Simple Ways to Remove Background in Premiere Pro Professionally

Learn basic and advanced ways to remove background in Premiere Pro for creating professional videos. Alternatively, explore CapCut for video background removal to get clean, high-end natural results.

remove background premiere pro
CapCut
CapCut2024-07-26
0 min(s)

Removing backgrounds in video editing is essential for creating polished, professional content. Adobe Premiere Pro offers a variety of advanced features to achieve clean, distraction-free backgrounds, enhancing the visual appeal of your projects. This article explores the tools and techniques to effectively remove background in Premiere Pro, helping you produce high-quality videos that engage viewers.

Table of content

Overview of Premiere Pro's background removal capability

Premiere Pro, Adobe's leading video editing software, offers robust background removal capabilities that empower creators to eliminate unwanted backgrounds from their footage. Utilizing powerful tools like the Ultra Key and Chroma Key effects, Premiere Pro enables precise keying of green screens and other solid backgrounds to create clean, professional-looking videos. This functionality is particularly valuable for content creators looking to enhance their videos with custom backgrounds or integrate special effects.

Key features

Here are some key features of Premiere Pro's background removal capability.

  • Advanced keying techniques
  • Premiere Pro offers advanced keying techniques like Ultra Key, which allow precise background removal even in complex scenes. This tool also provides fine-tuning options to adjust transparency, shadow, and edge settings for smooth integration.
  • Chroma key effect
  • The Chroma Key effect is designed to remove backgrounds based on color similarity. It offers robust options for fine-tuning the keying process, making it easier to achieve background replacement in video projects.
  • Matte cleanup tools
  • Premiere Pro provides comprehensive matte cleanup tools that help refine the edges of the keyed-out background. These tools include options for adjusting the choke, soften, and feather settings, enhancing the overall quality of the keyed footage.
  • Masking and tracking
  • Premiere Pro includes robust masking and tracking tools, enabling users to isolate specific areas and track movements within a frame. These tools are essential for dynamic scenes where the background or subject moves, ensuring consistent and accurate background removal.
  • Real-time performance

The software’s powerful real-time performance allows for smooth playback and editing without lag. This ensures efficient workflow and immediate feedback on background removal adjustments, speeding up the editing process.

2 easiest ways to remove background in Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere removes background and significantly enhances your video projects, giving them a professional view. Here are two of the easiest methods to achieve smooth background removal using Premiere Pro's powerful tools.

How to remove background in Premiere Pro with green screen

Visit Premiere Pro's official website to download and install the software following the on-screen guidelines. After opening the software, follow the following steps:

    Step
  1. Import your footage
  2. Right-click in the media section and select "Import," go to the "File" menu at the top left and select "Import," or click "Window" on the top left and select "Media Browser." You can also import media by simply dragging and dropping your footage into the media section.
  3. 
    Importing media in Premiere Pro to remove background
  4. Step
  5. Apply the ultra-key effect
  6. Navigate to the "Effects" panel and search the "Ultra Key" effect in the search bar. Drag this effect onto your green screen clip on the timeline. Next, go to the "Effect Controls" panel, click on the eyedropper tool under the Ultra Key settings, and choose any color for your background in your footage. This will remove the green screen background, making it transparent.
  7. 
    Using the ultra key effect to remove the green screen in Premiere Pro
  8. Step
  9. Fine-tune the keying

In the "Effect Controls" panel, adjust the Ultra Key settings such as "Matte Generation," "Matte Cleanup," and "Spill Suppression" to refine the keying. These parameters remove any remaining green edges and ensure that the subject is clearly defined against the new background. Add your desired background clip to a layer beneath your keyed footage to complete the effect.


Fine-tuning the footage in Premiere Pro after removing the background

How to remove background in Premiere Pro without a green screen

Here are easy steps on how to remove background from Video in Premiere Pro in the absence of green screen effect:

    Step
  1. Import and prepare your footage
  2. Start by importing the footage that you want to edit into Premiere Pro. Drag your video onto the timeline in your sequence. If the background is not a solid color, you may need to use a combination of masking and advanced keying techniques.
  3. 
    Importing media in Premiere Pro to remove background
  4. Step
  5. Apply the ultra-key effect
  6. Search for the "Color Key" effect, click on it, and drag it to your timeline sequence. Then, go to the "Effect Controls" panel at the top left side, select the "Opacity" section, and use the "Pen" tool to create a mask around your subject. This involves manually drawing around the subject to separate them from the background. The mask doesn't need to be perfect initially. Adjust the mask path frame by frame if your subject is moving, ensuring the mask accurately follows the subject.
  7. 
    Using an ultra key and mask tool to remove the background from the video in Premiere Pro
  8. Step
  9. Refine the mask and apply the background

After creating the mask, adjust the "Mask Feather" and "Mask Expansion." Check the “Inverted” option under the mask function. Make additional adjustments to smooth the edges and make the cutout look natural. You can also apply color correction effects to help blend the subject better with the new background. Finally, place your new background clip on a layer beneath your masked footage on the timeline to finalize the effect.

This technique can also be used to remove black backgrounds in Premiere Pro.


