, drag it to move it to the specific point in the video where you will freeze the frame. Click on the Snapshot icon at the right end of the preview window to capture the frame. Press the Lock Track icon after that.
Move the image in place
After the previously mentioned step, you should drag the snapshot you just captured to the second layer on the timeline above the clip. Make sure to place the image where the playhead is, marking the point of the freeze frame. Then, drag the slider at the end of the image clip you added to the timeline to match its length with the video clip.
Afterward, you should click on the playhead and move it a little ahead by a few frames. Again, tap the "Lock Track" icon beside the image file to keep it in place. Following that, take another snapshot of the image via the Snapshot icon.
Unlock the layers
Repeat this step for a few more layers, like dragging the snapshot image to the timeline > moving the playhead by some frames > Snapshot > Lock Track. Then, after you are done with the number of stages possible with your video clip, unlock all of the locked track layers sequentially from top to bottom.
Editing the layers
After this, click on the second clip in the layers. Right-click on the top of the clip in the timeline and choose "Edit Properties" from the drop-down menu. Next, click on the Compositing option and tap the tickmark beside it. Then, select the drop-down menu for the Blending Mode option and change Normal to Darken. Press the OK button after you are done.
Following that, repeat the same for all of the layers of the snapshots to choose the blending mode parameter for them to Darken. After you are done, click on the Preview play button to see how the process worked for creating the freeze frame effect in your video clip.
Exporting the effect the first time
After completing all the editing steps, you should select the Export button at the top of the screen. Then, choose the Local tab and click on the MP4 as the video file format. Make settings-based changes if needed and press the Export button.
After that, however, import the edited file to Filmora from your device again.
Edit the freeze frame video clip
Choose all of the video clip sections you edited on Filmora from the timeline after adding the recently edited video clip to the editor. Then, drag this clip to the primary editing timeline layer on the timeline and drop it.
Then, drag the playhead on the clip to the frame at which the third freeze frame occurs. For this, you can play the Preview of the clip to verify. After placing the playhead at that exact moment, click on the Split icon from the toolbar above the editor timeline or the Scissor icon. Then, remove the second half of the clip.
Create the freeze frame to reverse the speed effect
After this, right-click on the top of the remaining video clip on your timeline. From the drop-down menu that appears, tap on the Copy option. Then, paste the second half beside the first half on the same layer.
After that, right-click on the second copied clip and choose the Speed option > Click on Reverse. After that, play the Preview to see how the effect appears in your video. Finally, export the video from Filmora.
Conclusion
The process of creating a freeze-frame effect can typically get complex. But it is relatively simple to achieve on Filmora if you follow the steps diligently. Furthermore, on this software, whether you are using a Windows or Mac device, there are various video editing features, including the freeze-frame effect. They all assure quick and advanced optimization of video projects, so you should try the platform.
