Today's cameras, even the ones in smartphones, are capable of recording high frame rates at pretty decent resolutions (at least 720p). What does this mean? Slow motion for pretty much everyone! However, a lot of entry level cameras only get as high as 60 fps, which is definitely slow(er) motion than the standard 24 fps and 30 fps, but it certainly doesn't produce that real buttery smooth, honey-like slow mo you typically see in today's videos.

So, how do those of us who don't have a camera that shoots at 120 fps or more achieve these stylish shots? Well in this tutorial, filmmaker Peter McKinnon shows you how to do it by using features in Adobe Premiere Pro. Check it out:


Just to be clear, probably the best way to get good looking slow motion footage is to shoot with a camera that is capable of higher frame rates. You take out a lot of the limitations that way. 

However, if you don't have access to such a camera, you can fake it in post, though you will have to address those limitations I just mentioned, like avoiding shooting in front of a busy background. This is due to the fact that Premiere Pro's optical flow function can't really determine where the focal point of your composition is, so it kind of works its magic on everything within the frame and that, my friends, does not look too hot.

So, if you want to include some slow motion shots in your next video, make sure to plan ahead. Figure out which shots you want to slow down, shoot them under the conditions that won't make Premiere go cuckoo bananas, and then enjoy you're sweet fake slow mo shot. Keep in mind that Murphy's Law is a real thing, so make sure to do some tests and make sure it works before you make your slow mo shot the pièce de résistance of your project.

Source: Peter McKinnon