

We’ve spent some time researching this phenomenon and it seems like it is actually quite simple to achieve this retro effect. VHS Effect Is More Than Just Music VideosĪre you captivated by this retro feeling? Would you like to add VHS static overlays to your video project? You’re definitely at the right place. Now, the popularity of VHS static overlays, that make your video projects look exactly as if you had them on tape, is at its peak! Have you also noticed many music videos being made using an effect or an overlay that makes them look retro, just like they were played straight off of a video tape? We keep seeing it, and it’s present even in lyric videos of famous names like Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa. VHS tapes used to have some static, and gained more and more additional “issues” as they got older. It can sound pretty funny, but even though getting your VHS tape damaged in the 90’s meant losing your mind and having to record again, today this once annoying phenomenon came back to us as a video effect – as VHS Static Overlays! The digital age might have pushed these tapes out of frequent use, as only collectors own and enjoy these magnificent inventions these days, but it surely hasn’t made us forget about them completely. If you want to make your VHS footage effect as “authentic” as possible, making sure your aspect ratio is 4:3 is pretty important - VHS analogue technology was made for 4:3 monitors.Video Home System, or more widely known as simply VHS, has been out in the market ever since it was developed by Japan Victor Company (JVC) in 1976. Some might consider this essential, but it also just depends on what you’re trying to do. Aside from dates, you can also include battery information and maybe even a tracking bar, in case you want to simulate that very specific VCR effect that some of them had. While not super necessary, you might want to include those ever famous “date” icons that also help sell your VHS tape video effect. In some cases, you can go real hard and make the image look badly beaten, which can work well in “found footage” scenarios. Even if you would rather keep things subtle, a small visual and audio glitch can go a long way in selling the effect. This one’s pretty important, as it is likely you want to bring attention to the quality of your VHS effect for video.
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If you still want the image to look soft, though, feel free to play with your blur settings to enhance your VHS tape video effect. That does not necessarily mean turning the blur all the way up sometimes lowering the sharpness is good enough. SharpnessĪ VHS image shouldn't look very sharp, so you want to make sure your footage has a blurriness to it. The tutorial below, while specific, should provide you with an understanding behind what can be done to achieve a VHS video effect, even if you aren’t using any plugins.Īdjusting the specifics of your footage may not be your thing, but there are more straightforward ways to achieve that desirable VCR effect and VHS filter.
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Part of learning about how to add VHS effects to video includes knowing what that entails. Even if you aren’t having a character using a tape of any kind, the VHS effect - being tied to a specific time - can be era appropriate if you want to film a scene or sequence with the effect.
#Vhs overlay ccp tutorial movie#
If your movie is a period piece - or even if it isn’t - this is probably why you would want to use a VHS effect. Possibly the best reason to use a VHS effect is for practical reasons, like if you have a character watching a tape. In other cases, you might just want to give off a vibe that can only be accomplished with VHS textures. Maybe you want certain home movies to look a certain way, especially if we’re flashing back to a time before the present. Similar to how a movie might utilize 8mm or 16mm film to represent “the past,” so can the look of a VHS tape video effect. If you’re working on something that is intended to represent the past in some way, a VHS filter can accomplish that. Or, if your story has a paranoid feel to it, that VHS footage effect can keep things creepy.


If, for example, you wanted to showcase characters having fun somewhere, a VCR effect can be part of that experience. This is the sort of thing you may see with someone using a phone app, but it can be used to great effect in a narrative. Whether they actually have relevance to the plot in any way is secondary. Some people like to use VHS textures and effects because they like the look. So when you’re learning how to add VHS effects to video, there are a few things to keep in mind. VHS Effects Benefits Why use VHS effects?Įveryone has their reasons for using certain effects or overlays, such as film grain, and the VHS video effect is no different.
