How to Use Overlays in Video Editing
Overlays are video clips on a black background that you layer over your footage. Light leaks, dust particles, film grain and smoke all work this way. The key is the blend mode, which makes the black background disappear.
The basic technique
Import the overlay clip. Place it on a video track above your footage so it covers the section you want to affect. Set the blend mode of the overlay track to Screen (in Premiere Pro: Effect Controls > Opacity > Blend Mode > Screen). The black pixels become transparent and only the bright overlay elements remain visible.
Adjusting intensity
Lower the opacity of the overlay layer to reduce its intensity. Most overlays look best between 30% and 70% opacity — full strength can overpower the shot. You can also add a Curves or Levels adjustment to the overlay to fine-tune its brightness before blending.
When to use each blend mode
Screen: for overlays on a black background (light leaks, particles, fire). Add: similar to Screen but brighter, good for flares. Overlay or Soft Light: for textures like film grain or paper where you want subtle integration with both shadows and highlights.
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Frequently asked questions
Do overlays work in CapCut?
Yes. Add the overlay as a second layer above your footage and set the blend mode to Screen in the layer settings.