Ffmpeg Glitch Distortion Effects Josiahsiegel Claude Plugin Mark

---
name: ffmpeg-glitch-distortion-effects
description: 'MANDATORY: Always Use Backslashes on Windows for File Paths'
---

---
name: ffmpeg-glitch-distortion-effects
description: Complete glitch art, datamosh, and video distortion effects system. PROACTIVELY activate for: (1) Datamosh/pixel bleeding effects, (2) VHS/analog glitch simulation, (3) Digital corruption effects, (4) Displacement mapping, (5) Wave/ripple distortions, (6) Pixelation and mosaic effects, (7) Chromatic aberration, (8) Scan line effects, (9) Time-based distortions (echo, trails), (10) Lens distortion and barrel effects. Provides: minterpolate for datamosh, displacement filter, geq pixel manipulation, noise and artifacts, rgbashift/chromashift for color separation, lagfun for trails, tmix for frame blending, tblend for frame difference effects.
---

## CRITICAL GUIDELINES

### Windows File Path Requirements

**MANDATORY: Always Use Backslashes on Windows for File Paths**

When using Edit or Write tools on Windows, you MUST use backslashes (`\`) in file paths, NOT forward slashes (`/`).

---

## Quick Reference

| Effect | Command |
|--------|---------|
| Datamosh | `-vf "minterpolate='mi_mode=mci:mc_mode=aobmc:me_mode=bidir'"` |
| Chromatic aberration | `-vf "rgbashift=rh=-5:bh=5"` |
| VHS noise | `-vf "noise=c0s=20:c0f=t,eq=saturation=1.2"` |
| Pixelate | `-vf "scale=iw/10:ih/10,scale=iw*10:ih*10:flags=neighbor"` |
| Wave distortion | `-vf "displace=..."` with displacement map |
| Echo/trails | `-vf "lagfun=decay=0.95"` |
| Scan lines | `-vf "drawgrid=w=iw:h=2:t=1:c=black@0.5"` |

## When to Use This Skill

Use for **creative distortion effects**:
- Music video glitch aesthetics
- Datamosh/pixel bleeding art
- VHS/analog video simulation
- Digital corruption and artifacts
- Psychedelic and experimental video
- Horror/unsettling visual effects

---

# FFmpeg Glitch & Distortion Effects (2025)

Complete guide to datamosh, glitch art, VHS effects, displacement, and creative video distortion with FFmpeg.

## Datamosh Effects

Datamosh creates the "pixel bleeding" effect by manipulating motion compensation.

### Basic Datamosh with minterpolate

```bash
# Basic datamosh effect
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "minterpolate='mi_mode=mci:mc_mode=aobmc:me_mode=bidir:vsbmc=1'" \
  -c:v libx264 -crf 18 datamosh.mp4

# Parameters explained:
# mi_mode=mci: Motion compensated interpolation
# mc_mode=aobmc: Adaptive overlapped block motion compensation
# me_mode=bidir: Bidirectional motion estimation
# vsbmc=1: Variable size block motion compensation
```

### Intense Datamosh

```bash
# Heavy datamosh (more chaos)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "minterpolate='fps=60:mi_mode=mci:mc_mode=aobmc:me_mode=bidir:me=epzs:vsbmc=1:scd=none'" \
  -c:v libx264 -crf 18 heavy_datamosh.mp4

# scd=none: Disable scene change detection (more bleeding across cuts)
# me=epzs: Enhanced predictive zonal search (faster, rougher)
```

### Datamosh with Frame Manipulation

```bash
# Datamosh by removing I-frames (requires re-encoding)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "minterpolate='mi_mode=mci:mc_mode=aobmc',\
       tblend=all_mode=difference:all_opacity=0.5" \
  datamosh_blend.mp4

# Combine with echo for trails
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "minterpolate='mi_mode=mci:mc_mode=aobmc',lagfun=decay=0.9" \
  datamosh_trails.mp4
```

### Controlled Datamosh (Specific Sections)

```bash
# Datamosh only certain section
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "minterpolate='mi_mode=mci:mc_mode=aobmc':enable='between(t,5,10)'" \
  controlled_datamosh.mp4
```

## Chromatic Aberration

Color channel separation for that "broken lens" look.

