Which blend mode should I use?

Screen or add works for most leaks. With a transparent WebM you often need no blend mode at all.

Can I change the color of the leak?

Yes, every leak and flare exposes its color, intensity and direction.

Light leaks and flares: cinematic atmosphere in one layer

Updated September 18, 20263 min read

How do you add a light leak to footage?

Export a light leak on a transparent background, place it on the track above your footage, and set the blend mode to screen or add if your editor needs it. Trim it to the cut you want to soften, and lower the opacity until it feels like lens behavior rather than an overlay.

Light behaves like a memory: warm, imprecise and welcome. These presets sweep leaks, bloom flares, pulse flashes and rake god rays, all in colors you set rather than a fixed film stock.

Five light leaks & flares presets to start from

Hover any card to play it. Opening one loads it in the editor with every control unlocked.

Light Leak Sweep
2s
Warm film-style light leaks wash across the frame and fade. Set your editor to Screen blend for an organic cinematic transition.
Lens Flare Pass
3s
An anamorphic lens flare glides across with a blue streak and hexagonal ghosts, like a sun catching the lens.
Flash Cut
1s
A punchy white flash peaks exactly at the cut point with a soft bloom. The simplest transition that always works.
Light Streaks
2s
Glowing light trails race across the screen at speed, leaving neon energy behind. Loops seamlessly.
God Rays
5s
Soft volumetric rays pour from a corner, swaying and shimmering like sunlight through haze.

All light leaks & flares

How to make one in the browser

01Open a light leaks & flares presetBrowse the Light Leaks & Flares category and open the preset closest to what you need. It loads in the editor with every control unlocked.
02Make it yoursRewrite the text, set your brand colors and font, adjust easing and duration, and switch the aspect ratio for the platform you are posting to.
03Export the clipChoose MP4 for a normal track or transparent WebM for an overlay, pick a resolution up to 8K, and the file renders on your own machine.

Which format should you export?

Use MP4 when the clip sits on its own track or fills the frame. Use transparent WebM whenever it has to float over your own footage: the alpha channel is real, so no keying or blend mode is needed.

Format: MP4 H.264 · WebM VP9
Alpha: Transparent WebM
Resolution: 720p to 8K
Aspect: 16:9 · 9:16 · 1:1 · 4:5
License: Commercial use included

Three tips that make it look intentional

Warm leaks suit nostalgia; cool streaks suit tech and product.
Let the leak peak on the cut, not in the middle of a shot.
Keep opacity below full so the footage stays readable underneath.

Frequently asked

Which blend mode should I use?: Screen or add works for most leaks. With a transparent WebM you often need no blend mode at all.
Can I change the color of the leak?: Yes, every leak and flare exposes its color, intensity and direction.

Liquid Transitions
Liquid transitions: ink, drips and waves between scenes
A liquid transition uses organic motion, ink spreading, paint dripping or a wave rising, to cover the frame and reveal the next shot. It suits lifestyle, beauty and craft content where a hard geometric wipe would feel too technical.
Read the guide
Brush Stroke Animations
Brush strokes: handmade texture for titles and reveals
Pick a brush preset and set the stroke color, width and speed. The stroke draws itself along a path and can wipe the frame, highlight a word or splatter behind a title. Export transparent WebM to keep the paper texture over your own footage.
Read the guide
Number Counters
Number counters: make a statistic land
Choose a counter preset, set the start and end values, decimals, prefix and suffix, then pick the duration and easing. The number counts up in the preview exactly as it will in the export, which you can drop into a report, an ad or a social post.
Read the guide