Fine-tuning the footage in Premiere Pro after removing the background

Tips for effective video background removal in Premiere Pro

To achieve the best results when removing video backgrounds in Premiere Pro, follow these tips:

  1. Use high-quality footage
  2. For the best results, start with high-quality footage. Ensure your video is well-lit and recorded in high resolution. This helps Premiere Pro accurately distinguish between the subject and the background, making the removal process smoother.
  3. Choose the right background removal tool
  4. Premiere Pro offers various tools for background removal. For green screens, use the Ultra Key effect. Consider using the Rotobrush tool or masking techniques if working without a green screen. Selecting the appropriate tool for your footage can significantly enhance the quality of your background removal.
  5. Fine-tune keying settings
  6. Once you've applied your background removal tool, fine-tune the settings. Adjust parameters like Matte Generation, Matte Cleanup, and Spill Suppression to refine the edges of your subject and eliminate any remaining background artifacts. This step ensures a clean and professional-looking result.
  7. Use masks for precision
  8. When dealing with complex backgrounds, masks can help isolate and remove specific areas. Use Premiere Pro's masking tools to draw precise boundaries around your subject. This technique is beneficial when the background removal tool leaves small remnants needing manual adjustment.
  9. Enhance with additional effects

After removing the background, enhance your footage with additional effects. Consider adding shadows, adjusting color correction, or applying a blur effect to integrate your subject smoothly into the new background. These finishing touches can make your video look polished and professional.

The best alternative for premium video background removal: CapCut

The CapCut desktop video editor is a top alternative for high-quality video background removal. CapCut’s powerful tools are designed for video background removal, making the process straightforward and accessible. Its intuitive and advanced features enable both beginners and professionals to handle video editing tasks easily. Additionally, CapCut supports various video formats, ensuring flexibility in your projects.


Editing interface of the CapCut desktop video editor - another best tool to remove background from videos

How to remove video background with CapCut

Everyone can remove video backgrounds effortlessly if they have a CapCut desktop video editor. If you don't have one, click the button below to download and install it. After this, follow these steps:

    Step
  1. Import video
  2. Open the CapCut and import the video you want to edit by selecting it from your files or dragging and dropping it into the timeline.
  3. 
    Importing video to remove background in the CapCut desktop video editor
  4. Step
  5. Remove the video background
  6. Once your video is on the timeline, select the clip and navigate to the "Remove Background" option at the top right of the toolbar. Use background removal tools such as the "Chroma key," "Custom removal," "Auto removal," and "Stroke" for precise removal, ensuring the background is cleanly separated from the subject. You can refine the edges and adjust using the masking options available in CapCut.
  7. 
    Using the background removal tool in the CapCut desktop video editor
  8. Step
  9. Export or share

Choose your preferred settings and format, then export the creation to your device by clicking "Export" and share it directly to your desired platform.


Exporting the video from the CapCut desktop video editor

Key features

  • Automatic background removal
  • The tool can automatically detect and remove backgrounds from videos, making it easy to isolate the subject without the need for manual masking.
  • Custom removal options
  • It allows users to customize the removal process. This is particularly useful for intricate scenes where automatic removal might not be perfect, giving users greater control over the final result.
  • Clean and precise cutout
  • It helps in fine-tuning the edges of the subject to ensure a clean and precise cutout, improving the overall quality of the background removal.
  • Green screen effect
  • CapCut also allows users to replace the removed background with a green screen editor, facilitating chroma keying and the addition of custom backgrounds.
  • Background replacement
  • Users can replace the removed background with images, videos, or solid colors of their choice, providing flexibility for creative edits.

Conclusion

In conclusion, knowing how to remove background from video in Premiere Pro provides a powerful and professional approach to enhancing video content; whether using a green screen or relying on advanced masking and tracking tools, Premiere Pro offers robust solutions for achieving smooth background removal. However, for those seeking an alternative with a more user-friendly interface and equally powerful capabilities, the CapCut desktop video editor is an excellent choice. CapCut simplifies the process while maintaining high-quality results, making it the best tool for video editing needs.

FAQs

  1. What is the background remover plugin for Premiere Pro?
  2. The widely used background remover plugin for Premiere Pro is the "Ultra Key" effect. This built-in plugin lets you key out backgrounds using chroma key techniques, commonly with green screens. You can easily remove a solid-colored background by applying the Ultra Key effect. Alternatively, the CapCut desktop video editor provides an easy-to-use background removal feature perfect for users seeking a simpler yet effective solution.
  3. How to make a transparent background in Premiere Pro?
  4. To create a transparent background in Premiere Pro, start using the Ultra Key effect on a clip with a solid-colored background, such as green or blue. Apply the effect and use the color picker to remove the background color, making it transparent. After achieving the desired transparency, export the video using a format that supports transparency. The CapCut desktop video editor is another tool to achieve transparent backgrounds effortlessly.
  5. How to remove objects in Premiere Pro?
  6. To remove objects in Adobe Premiere Pro, you can use a combination of masking tools and the Content-Aware Fill feature. This process begins with creating a mask around the object you wish to remove. Start by selecting the video clip in the timeline, then navigate to the Effect Controls panel. Here, you can use the pen tool or the shape tools (Ellipse or Rectangle) to draw a mask around the unwanted object. The mask defines the area that will be affected by the subsequent removal process.
  7. How do I remove background chatter in Premiere Pro?
  8. Removing background chatter in Premiere Pro involves utilizing the software's audio editing tools. First, apply the DeNoise effect by navigating to "Effects" and searching for "DeNoise." Adjust the effect settings to reduce the background noise while preserving the transparency of the main audio. For a more straightforward approach, consider using the CapCut desktop video editor, which offers intuitive audio enhancement tools to remove unwanted background sounds.
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