### rgbashift Filter

```bash
# Horizontal chromatic aberration
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "rgbashift=rh=-5:bh=5" \
  chromatic.mp4

# Parameters:
# rh/rv: Red horizontal/vertical shift
# gh/gv: Green horizontal/vertical shift
# bh/bv: Blue horizontal/vertical shift
# ah/av: Alpha horizontal/vertical shift

# Vertical chromatic aberration
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "rgbashift=rv=-3:bv=3" \
  chromatic_v.mp4

# Both directions
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "rgbashift=rh=-4:rv=-2:bh=4:bv=2" \
  chromatic_both.mp4
```

### Animated Chromatic Aberration

```bash
# Pulsing chromatic aberration
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "rgbashift=rh='5*sin(t*3)':bh='-5*sin(t*3)'" \
  pulsing_chromatic.mp4

# Increasing aberration over time
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "rgbashift=rh='-t*2':bh='t*2'" \
  increasing_chromatic.mp4
```

### chromashift Filter (Chroma Only)

```bash
# Shift chroma channels (U/V in YUV)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "chromashift=cbh=5:crh=-5" \
  chroma_shift.mp4

# cbh/cbv: Cb (blue-difference) horizontal/vertical
# crh/crv: Cr (red-difference) horizontal/vertical
```

## VHS/Analog Effects

### Complete VHS Simulation

```bash
# Full VHS effect
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "\
    noise=c0s=15:c0f=t:c1s=10:c1f=t,\
    eq=saturation=1.4:contrast=1.1:brightness=-0.02,\
    chromashift=cbh=3:crh=-3,\
    rgbashift=rh=2:bh=-2,\
    unsharp=3:3:-0.5,\
    drawgrid=w=iw:h=2:t=1:c=black@0.3,\
    curves=preset=vintage" \
  -c:v libx264 -crf 20 vhs_effect.mp4
```

### VHS Components Breakdown

```bash
# 1. VHS Noise (temporal noise)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "noise=c0s=20:c0f=t:c1s=15:c1f=t" \
  vhs_noise.mp4

# 2. VHS Color bleeding
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "chromashift=cbh=4:cbv=2:crh=-3:crv=1" \
  vhs_color_bleed.mp4

# 3. VHS Scan lines
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "drawgrid=w=iw:h=2:t=1:c=black@0.4" \
  vhs_scanlines.mp4

# 4. VHS Tracking issues (simulated)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "crop=iw:ih-20:0:'20*random(1)',pad=iw:ih+20:0:10" \
  vhs_tracking.mp4

# 5. VHS Oversaturated colors
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "eq=saturation=1.5:contrast=1.1,curves=preset=vintage" \
  vhs_colors.mp4
```

### VHS Static/Snow

```bash
# Static overlay blend
ffmpeg -f lavfi -i "nullsrc=s=1920x1080:d=10" \
  -vf "noise=c0s=100:c0f=a+t,format=gray" \
  -c:v libx264 -t 10 static.mp4

# Blend static with video
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -i static.mp4 \
  -filter_complex "[0:v][1:v]blend=all_mode=screen:all_opacity=0.1" \
  vhs_static.mp4
```

## Pixelation & Mosaic

### Basic Pixelation

```bash
# Pixelate entire video
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "scale=iw/10:ih/10,scale=iw*10:ih*10:flags=neighbor" \
  pixelated.mp4

# Parameters:
# First scale: Reduce resolution (divide by pixelation level)
# Second scale: Scale back up with nearest neighbor (no interpolation)

# Variable pixelation level
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "scale=iw/20:ih/20,scale=iw*20:ih*20:flags=neighbor" \
  heavy_pixel.mp4
```

### Animated Pixelation

```bash
# Pixelation that increases over time
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "scale='iw/max(1,t*2)':'ih/max(1,t*2)',scale=iw:ih:flags=neighbor" \
  animated_pixel.mp4

# Note: This is approximate; true animated requires geq or external scripts
```

### Mosaic/Censoring Effect

```bash
# Mosaic specific region (face blur style)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -filter_complex "\
    [0:v]crop=200:200:300:200[face];\
    [face]scale=iw/10:ih/10,scale=iw*10:ih*10:flags=neighbor[blurred];\
    [0:v][blurred]overlay=300:200" \
  mosaic_region.mp4
```

## Wave & Ripple Distortion

### Displacement Map

```bash
# Create displacement map (gradient)
ffmpeg -f lavfi -i "gradients=s=1920x1080:c0=black:c1=white:x0=0:y0=540:x1=1920:y1=540" \
  -vframes 1 displacement_h.png

# Apply horizontal wave displacement
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -i displacement_h.png \
  -filter_complex "[0:v][1:v]displace=edge=wrap" \
  wave_h.mp4
```

