Adding light leaks to your videos can give them a unique and nostalgic touch. Used well, they can add warmth, colour, and texture to your project. So we've put together some of our favourites—from premium choices over at Envato Elements through to light leak overlays that are free from MixKit.
5 Best Light Leak Overlays From Envato Elements
To get you started, here are some of our favourite light leak overlays for video from Envato Elements, where you can download and use as many as you like for one monthly subscription.
Featured Video Leaks Overlay
Color Pack With Light Leaks
Let's start out with a whole pack of goodies for use in After Effects, including light leak overlays, colour styles, gradient colour maps, FFX, and more. They're easy to preview and customise in After Effects, and you can use these in CS5 and above.
More Top Video Light Leaks
2. Premium Overlays Light Leaks
Try these overlay light leaks for Premiere Pro to add some warmth and a splash of retro charm to your video footage.
3. Light Leak Overlays
This set of light leak overlays for After Effects was recorded with a camera, not artificially generated. Each one lasts between 3 and 10 seconds, and they're in 4K resolution.
4. Fire Light Leaks for Overlays
The great news with this light leak overlay set is that you won't need to use any particular software, as this is a motion graphic stock video that you can just overlay onto your footage. It comes as a 3840x2160 resolution file. Be aware that this doesn't loop or use an alpha channel, so you may need to adjust the blending mode to make it work for you.
5. Light Leaks Transitions
Download over 140 light leaks for Premiere Pro, this time in the form of transitions, so you can move from one scene to another in style. These flickers and glows add a touch of cinematic charm to your production.
15 Light Leak Overlays... for Free!
Premium resources definitely have their place, but if you'd like to get some light leak overlays for free, then check out MixKit, where there are thousands of cool freebies for you to explore and use. Download free templates for major video editing suites like DaVinci Resolve, After Effects, and Final Cut Pro, plus lots of motion graphics and other assets.
6. Light Leak Motion Opener
This video light leak overlay is a template for Final Cut Pro and features several headings, motion transitions, and even a logo reveal. It's quick and easy to use—just adjust it to suit your project.
7. Broadcast Countdown Timer
Here's a Premiere Pro template of a countdown, featuring light leak animations in the background. Count down to a broadcast, or use this to tease an upcoming event.
8. Blue Crystal Light Leak Overlay
Get an abstract light leak overlay for free, from MixKit. This is available for personal use in 720p, but you can find a higher-resolution version to use however you like, from Envato Elements.
9. Red Light Leak Effect Background
Available in 720p and for personal use, this light leak overlay features reds and pinks. You can get a 4K version from Envato Elements if you need a better resolution.
10. Light Leaks Overlay
This gentle warm light leak will add a subtle light animation to your video. This version is in 720p and is free for personal use.
15 Best Free Light Leak Overlays Continued
11. Natural Light Leaks and Bokeh
This stock clip features neutral and purple light leaks and bokeh (out-of-focus points of light) with some gentle down-to-up and right-to-left movement. You'll feel more relaxed just looking at it.
12. Purple Light Leaks Overlay
Something a little brighter than the previous clip, this free light leak overlay is filled with bright purples and blues—it's really vibrant!
13. Unfocused Lights on Background
It's not quite a light leak in traditional terms, but this golden bokeh drifting from side to side is a lovely subset of 'video leaks' to use in your next project—it has a touch of glamour!
14. Diffused Light Leak in the Distance
This light leak clip makes us feel as if we're trapped in a lighthouse... in a good way! With a gently swirling, pale blue, out-of-focus light, it's quite hypnotic.
15. Blurred Light Reflection Leaks
Try this spinning clip of triangular 'crystal' light on a black background. You can use this footage for personal use in 720p, but it's available in 4K from Envato Elements.
15 Best Light Leak Overlays for Free Continued
16. Blue Light Leaks Overlay
A gently floating mix of round bokeh and other light leaks make up this overlay. Aside from some flecks of gold, the colours here are primarily cool blues.
17. Abstract Light Leak Reflection
Another good neutrally coloured light leak overlay, this clip features mostly whites and greys, gently rotating. You can use this clip for personal projects, and it's available in 720p.
18. Unfocused Light Leak
Swirling pale purple bokeh is the focus (or out of focus!) of this light leak clip. The leak is on a black background, so it's easy to change the blending mode and use this over other footage.
19. Blurred Light Leaks Spin on Black Background
The leaks here are almost triangular, making them a different choice to other light leak overlays. Occasional rainbow colours flick across the otherwise neutral-coloured leaks.
20. Sunlight Flare
This is a sun flare rather than the typical type of light leak, but it's a nice, gentle way to add light overlays to your video project. This is a low-res clip for personal use, but you can always check out Envato Elements for a 4K version.
Envato Elements
We love free stuff as much as the next person, but let's face it, it's not always the exact thing we need. Maybe you want a different kind of license, a better-quality version, or something that you can customise to suit your video and brand. You may even just be limited by the things that are free and need some more choices. For those times, you might like Envato Elements, where you can find everything you need for your video projects, including video templates, overlays, backgrounds, music tracks, and more.
If budget is a problem, you'll never need to worry about going over it, because everything is included in a monthly subscription, so you get to download and use as much as you like! Plus there are free files every month for you to explore and enjoy.
Envato's AI Search
Sometimes it's hard to find what you need with a regular search function, so we created AI Search to help you describe your project either by writing it up or pasting in your brief, and the tool will find the best assets from Envato Elements to help you based on what you asked for.
Here's an example of using Envato's AI search based on this post. We're looking for light leaks that are a mixture of templates you can use in the likes of Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve, and video leak overlays that are stock footage or motion graphics. You can see it gives us a great set of suggestions. The more specific you are, the better your results will be.
If you still need some inspiration because you don't really know what you want, you can also use AI Search to help you get creative by suggesting resources that might help—just type in some thoughts! All of our assets are made by creative professionals, so the search may use AI, but we value real human creators.
Template Inspiration
If you'd like a little creative nudge when it comes to using video templates, check out some of our roundups to help inspire you.
10 Top Spring Templates for After Effects
20 Best DaVinci Resolve Instagram Templates for 2024
20+ Top Intro Opening Video Templates for Premiere Pro (Free & Premium 2024)
Learn More
If you're looking for more video inspiration centred around lighting, check out some of our fantastic free tutorials.
How to Light Video Scenes on a Budget
Create Cinematic Lighting in After Effects
How Lighting Imparts Emotion in an Animated Scene
Conclusion
Whether premium or free, light leak overlays can help give your videos a vintage, classic twist. They add atmosphere, can help with storytelling, and generally add texture and interest. We hope you've found some inspiration in our free light leak overlays from MixKit, but remember to check out Envato Elements for premium options too if you can't find what you need—there are thousands more to choose from.
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