PiP

[Matthew Max]

How do I put a Picture-in-Picture in a shape of my choice? I would like to put some video in a circular frame and insert that at will into the main footage.
I have CSS5.5.

[Bob]

You would use the Track Matte Key effect for that, Matthew.

Make a matte that has the shape you want to use. For simple shapes like a circle, you can use the titler to do that. For more complex shapes it's easiest to make a graphic with transparent background in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements and save it as a png with transparency, then import the png into Premiere.

You can do the effect without using nested sequences by placing the background layer on video track 1, the pip on video layer 2, and the matte on video layer 3, but I would really recommend that you use a nested sequence instead. I think it's a cleaner and more trouble free way to do it. Track Matte is notorious for having problems if you move the tracks around after you apply the effect. Using a nested sequence avoids that problem.

Create a new sequence and place your clip that is to be the pip on track 1 and your matte on track two. Apply the Track Matte Key effect to the clip on track 1. In the effect controls, set the matte parameter to "video 2". If your matte is using transparency, set composite using to "matte alpha". If you goofed and made the matte backwards and it's cutting off the wrong part of the image, click the Reverse checkbox. If you want to get fancy and surround the pip with a frame, make the frame with transparency and place it on video track 3.

To create the PIP, switch back to the main sequence. Place the pip sequence you just created on a video track above the main clip. In the effect controls, set the scale and position to the desired values. That's it, you're done.

[Matthew Max]

Many thanks for all your help, Bob.
You're always a lifesaver.

[Matthew Max]

I just can't get over how helpful muvipix is to my career.