Upscaling Videos Can Bring New Life into Your Old Content

Video quality has improved drastically over the years. The average person has a better quality camera today in their iPhones than professionals did when I first started in the industry nearly 30 years ago.

Videos are typically divided into three main categories: SD (standard definition), HD (high definition), and 4k. The difference between SD, HD, and 4K video primarily relates to their resolution, affecting the images' detail and clarity.

Standard Definition (SD) is your basic video quality and is typically 740x480 in size.

High Definition (HD) is much clearer and more detailed than SD. The higher resolution provides a significant improvement in picture quality on larger screens compared to SD. It's resolution is either 1280x720 or 1920x1080.

4K Ultra High Definition (4K UHD) Provides an extremely high level of detail and is best appreciated on large-screen televisions and monitors. 4K is beneficial for very large screens and provides a cinema-like experience with incredibly crisp details, often used for professional film production and high-quality streaming services. 4K resolution is 2160p, or 3840x2160 pixels, offering four times the number of pixels as 1080p.

As technology progresses, HD and 4K are becoming more prevalent, gradually making SD obsolete.

If you are like me and have been around for a while, you no doubt have some older content that was either SD or HD. But does that mean it's now worthless? Not at all.

You can upscale it. But talk about exactly what that means. This is a short clip that shows the quality of an old video featuring Audrey Hollander (@realaudreyxxx). Here, you'll see Audrey Hollander in a movie called Sodomized, which was first released 20 years ago, in 2004.

Now, let's look at the exact same clip upscaled and color-graded. You'll see that the very same video suddenly comes back to life.

Upscaling a video isn't just about the size. If you try to simply resize an older video, you'll get horribly pixilated results. There is true art in upscaling old content, but luckily, with the advancement of AI, there are a ton of options out there.

But today I wanted to share with you my technique. I have found that AI upscaling alone doesn't produce the best quality.

I actually do two things. First, I took the old video and used an AI upscaling software called Topaz Video AI. I do a 2x upscale on the older video. This will give you a larger video size without any distortion issues if you try to do it manually. But just upscaling the size isn't enough. You still have the same lackluster quality that you did with the original video. So, what I will do next is import it into Adobe Premiere Pro and adjust the color and audio settings.

This simple step brings the older video back to life. Below, you'll see a side-by-side comparison of all three videos. Just look at how vibrant her red hair looks in the final product compared to the other two, and look at the shine on that leather skirt she's wearing.

I should note I'm not a professional video editor. So just imagine the amazing work someone with actual skill could do.

Content quality can significantly impact viewer engagement and retention, which is why content creators are increasingly focusing on enhancing the visual experience. This push towards high-definition (HD) and 4K quality is not just about producing new content but also revitalizing existing non-4K assets through upscaling.

Upscaling is a process that transforms older, lower-resolution videos into sharper, clearer HD or 4K quality. This technology breathes new life into classic content, potentially expanding its appeal to a modern audience that values high-definition viewing experiences.

Here is another side-by-side upscale video comparison from a movie released in 2009 called Sinful Fucks.

Upscaling your older videos represents an opportunity to extend the shelf life of your content library.

Even if your videos aren't 20 years old, like some of mine, that doesn't mean they still can't benefit from upscaling, breathing new life into which directly translates into cold hard cash!

Fans already love you, so here is an opportunity to give them a look at your past in a whole new way.

In some cases, fans can find your old videos online -- as we all know, content gets stolen, but what's out there is the lower-quality videos. By upscaling your old videos, you can offer them something they can't find online for free.

And compared to the costs associated with shooting new content, upscaling is a more budget-friendly way to enhance what you are offering to your fans.

If you don't have the software or skillset to do these upscale yourself, you can easily find a ton of video editors with experience working with adult content who can help you with this. Just reach out on social media and ask. You'll probably be bombarded with suggestions. If you need some referrals, I know a few who can help. Just hit me on Twitter at @MissKelliXXX.

And be sure and follow Fleshbot on Twitter at @Fleshbot to keep up with other great stories just like this one!