Video use cases
Video refinement is about making your footage look intentional after the edit: cleaner details, fewer artifacts, and exports that survive platform compression.
- Back to: Use Cases
When video refinement helps most
Social clips (TikTok, Reels, Shorts)
- Problem: platform compression + multiple re-exports create banding and blockiness.
- Goal: a cleaner master export that holds up after upload.
Repurposing old footage
- Problem: older footage is low-res or heavily compressed.
- Goal: improve perceived sharpness and reduce visible artifacts.
Screen recordings and tutorials
- Problem: unreadable UI text, shimmering edges, moiré.
- Goal: clearer UI and legible captions, especially after resize.
Talking head and interviews
- Problem: soft focus, noisy shadows, uneven detail.
- Goal: subtle improvement without “AI-looking” faces.
Typical inputs
- MP4/MOV exports from editors (Premiere, Final Cut, CapCut) or device captures
- Footage with compression artifacts, low resolution, or soft detail
Workflow (high-level)
- Start from the best available source (avoid “export-of-export” when possible).
- Refine video with conservative enhancement first.
- Review key moments: faces, text overlays, gradients, fast motion.
- Export a high-quality master for uploading and future versions.
Output expectations
- Improved perceived detail and cleaner edges
- Reduced blocky artifacts and banding (depending on source)
- More resilient uploads after platform compression
Common pitfalls
- Over-sharpening: creates halos and shimmering, especially on text.
- Face artifacts: heavy enhancement can look uncanny—review carefully.
- Bad source in → bad source out: refinement can’t fully fix extreme compression.
When not to use video refinement
- You need creative edits (cuts, color grade, VFX).
- The content is forensic/medical/legal where invented detail is unacceptable.
Related pages
- Examples: Upscale a social video
- Guides: Video workflow, Export settings
- Cross-cutting: Batch processing