What Is A Blending Mode?

By Kevin Graham

A blending mode is an effect that you can add to a clip that changes the way its colors interact and blend with the layer below it.

By default, clips and layers are set to a “normal” blending mode. But changing this (which can be done in the “opacity” section in Premiere Pro) can lead to some completely new and inspiring visuals.

For example, the “screen” mode results in a brighter combination of colors, “multiply” results in a darker combination, “color burn” increases contrast, and “lighten” and “darken” can isolate certain tones

Adjusting the opacity can further tweak the image, and blending modes can be changed on both footage clips and graphics.

There are over two dozen different blending modes available, and the best way to become familiar with each of them is to just experiment.

Chances are, you’ll not only learn a lot, but you’ll stumble into creating something pretty cool!

Kevin is the Music Director and Lead Composer at Filmpac.