47 Transitioning from Black and White to Full Color

#47 Transitioning from Black and White to Full Color

Why Not Use the Black & White Filter?

Premiere Pro has a Black & White filter, but it has no configurable controls, so it can't be used to create a smooth transition from black and white to full color. Use it when you want a clip to become black and white and stay that way from start to finish.

One technique frequently used for a dramatic effect in wedding video and similar productions is to transition black-and-white video to full-color. Here's how it works in Premiere Pro:

1.	Apply the Color Balance (HLS) effect (Video Effects > Image Control folder) onto the target clip (Figure 47). Figure 47. You'll use the Color Balance (HLS) effect to create your black-and-white clip, then use keyframes to transition from black and white (100 Saturation) to full color (0 Saturation).
2.	Set a keyframe for Saturation approximately 5 seconds into the video with a value of 0 (which is the default, meaning full color).
3.	Set another keyframe on the first frame of the clip, with a value of 100, which means absolutely no color (Figure 47). Premiere Pro will transition from black and white at the start of the clip to full color at the 5-second mark. Obviously, you can adjust the duration to fit your content.