How Do I Change the Size of a Video in Premiere?

There are several ways to change the size of a video in Adobe Premiere Pro, depending on whether you want to scale the video to fit the frame, maintain the aspect ratio, or manually adjust the size. Here's a breakdown of the common methods:

1. Set to Frame Size

This method automatically adjusts the video's scale to match the sequence's frame size without maintaining the aspect ratio. This can distort your video if the aspect ratios don't match.

• How to use it: Right-click on the clip in the timeline and select "Set to Frame Size".

2. Scale to Frame Size

This method adjusts the video's scale to fit the sequence's frame size while maintaining the aspect ratio. This is often the preferred method to avoid distortion. Premiere Pro remembers this setting and will automatically apply it to future clips added to the sequence.

• How to use it:
  1. Go to Edit > Preferences > General.
  2. Check the box labeled "Scale to Frame Size".
  3. Now, when you import a clip, it will automatically scale to fit the sequence's frame.

3. Manual Scale

This gives you the most control over the video's size and position.

• How to use it:
  1. Select the clip in the timeline.
  2. Go to the "Effect Controls" panel (Window > Effect Controls).
  3. Under the "Motion" section, adjust the "Scale" parameter to increase or decrease the video's size. You can also adjust the "Position" parameter to move the video around within the frame.

Additional Tips for Resizing Video in Premiere Pro:

• Higher Resolution is Better: If you need to crop the video, use clips with a higher resolution than your final output resolution. This will help retain detail after cropping.
• Symmetrical Cropping: Aim to crop as symmetrically as possible, and try to maintain the same aspect ratio as your final output to minimize any further scaling or distortion.