Create a Splitscreen Like The Queen’s Gambit (Adobe Premiere Pro Tutorial)

Published on February 10, 2021

Graphics Animations, Video Effects

Essential Graphics, mask, motion graphics, Netflix, queens gambit, rounded corner, rounded rectangle, splitscreen, track matte, Track Matte Key

how to create a splitscreen like the queen’s gambit

If you have seen the Netflix series “The Queen’s Gambit” you have probably seen the chess game in episode 5. In this episode they edit a whole sequence with an original splitscreen effect. They show the entire sequence from different points of view at the same time. This splitscreen effect is interesting because they don’t use hard edges and corners, they are all rounded.

How to get rounded corners in masks?

How do you make these rounded corners and masks? Well it’s actually super easy. From the essential graphics panel you can create new shapes, like a rectangle. If you click on the small wrench icon you can choose the styling of this shape. You can give it rounded caps. If you then add a thick stroke the round edges will become visible. Make sure to set the stroke and fill to complete white.

Track matte key

Nest the video layers and place your graphic layer on top of that nest. Then add a track matte key effect to that nested layer and set the track matte to the graphic layer. Now only the video that is underneath the white will be visible. And that’s it, easy as that! This is actually an amazing way to make transitions, like for instance with transition video assets from Storyblocks.

So how to the track matte keys work on transition? Super easy, set the first clip on track 1, the second on track 2 and the transition asset on track 3. Then simply place the track matte key effect the video on track 2 and set the matte style to matte luma. And that’s how you get a simple transition!

Want to learn more effects?

If you want to learn more advanced effects then have a look at our After Effects class on Skillshare, you can also find more classes and video assets on our website. And we’ve also got brand new merch!