Who said you have to be a seasoned pro working in a big expensive studio to create awesome special effects? The truth is you can pull off some slick effects à la Zach King with Adobe Premiere Pro, good timing, and a little cinematic trickery right in the comfort of your own home.

In the video below, special effects artist Will Carmack breaks down 7 of King's coolest clothing "magic tricks", ones that require little more than a T-shirt.


So, if you're hunkered down in your apartment looking for something fun and productive to do now that you've finished binge-watching Tiger King, this might be just the thing you need to get your creative juices flowing.

The lion's share of these "magic tricks" can be pulled off relatively simply right inside Premiere Pro. You won't need to do any heavy lifting inside After Effects whatsoever—you'll simply need to perform the very clever movements required by the effect (taking off a sweatshirt or throwing a blanket over your head), match them up correctly in post, and throw in a crossfade or blending effect to hide the edit.

That's it. 

Now, if you're up for more of a challenge, Carmack also shows you 2 effects you can do inside After Effects that require some masking, rotoscoping, color work, and keyframing. However, despite being a little more time-consuming and labor-intensive, these effects are still relatively simple to do and might inspire you to take your VFX skillset to the next level.

What are some other simple special effects you can pull off at home without the help of a crew? Let us know down in the comments.

Source: Will Carmack