Split screen effects can be created using Premiere Elements to display two or more images simultaneously on the same screen. Two approaches to achieving a split screen effect
- Two images cropped and positioned so that one occupies the left 50% of the screen view and the other the right 50% of the screen view.
- Two videos recorded with the same background, but each video differing in people on the left and right side of the background. It is the top video (left view) that is cropped and positioned to occupy the left 50% of the screen view.
How to?
HOW TO
Two images cropped and positioned so that one occupies the left 50% of the screen view and the other the right 50% of the screen view.
In the classic case, two images are each cropped to occupy 50% of the screen and positioned to represent either the left or right of the screen view. The image to represent the right side of the screen view goes on Video Track 1. The image to represent the left side goes on Video Track 2 directly above the Video Track 1 image for the right side. And, there is the possibility to apply a horizontal flip effect to the one on the left so that a left and right person face each other. See fx Effects/Transform/Horizontal Flip.
STEP 1
Premiere Elements 13/13.1 NTSC AVCHD Full HD 1080i30 project
Edit Menu/Preferences/General, Default Scale to Frame Size Enabled
Right click Edit Area Monitor To Enable Safety Margins For Use As Guide to 50% Mark On Screen
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| Figure 1. Safety Margins As 50% Guide. |
Video Track 1. 007.avi from Adobe Samples
Video Track 2. 002.avi. from Adobe Samples, selected and cropped to 50% using fx Effects/Transform/Crop. Crop edited using Applied Effects Tab/Applied Effects Palette/Crop Panel extended. See Figure 2.
In this example, rather than apply 50% crop to Video Track 1 007.avi, the file was clicked and dragged on screen to the right to fill the empty 50% space on the right.
STEP 2
Viewing Results
Workspace Overview
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| Figure 2. Premiere Elements 13/13.1 Split Screen Workspace For Two Images Cropped/Positioned To 50% Simultaneous Screen View. |
Video Sample For Figure 2
Two videos recorded with the same background, but each video differing in people on the left and right of the background. It is the top video that is cropped and positioned to occupy the left 50% of the screen view.
Another interesting approach is to use two videos each recorded with a different person on the same background but, in one video, one person is on the right, and, in the other video, the person is on the left. The video to represent the right side of the screen view goes on Video Track 1. The video to represent the left side goes on Video Track 2 directly above the Video Track 1 video. Then the Video 2 video is cropped to represent the 50% view for the left side of the screen.
STEP 1.
Premiere Elements 13/13.1 NTSC AVCHD Full HD 1080i30 project
Edit Menu/Preferences/General, Default Scale to Frame Size Enabled
Right click Edit Area Monitor To Enable Safety Margin For Use As Guide to 50% Mark On Screen. See Figure 1.
Video Track 1. Homemade .wmv video for right side of screen
Video Track 2. Homemade .wmv video for left side of screen, selected and cropped to 50 % using fx Effects/Transform/Crop Crop was edited using Applied Effects Tab/Applied Effects Palette/Crop Panel extended. See Figure 3.
Workspace Overview
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| Figure 3. Premiere Elements 13/13.1 Split Screen Workspace For Two Videos Recorded With The Same Background But Each Video With Different Objects For Right And Left Halves. |
Sample Video For Figure 3
COMMENTARY
The split screen effect is easy enough to carry out in Premiere Elements. The key to success is in the preparation of the images and videos that go into creating the effect. Interesting effects can also be created using more than 2 two screen view simultaneously.
Miscellaneous tips include:
- Make sure the correct clip is selected for a given edit, right click Edit area monitor, select Select, and the name of the clip that you want to edit.
- Use the Applied Effects Tab/Applied Effects Palette/Motion Panel expanded Position properties for fine tuning of the position of the two sides of the screen view.
- Crop settings can be for Left or Right = 50% or the total of Left and Right = 50.0% when doing the split screen for viewing two images simultaneously. Work in progress on Crop settings.
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ATR
