ActionVFX offers high-quality 4K VFX stock footage from one of the largest libraries in the world. But the company doesn't just sell stock VFX, it also aims to teach you how to use them like a professional VFX artist. With the launch of its new educational series, "Stock Footage 101," ActionVFX addresses some of the most burning questions from its users about working with VFX stock footage, and the first episode is already available to view.
If you're one of the many filmmakers or VFX artists who have wanted to learn how to properly key out a black or white background from a stock footage clip but found that most tutorials default to explaining only Blending Modes, then you'll want to check out the tutorial below. In it, ActionVFX CEO Rodolphe Pierre-Louis goes beyond Blending Modes to demonstrate several other approaches.
ActionVFX is providing users with a free download of all of the clips used in the video, which includes three HD VFX elements at 60fps, as well as one background plate that you can use to follow along with the tutorial—or even use in your own projects. Clicking this link will automatically download the .zip file.
If you're interested in a more advanced lesson on how to use VFX stock footage, Pierre-Louis demonstrates an in-depth process of applying multiple VFX assets to a composition to show you "how to burn a house down." He goes over tracking, applying assets, 3D layers, pairing with nulls, and more. If you already have the ActionVFX Structure Fire collection, you can follow along with the tutorial. If not, you can check it out here.
There are plenty of companies offering VFX stock footage, but ActionVFX is unique in that it goes the extra mile to teach you how to use the assets once you've got them. Go to the site to view its extensive library, and check out more tutorials from "Stock Footage 101" on the ActionVFX YouTube channel.
In what is perhaps the biggest news Adobe has ever unveiled for video editors, and also the least surprising, we finally have an official confirmation from Adobe that they’ll be adding generative AI video tools to Premiere Pro.
Now, we say least surprising because we’ve seen Adobe already add generative fill and other generative AI features to Photoshops and other apps in its Creative Cloud over the past year. So, it’s been a ticking clock waiting for these features to make their way over to Adobe’s video editing suite as well.
But here at last, we can finally share all of the details about how Adobe is gearing up Premiere Pro to be a more complete AI-powered editing experience with new generative AI video tools, plus other updates coming to Premiere Pro via Adobe’s Firefly AI model.
New Generative AI Video Tools in Premiere Pro
As you can see below, Adobe is ready to preview its breakthrough generative AI innovations within Premiere Pro as they aim to reimagine video creation and production workflows for profesional editors. These new generative AI tools coming to Premiere Pro are set to streamline editing for all video types by adding and removing objects in a scene or extending existing clips.
Here are the big new AI-powered features coming to Premiere Pro:
New Generative AI video tools coming to Premiere Pro this year will streamline workflows and unlock new creative possibilities, from extending a shot to adding or removing objects in a scene
Adobe is developing a video model for Firefly, which will power video and audio editing workflows in Premiere Pro and enable anyone to create and ideate
Adobe previews early explorations of bringing third-party generative AI models from OpenAI, Pika Labs, and Runway directly into Premiere Pro, making it easy for customers to draw on the strengths of different models within the powerful workflows they use every day
AI-powered audio workflows in Premiere Pro are now generally available, making audio editing faster, easier, and more intuitive
These new workflows will also be powered by a new video model that is set to join the Adobe Firefly AI family, which Adobe plans to continue developing for further advancements in imaging, video, audio, and 3D as more AI-powered tools are set to come.
Premiere Pro OpenAI
Adobe
The Future of Generative AI in Premiere Pro
Set to come to Premiere Pro “later this year,” these new generative AI features are powered by Adobe’s new video model for Firefly. In addition to the new tools above, Adobe has also shared some early “sneak” shows for how video editors might eventually leverage video generation models from Open AI and Runway in the future to generate B-roll, or how they might use other AI platforms like Pika Labs with the Generative Extend tool to add a few seconds to the end of a shot.
Here are some possible future tools:
Generative Extend: Seamlessly add frames to make clips longer, so it’s easier to perfectly time edits and add smooth transitions. This breakthrough technology solves a common problem professional editors run into every day, allowing them to create extra media for fine-tuning edits, to hold on a shot for an extra beat, or to better cover a transition
Object Addition & Removal: Simply select and track objects, then replace them. Remove unwanted items, change an actor’s wardrobe, or quickly add set dressings such as a painting or photorealistic flowers on a desk
Text to Video: Generate entirely new footage directly within Premiere Pro. Simply type text into a prompt or upload reference images. These clips can be used to ideate and create storyboards, or to create B-rolls for augmenting live-action footage
Adobe certainly seems open to expanding the AI-powered workflows for video editors not just with their technology, but with a holistic approach using the best of AI at any given time, which should—ideally—help Premiere Pro users always stay on the cutting edge of AI… if that’s what they want to do.
Premiere Pro Firefly Add Object feature
Adobe
AI-Powered Audio Workflows Coming to Premiere Pro
Adobe has also shared some new AI-powered audio tools which are set to be generally available to Premiere Pro users here in May of 2024 that will give editors even more precise control of their audio and the ability to improve the quality of their sound.
Here are the latest AI-powered audio features coming to Premiere Pro:
Interactive fade handles: Editors can create custom audio transitions faster than ever by simply dragging clip handles to create audio fades
New Essential Sound badge with audio category tagging: AI automatically tags audio clips as dialogue, music, sound effects, or ambiance, and adds a new icon so editors get one-click, instant access to the right controls for the job
Effect badges: New visual indicators make it easy to see which clips have effects, quickly add new ones, and automatically open effect parameters right from the sequence.
Redesigned waveforms in the timeline: Waveforms intelligently resize as the track height changes on clips, while gorgeous new colors make sequences easier to read
Adobe also has already added their AI-powered Enhance Speech tool which instantly removes unwanted noise and improves poorly recorded dialogue earlier this year, and plans to start rolling out these new AI-powered features in May, before adding more features later this year.
For more info on AI-powered tools and features coming to Premiere Pro, check out Adobe’s website here for updates.
