How to Get Rid of Flickering Lights in Video Premiere Pro
Learn practical, step-by-step methods to remove flickering lights from video in Premiere Pro. This educational guide covers analysis, post-production tweaks, and shooting tips to stabilize brightness and color.
You can reduce or eliminate flickering in Premiere Pro by identifying the flicker source, adjusting exposure and color with Lumetri Color, and applying frame-by-frame brightness stabilization using keyframes, plus optional noise reduction. This approach works for LED and fluorescent lighting and avoids over-processing. Follow the step-by-step guide for a repeatable workflow.
How to Get Rid of Flickering Lights in Video Premiere Pro
According to Blinking Light, flicker in video is usually tied to how artificial lighting interacts with your camera’s exposure and frame rate. When the light source modulates at a different frequency than your capture, you’ll see brightness fluctuations that break the illusion of a smooth clip. This block explains the core idea behind flicker reduction and sets up a practical workflow you can apply in Premiere Pro to minimize or remove flicker without sacrificing color fidelity. The goal is a stable luminance baseline across your timeline so viewers perceive a consistent image rather than a pulsing artifact. By understanding the source, you can tailor edits to preserve detail in shadows and highlights while smoothing out brightness shifts.
In many home setups, flicker comes from LED lighting driven by AC mains or from cheap fluorescent tubes. The camera’s frame rate and shutter speed can magnify these fluctuations, producing visible bands, alternating bright/dark frames, or color shifts especially in fast moves or panning shots. The central idea is to stabilize luminance across frames—either by adjusting capture settings (when possible) or, more reliably, by applying targeted post‑production corrections. Throughout this guide, you’ll see practical methods you can apply in Premiere Pro to achieve a consistent, natural look without introducing new artifacts.
This article uses a practical, repeatable workflow designed for homeowners and tech users who edit at home or in small studios. It covers quick in‑session checks, robust post‑production fixes, and a few best practices to prevent flicker from returning in future projects. You’ll learn to balance exposure, trim problem frames with precise keyframes, and use color grading to ensure the overall image remains stable across scenes.
Tools & Materials
- Premiere Pro CC (latest version)(Ensure you have an active license and access to Lumetri Color and native effects)
- Lumetri Color panel (built-in)(Essential for exposure and color stabilization)
- Brightness & Contrast or Exposure effects(Use for frame-by-frame luminance adjustments)
- Calibrated reference monitor(Helpful for consistent brightness judgment)
- Basic noise reduction or third‑party plugin (optional)(Useful if flicker persists after luminance stabilization)
- Quality HDMI/Display cables and a clean timeline(Reduces signal issues during playback)
Steps
Estimated time: 45-90 minutes
- 1
Import and inspect footage
Import your clips and skim through to locate sections where flicker is most noticeable. Mark in and out points for sections that show consistent brightness issues. This prepares you for targeted corrections rather than applying broad changes to the entire timeline.
Tip: Use the-Mark In/Out and the J/K/L keys to review quickly and identify critical trouble spots. - 2
Set a baseline exposure
Open Lumetri Color and use Basic Correction to establish a neutral baseline exposure across clips. Avoid over-brightening; aim for a stable midtone with consistent highlights. This step reduces the chance of introducing new flicker while adjusting color balance.
Tip: Turn on the Lumetri Scopes (Waveform/Vectorscope) to verify that exposure remains stable frame-to-frame. - 3
Apply a targeted Exposure adjustment with keyframes
Place keyframes on the Exposure or Brightness controls to smooth brightness level across the flicker-prone sections. Use small, incremental adjustments rather than large jumps to maintain natural skin tones and detail.
Tip: Keep keyframes evenly spaced to avoid abrupt brightness shifts that can worsen flicker. - 4
Stabilize luminance with Lumetri Color
In Lumetri Color, refine Highlights, Shadows, and Whites to minimize frame-to-frame variation. Use the Color Wheels to push luminance toward a balanced middle and dampen extreme peaks that mirror flicker.
Tip: If highlights spike on certain frames, reduce Whites slightly and compensate in the Shadows with a subtle lift. - 5
Apply temporal smoothing or noise reduction if needed
If some frames remain uneven, apply a mild Temporal Noise Reduction or a denoise plugin. This can help even out flicker while preserving detail. Be careful not to overdo it, which can create a plastic look or blur motion.
Tip: Preview at full resolution to ensure temporal smoothing doesn’t blur fast motion. - 6
Edge cases: adjust per-clip color consistency
For clips with different lighting (indoor vs. outdoor), apply related Lumetri Color curves per clip to maintain a cohesive grade. Use parallel open sequences to compare color and luminance shifts across takes.
Tip: Small per-clip adjustments are often more effective than a single global grade. - 7
Render an in‑point preview and refine
Render a short segment to evaluate flicker behavior in real-time playback. Tweak keyframes and color controls if any frames still appear inconsistent. Iterate until you reach a stable look.
Tip: Use a 2–4 second render cache for quick feedback during adjustments. - 8
Finalize and export with checks
Do a final pass in which you verify consistency in brightness and color, then export with a standard preset. Check the output on multiple displays if possible to ensure cross-device consistency.
Tip: Export a small test reel to confirm flicker remedies survive compression.
Quick Answers
What causes flicker in video footage captured with artificial lighting?
Flicker is usually caused by lighting sources that modulate at a frequency different from the camera's frame rate. LED and fluorescent lights are common culprits, especially when combined with non-standard shutter speeds.
Flicker happens when light output changes during a frame or when the camera's frame rate doesn't match the light's modulation. LED and fluorescent lights are typical sources.
Can I fix flicker entirely in post?
Many flicker issues can be substantially reduced in post with exposure stabilization, gentle color grading, and selective noise reduction. Some stubborn cases may require reshooting under steadier lighting.
Post can greatly reduce flicker, but some cases might need new footage under steadier lighting.
Does adjusting shutter speed help prevent flicker?
Yes, shooting with shutter speeds aligned to the lighting frequency or using a higher frame rate can dramatically reduce flicker. If shooting isn't possible, rely on post adjustments.
Align shutter speed to lighting frequency when possible; if not, use post adjustments to stabilize brightness.
Are plugins worth using for flicker reduction?
Plugins can help in difficult cases, but many flicker issues respond well to native tools in Premiere Pro. Start with Lumetri Color and keyframe-based brightness, then consider plugins if needed.
Plugins can help for stubborn cases, but start with built-in tools in Premiere Pro.
What should I do to avoid flicker on future shoots?
Choose consistent lighting, prefer AC mains-powered daylight-balanced lamps, and match shutter speed to lighting frequency. Test a short clip before committing to a full shoot.
Use stable lighting and test clips before full shoots to prevent flicker from happening.
Watch Video
Main Points
- Identify flicker sources early in the workflow
- Baseline exposure and consistent luminance are essential
- Keyframe targeted brightness changes for smooth results
- Use gentle color grading to maintain natural skin tones
- When in doubt, shoot with proper shutter-frequency alignment
