Add Ken Burns Effect to Video with iMovie/Final Cut Pro

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Add Ken Burns Effect to Video with iMovie/Final Cut Pro

Last Updated: 2022. 04. 18

Ken's Burn Effect is a special animation effect added to still pictures to make them animated and create an illusion of movement in a photography/picture to pique viewers’ interests and give the image a catchy look. Adding features like Pan, zoom, and fade transitions all come under this category of effects. Ken's Burn effect was initially known as Animantics but is now popularly known as Ken Burns effect in honor of the award-winning, highly esteemed documentary maker Ken Burns. It is used with the same name in video editing software sites and a slideshow feature in several presentation applications.

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Where to use Ken Burns Effect?

Ken Burns Effect can be used anywhere, whether an advertisement, a social media post, a presentation, a greeting text, etc. This effect can help make any still digital picture animated and give it a lively and catchy look to attract viewers and prevent them from losing interest. Several transition effects can be added to the image to give it an animated appearance, and features like zoom and pan can be played with. A simple technique like using the Ken Burns effect on your image, if done right, can transform an ordinary photo into a viewer’s favorite.

How to Add Ken Burns Effect to Video with iMovie:

iMovie is one of the finest video editing apps available in the market, using which you can edit pictures and videos and add Ken Burns effects to any of your Mac devices. This Ken Burns iMovie app for Mac is popularly used and is a user's favorite due to its ease of use and the fantastic range of high-quality editing tools and options it provides, such as a vast range of transition effects.

Here’s how you can add Ken Burns effect to any video with iMovie using these simple steps:

Step 1

Open your Mac device and then open the pre-installed iMovie app on your device.

Step 2

Select the video clip you want to edit, and open its timeline.

Step 3

Select a clip or photo in the timeline that you want to add to the Ken Burns effect.

Step 4

Click on the cropping button icon on the control tools available; this will display various cropping tools.

Click on the Cropping Button

Step 5

From the available cropping tools, click on the Ken Burns button.

Step 6

Once you have clicked the Ken Burns button, two frames will appear over the clip that you have selected. These frames would be labeled Start and End. Once you have reached this stage, you can add a Ken Burns effect iMovie by following either of the two steps depending on your choice:

i. Set the crop at the beginning of the clip, and from the two available frames, select the Start frame. Then drag the frame and resize it till the start of the clip timeline is resized to your satisfaction.

ii. Set the crop at the ending of the clip, and from the two available frames, select the End frame. Then drag the frame and resize it till the ending of the clip timeline is resized to your satisfaction.

Add a Ken Burns Effect in iMovie

Step 7

Finally, once you are done and satisfied with the work done in the previous step. Click on the Apply option available in the cropping tools. This way the changes to your clip will be applied and you’ll have at hands a clip with Ken Burns effect. Now when you will play the clip, it will be cropped at the start with how you set in in the Start frame and then it will zoom in and out in the end with how you set the End frame.

Step 8

In case, if you are unsatisfied with the results and want to bring the clip back to its original form all you have to do is click on the reset option available.

How to Add Ken Burns Effect to Video with Final Cut Pro

Final Cut Pro is another great option for Mac users to edit their videos and add Ken Burns effect on clips. It’s a user-friendly software that offers its users with several high-quality editing tools.

Here’s how you can add Ken Burns effect on your videos using Final Cut Pro:

Step 1

Open the Final Cut Pro app on your device.

Step 2

Select the image or clip you want to add the Ken Burns effect on and then click on the transform button on the toolbar.

Step 3

Then click on the crop icon and you'll see 3 options. Select the Ken Burns option.

Step 4

Adjust the star point of the animation on the point of the clip where you want the animation to start from.

Step 5

Make adjusting changes and effects.

Step 6

Once you are done editing, hit on the preview option and see if you are satisfied with the animation.

Step 7

If you are satisfied, download the final version. If you want to make further changes, click again on the toolbar and get adjusting!

The Ken Burns Effect in Final Cut Pro

The Bottom Line

This post provides a guide on the best applications to apply Ken Burns effect using a Mac device. If you found this helpful. Please give it a like or a share.