How to Create an RGB Bloom Transition in Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Custom transitions are a great way to add personality to your edits. Instead of using the same cross dissolve or dip to black on every cut, you can build something unique that matches the tone of your project. One of my favorites is what I call the RGB bloom transition. It uses a scale-up combined with a burst of RGB color to create a smooth, stylish shift between clips.

Today we go over how to create the RGB bloom transition in Adobe Premiere Pro CC.

How to Create an RGB Bloom Transition

Setting Up the Adjustment Layer

1. Place the two clips you want to transition between in your sequence, butted up against each other at the cut point.
2. Go to File > New > Adjustment Layer. Click OK.
3. Drag the adjustment layer from the Project panel onto the timeline, on a track above both clips. Position it centered over the cut point.
4. Trim the adjustment layer to the length you want the transition to be. I went with about 30 frames (roughly 1 second).

Adding the Scale Animation

5. Go to the Effects panel and search for Transform (under Video Effects > Distort). Drag it onto the adjustment layer.
6. In Effect Controls, find the Transform effect and uncheck Uniform Scale.
7. Move the playhead to the first frame of the adjustment layer. Click the stopwatch next to Scale Width and Scale Height to create keyframes at 100%.
8. Move to the last frame of the adjustment layer and create keyframes at 100% as well.
9. Move to the middle of the adjustment layer. Set both Scale Width and Scale Height to about 200%. This creates a zoom-in that peaks in the middle of the transition and then zooms back out.

Adding the RGB Color Burst

10. Go to the Effects panel and drag Lumetri Color onto the same adjustment layer.
11. In Effect Controls, find Lumetri Color and scroll down to Color Wheels & Match.
12. At the first frame of the adjustment layer, click the stopwatch next to the color wheels to start keyframing. Leave the colors at their default (neutral).
13. At the last frame, create another keyframe with the colors still at default.
14. At the middle, drag the color wheels to extreme positions. Push one toward red, another toward blue, and the third toward green. Increase the intensity slider next to each wheel for a stronger effect.

When you play it back, the footage will zoom in while flooding with intense RGB colors at the peak, then settle back to normal as the second clip begins.

Tips

• Add motion blur by unchecking “Use Composition’s Shutter Angle” in the Transform effect and setting the Shutter Angle to about 180. This makes the zoom feel smoother.
• Ease the keyframes. Right click the first keyframes and set Ease Out, the middle keyframes set both Ease In and Ease Out, and the last keyframes set Ease In. This prevents the animation from feeling mechanical.
• Adjust the duration to match the pacing of your edit. Faster transitions (15-20 frames) feel more energetic. Slower ones (40-60 frames) feel more dramatic.
• Try different color combinations. You don’t have to use red, green, and blue. Warm tones (red, orange, yellow) create a fiery look. Cool tones (blue, purple, teal) feel more ethereal.

That is how you create an RGB bloom transition. It is a fun, eye-catching way to move between clips that adds real character to your edits.