2021’s Top Picks: 22 Stock Video Effects For Any Video

Video Effects 28/12/2020 6 min read

You don’t need to spend weeks on a project with a huge budget for your video productions to look awesome. If you’re in a hurry or have a limited budget, check out these stock video effects to bring your videos to life. Whether you want to give an old timey film effect with grain, a strange surreal effect for a hallucination scene, or add some freeze frames to your comedy sketches, download these 22 stock video effects and drop them into your project for instant results. Let’s take a look at our favorites from the Motion Array library.

Part 1: 22 Kick-Ass Stock Video Effects You Need for Your Next Project

1. Film Grain Effect

Give your digital video footage an old, faded style by adding this film grain effect in Final Cut Pro. Make it feel like a VHS tape or an old 8mm film with these eight unique effects built into the template. Simply download it and start using it in Final Cut Pro right away.

Download Film Grain Effect Now

2. Super 8mm Film Strip Overlay

Use this dramatic stock motion graphic that imitates a vintage 8mm film frame, burned with grain, scratches, and dust. Perfect for adding a retro film look to any video projects, just drop it on top of your footage!

Download Super 8mm Film Strip Overlay Now

3. Scratched 35mm Film Effect

This creepy, cinematic animation style is perfect for an opener to a TV show or film. Overlay your clips with a variety of old film scratches and grain.

Download Scratched 35mm Film Effect Now

4. Dream Effect

If you’re a DaVinci Resolve user, check out this dream sequence template. It warps the footage, adding color and a mysterious vibe that’s perfect for a short film. The template contains eight different presets for you to choose from, depending on the results you want to achieve. Simply pick your favorite and get started.

Download Dream Effect Now

5. Fairy Dust Effect Pack

This is an awesome effect for a movie intro or social media posts. You can add these 4 different glowing fairy dust effects on any footage using any software.

Download Fairy Dust Effect Pack Now

6. Snowfall Effect

Easily create a snowfall effect with this motion graphics pack for your winter videos. Combine several of these clips to add more depths of snow and use it as an overlay for your projects.

Download Snowfall Effect Now

7. Split Screens Effects Kit V2

Open up Final Cut Pro and check out this stylish split screens effect. Choose from a range of bouncy animations to display up to 20 different videos in a range of split screen patterns. Easy to use, just drag and drop the video files, and it’s available in 4K resolution too.

Download Split Screens Effects Kit V2 Now

8. Hallucination Effect

Is the main character in your short film hallucinating? Do you want to give the audience the same confusing experience they are having? Try this hallucination effect template in Final Cut Pro. There are eight different styles to choose from, so simply pick the one that best suits the scene and drop it in.

Download Hallucination Effect Now

9. Freeze Time Effect

This is a really fun effect, available in an easy-to-use Premiere Pro template. Freeze your footage at any moment and transport the audience into a stylish, warping, frozen world. Perfect for short films but you can also use it for corporate videos, commercials and promos. Download the effect now to get started.

Download Freeze Time Effect Now

10. Light Leaks and Bokeh

Looking for a variety of colored light leaks to elevate your footage? Look no further. Download this stock effect and start using it right away. There are 12 looped beautiful light leaks to choose from, each with its own movement and color.

Download Light Leaks and Bokeh Now

11. Hand Drawn Smoke Effect

This pack of creatively animated hand-drawn elements is perfect for video game highlights or cartoons. A great way to improve the look and feel of footage with ease.

Download Hand Drawn Smoke Effect Now

12. Crystal Clear

This Final Cut Pro template is a massive selection of assets and transitions to use in your films. Choose from a wide range of geometric transitions, text transitions, split screen effects and much more. There are over 50 to pick from, so there’s no shortage of creative techniques to incorporate in your videos. Enjoy!

Download Crystal Clear Now

13. 20 Glitch Elements

Browse the 20 unique glitch effects in this pack and pick your favorites to drop into your film. Whether you’re creating a flashback sequence, action sequence or simply want a cool stylish effect to apply to your footage, there’s plenty to choose from in here.

Download 20 Glitch Elements Now

14. Static Effects

Create a promo sequence filled with edgy static distortion animations and effects. Each clip loops, so all you need to do is easily extend its length. 

Download Static Effects Now

15. Freeze Frame Effect

Freeze the action at its peak and wow your audiences with this awesome Premiere Pro template. There are five different freeze frame techniques to choose from, so all you need to do is open up the project and select your favorite. Apply it to your short films, promos videos and commercials.

Download Freeze Frame Effect Now

16. Glitch Loop Effect

This ready-made pack consists of 5 clips making up a glitchy distortions. It’s easy to create a stunning video by simply applying it over your short film scenes.

Download Glitch Loop Effect Now

17. Cloudscape Overlay

This stock graphics template shows the top view from the sky. Add depth and movement to your drone footage and create dynamic results for your videos.

Download Cloudscape Overlay Now

18. TV Damage VHS Effect

Give your footage a VHS effect for fast-forwarding, pausing and rewinding. This is a really fun template to spice up your video editing and give your footage that retro VHS tape feel.

Download TV Damage VHS Effect Now

19. Dust Particles Effect

Drop them into your footage when you want to accentuate something or make an impact at a specific moment. You can even combine them to create unique results. Use them in any project you like, whether you’re working on a trailer, music video, promo video or corporate film.

Download Dust Particles Effect Now

20. Lazer Leaks Pack

Choose between 4 animations of blurred colorful lights rays in different speed motion, resembling laser lights effects. Guaranteed to make your videos more dynamic and fluid.

Download Lazer Leaks Pack Now

21. Rain Overlay Effect

These overlays are fast-moving rain effects to give the sense of a raining video scene on your footage or stock photos. Change the blending mode and put it over your chosen projects.

Download Rain Overlay Effect Now

22. CCTV Effect Creator

If you want your footage to look like it came directly from a CCTV camera, try this easy-to-use Adobe After Effects template. Simply drag and drop your footage into the project, change the parameters to get the results you’re looking for, and render. Add glitches and turn your footage monochrome to finesse the final product.

Download CCTV Effect Creator Now

Part 2: How to Use Stock Video Effects in After Effects

Once you’ve chosen your template, download it and open up the project in your chosen platform. The specifics of how to use the templates will vary whether you’re working in Premiere Pro, After Effects, DaVinci Resolve, or Final Cut Pro, but here’s a step by step guide on how to use these stock video effects in After Effects.

  1. Import your stock video elements into After Effects by dragging and dropping from your computer or navigating to File > Import > Media.
  1. Drag and drop your media from your project panel and place it overtop of your footage.  
  1. Navigate to your Blend modes and select screen, lighten, or overlay depending on the style you want to achieve
  1. Change the length of your stock overlay layer to match your clip length.
  2. Adjust Scale and Position until you are happy, and ensure your stock overlay covers the whole frame.  
  3. Adjust color and prominence of your elements by using the Lumetri color effect and adjusting within the Curves section.
  1. Add any other effects that you feel could enhance your stock clips.  Like in our example we add a camera lens blur to make the clouds appear as if the camera is looking past them and focusing on the boat.

Stock video effects are a quick and simple way to add texture and color to your videos, increasing quality without having to spend a long time creating custom effects. Create dream sequences, give your film a grainy VHS look, and add light leaks with the templates available in the Motion Array library. Simply download them, overlay the media, and render the results.

The specifics may change between Premiere Pro, After Effects, DaVinci Resolve, and Final Cut Pro, but the results will always be great. For additional stock video effects, check out our smoke overlay options here.