How do I rotate the video in Adobe Premiere Pro?

Rotate videos in Adobe Premiere Pro easily via the Effect Controls panel, adjusting the 'Rotation' property to achieve your desired orientation.

Step-by-Step Guide to Rotating Your Video

Rotating a video in Adobe Premiere Pro is a fundamental skill for correcting orientation, fixing clips shot on their side, or creating dynamic visual effects. The process is straightforward and relies on the Effect Controls panel.

1. Select Your Clip

First, ensure the video clip you wish to rotate is present in your Timeline.

Import: If not already, import your video file into your project.
Drag: Drag the clip from your Project panel onto a video track in your Timeline.
Select: Click once on the video clip in the Timeline to select it. This will make its properties accessible in the Effect Controls panel.

2. Access Effect Controls

With your clip selected, navigate to the Effect Controls panel. If you don't see it, you can open it by going to Window > Effect Controls in the top menu. This panel is where you'll find all the adjustable properties for your selected clip, including its motion, opacity, and any applied effects.

3. Locate the Motion Section

Inside the Effect Controls panel, you will see various expandable sections. Look for the Motion section and click the small triangle next to it to expand its properties. Here, you'll find controls for Position, Scale, and most importantly, Rotation.

4. Adjust the Rotation Angle

Under the 'Motion' section, you'll find the 'Rotation' property with a numerical value, typically defaulting to 0.0 degrees. This value represents the current rotation angle of your video clip.

Click and Type: To change the orientation, simply click on the numerical value next to 'Rotation' and type in your desired angle.
- For example, if you have a clip that appears rotated 90 degrees incorrectly (perhaps from a phone recording that didn't auto-orient), changing this value from 90 degrees to 0 degrees will often correct its orientation, effectively creating a landscape format.
Drag: Alternatively, you can click and drag the numerical value left or right to interactively change the rotation angle and see the effect in your Program Monitor. Premiere Pro calculates rotation clockwise.

Common Rotation Angles:

90 degrees: Rotates the video 90 degrees clockwise (useful for portrait to landscape correction).
180 degrees: Flips the video upside down.
270 degrees (or -90 degrees): Rotates the video 90 degrees counter-clockwise.

5. Adjust Scale and Position (If Needed)

After rotating, your video might not perfectly fill the frame or could be off-center.

Scale: Use the Scale property (also under 'Motion') to increase or decrease the video size until it fills your frame.
Position: Use the Position property to fine-tune the video's placement within the frame, ensuring it's centered or positioned as desired.

Advanced Rotation Techniques

Beyond simple fixed rotations, Premiere Pro offers tools for more dynamic control.

Animating Rotation with Keyframes

For more complex or animated rotation effects, you can use keyframes.

Click the Stopwatch icon next to the 'Rotation' property in the Effect Controls panel. This enables keyframing and places a keyframe at the current playhead position.
Move your playhead to a different point in time on the timeline.
Change the 'Rotation' value. Premiere Pro will automatically create a new keyframe and animate the rotation between the two keyframes.
Repeat to create a sequence of rotating movements, such as a continuous spin.

Rotating Multiple Clips

If you need to apply the same rotation to several clips, consider these methods:

Nesting: Select all desired clips in the Timeline, right-click, and choose Nest.... This combines them into a single sequence which you can then rotate as one clip in its own Effect Controls.
Copy/Paste Attributes: Apply the rotation to one clip, then right-click on that clip, choose Copy. Select the other clips you want to rotate, right-click, and select Paste Attributes.... In the dialog box, ensure 'Motion' is checked, and click OK.

Common Rotation Scenarios & Solutions

Rotation Angle	Effect	Use Case
0 degrees	Original orientation	Standard landscape, or correcting an unwanted rotation back to original.
90 degrees	Rotates clockwise once	Correcting a portrait video to landscape if shot on the left side.
180 degrees	Upside down	Flipping footage, creating mirrored effects, or correcting an inverted capture.
270 degrees	Rotates counter-clockwise once	Correcting a portrait video to landscape if shot on the right side.

Fixing Vertical (Portrait) Videos

Often, videos shot on mobile phones in portrait mode may appear sideways in Premiere Pro.

If the video is on its side (e.g., the top of the portrait video is pointing right), rotate it 90 degrees.
If the top of the portrait video is pointing left, rotate it 270 degrees (or -90 degrees).
Always follow up with Scale and Position adjustments to fill the frame, cropping as needed, or adding a blurred background to fill the empty space.

Creative Rotations for Visual Effects

Rotation isn't just for correction; it's also a creative tool:

Dynamic Angles: A slight rotation (e.g., 5-10 degrees) can add visual interest or a sense of urgency.
Spinning Transitions: Keyframe a full 360-degree rotation (or more) for a spinning transition effect between clips.
Mirroring: A 180-degree rotation can be used for artistic mirroring or to create unsettling effects.

Pro Tips for Seamless Video Rotation

Maintain Aspect Ratio: When scaling after rotation, be mindful of your video's original aspect ratio to avoid distortion. Use the 'Scale to Frame Size' option if you want Premiere Pro to automatically fit the video.
Centering: After significant rotation and scaling, your video might be slightly off-center. Always check and adjust the 'Position' values to ensure it's perfectly aligned.
Preview Regularly: Use the Program Monitor to preview your changes in real-time. This helps you make precise adjustments and ensures the final look is what you intend.
Undoing Mistakes: If you make an error, simply press Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Cmd+Z (Mac) to undo your last action.

For more detailed information, you can refer to the official Adobe Premiere Pro User Guide.