How to Resize an Imported Video in Premiere Pro

Easily resize an imported video in Premiere Pro using simple right-click options or control panel adjustments.

When you import a video clip into Adobe Premiere Pro, it might not always perfectly match the dimensions of your video sequence. This often happens when your video has a different aspect ratio or resolution than your project settings. Fortunately, Premiere Pro offers several straightforward ways to resize or scale your footage to fit your needs.

Here are the primary methods to resize your imported video clips:

1. The Quick Fit: Using "Set to Frame Size"

This is often the fastest way to make a clip fit within your sequence frame, especially if the clip is larger than the sequence dimensions.

• How to use it:
  • Locate the video clip in your timeline.
  • Right-click the clip, and in the dropdown menu that appears, select "Set to Frame Size."
• What it does: This action scales the clip non-destructively so that its largest dimension fits within the sequence frame. It maintains the clip's original aspect ratio and adjusts the scale property in the Effect Controls panel accordingly.

Example: If you import a 4K clip into an HD (1080p) sequence and use "Set to Frame Size," Premiere Pro will scale down the 4K clip so it fits perfectly within the 1080p frame.

2. Manual Scaling: Using the Effect Controls Panel

For precise control over scaling, positioning, and even animation, use the Effect Controls panel.

• How to use it:
  1. Select the video clip in your timeline.
  2. Go to the Effect Controls panel (usually located next to the Source Monitor). If you don't see it, go to Window > Effect Controls.
  3. Under the Motion property group, find Scale.
  4. Click and drag the number next to "Scale" to increase or decrease the size of the clip.
• What it does: This method allows you to scale the clip up or down to any percentage you desire. You can also adjust the Position to move the scaled clip within the frame. This is essential for cropping (scaling up to remove edges) or picture-in-picture effects (scaling down).

Tip: Make sure the "Uniform Scale" checkbox is ticked (which it is by default) unless you specifically want to stretch or squish the video independently on the horizontal and vertical axes.

3. Visual Adjustment: Using the Program Monitor

For a more visual and interactive way to resize, you can directly manipulate the clip in the Program Monitor.

• How to use it:
  1. Select the video clip in your timeline.
  2. Double-click the clip directly in the Program Monitor. This will activate bounding box handles around the clip.
  3. Click and drag the corners of the bounding box to resize the clip. Hold down the Shift key while dragging a corner to maintain the aspect ratio.
• What it does: This provides a visual way to scale and reposition the clip. As you drag, you'll see the "Scale" and "Position" values change in real-time in the Effect Controls panel.

Choosing the Right Method

Here's a quick comparison:

Method	Best For	Control Level	Aspect Ratio Maintained?	Effect Controls Link?
Set to Frame Size	Quickly fitting oversized clips to the frame	Basic	Yes	Yes (updates Scale)
Effect Controls	Precise scaling, positioning, keyframing	High	Yes (by default)	Direct
Program Monitor	Visual, interactive scaling and positioning	Medium	Yes (with Shift key)	Yes (updates values)

• Use Set to Frame Size for a fast way to make a large clip fit your sequence.
• Use the Effect Controls panel for exact percentage scaling or to animate the size over time.
• Use the Program Monitor for a hands-on, visual approach to roughly position and scale the clip.

By mastering these techniques, you can easily adjust any imported video clip to fit your project's frame size and composition requirements in Premiere Pro.