### Animated Wave with geq

```bash
# Horizontal wave using geq
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "geq=lum='lum(X+10*sin(Y/20+T*5),Y)':cb='cb(X+10*sin(Y/20+T*5),Y)':cr='cr(X+10*sin(Y/20+T*5),Y)'" \
  wave_animated.mp4

# Vertical wave
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "geq=lum='lum(X,Y+10*sin(X/20+T*5))':cb='cb(X,Y+10*sin(X/20+T*5))':cr='cr(X,Y+10*sin(X/20+T*5))'" \
  wave_v.mp4

# Ripple from center
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "geq=lum='lum(X+5*sin(sqrt(pow(X-W/2,2)+pow(Y-H/2,2))/10-T*5),Y+5*cos(sqrt(pow(X-W/2,2)+pow(Y-H/2,2))/10-T*5))':cb='cb(X,Y)':cr='cr(X,Y)'" \
  ripple.mp4
```

### lenscorrection (Barrel/Pincushion)

```bash
# Barrel distortion (fisheye-like)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "lenscorrection=cx=0.5:cy=0.5:k1=0.5:k2=0.5" \
  barrel.mp4

# Pincushion distortion (opposite of barrel)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "lenscorrection=cx=0.5:cy=0.5:k1=-0.3:k2=-0.3" \
  pincushion.mp4

# Parameters:
# cx, cy: Lens center (0-1, 0.5 = center)
# k1, k2: Distortion coefficients (positive = barrel, negative = pincushion)
```

## Echo & Trails (lagfun)

### Basic Trails

```bash
# Motion trails
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "lagfun=decay=0.95" \
  trails.mp4

# Parameters:
# decay: How fast trails fade (0-1, higher = longer trails)

# Heavy trails
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "lagfun=decay=0.98" \
  heavy_trails.mp4

# Light trails
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "lagfun=decay=0.85" \
  light_trails.mp4
```

### Trails with Color

```bash
# Trails with color shift
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "lagfun=decay=0.95,hue=h=t*10" \
  color_trails.mp4

# Inverted trails (bright areas leave dark trails)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "negate,lagfun=decay=0.95,negate" \
  inverted_trails.mp4
```

## Frame Blending (tmix, tblend)

### tmix (Temporal Mix)

```bash
# Average 5 frames (motion blur effect)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "tmix=frames=5:weights='1 1 1 1 1'" \
  motion_blur.mp4

# Echo effect (repeat previous frames)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "tmix=frames=10:weights='1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1'" \
  echo.mp4

# Ghosting
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "tmix=frames=3:weights='1 0.5 0.25'" \
  ghosting.mp4
```

### tblend (Frame Difference)

```bash
# Frame difference (motion highlight)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "tblend=all_mode=difference" \
  frame_diff.mp4

# Available modes:
# addition, addition128, multiply, multiply128
# average, difference, difference128
# divide, exclusion, extremity, freeze
# glow, hardlight, hardmix, heat
# lighten, darken, linearlight, negation
# normal, overlay, phoenix, pinlight
# reflect, screen, softdifference
# softlight, stain, subtract, vividlight, xor
```

### Creative tblend Effects

```bash
# Neon edges
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "tblend=all_mode=difference128,eq=brightness=0.1:contrast=2" \
  neon_edges.mp4

# Psychedelic blend
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "tblend=all_mode=phoenix" \
  psychedelic.mp4

# Burn effect
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "tblend=all_mode=heat" \
  burn_effect.mp4
```

## Digital Corruption

### Random Artifacts

```bash
# Digital glitch noise
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "\
    noise=c0s=30:c0f=a+t:c1s=20:c1f=a+t,\
    rgbashift=rh='5*random(1)':bh='-5*random(1)'" \
  digital_glitch.mp4

# Note: random() generates noise, but isn't truly random between frames
```

### Compression Artifact Simulation

```bash
# Heavy compression artifacts
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -c:v libx264 -crf 51 -preset ultrafast \
  temp_compressed.mp4

ffmpeg -i temp_compressed.mp4 \
  -c:v libx264 -crf 18 \
  artifacts.mp4

# Blocky artifacts with multiple re-encodes
for i in {1..5}; do
  ffmpeg -y -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -crf 40 temp.mp4
  mv temp.mp4 input.mp4
done
```

### Bit Manipulation (geq)

```bash
# Bit-depth reduction (posterization)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "geq=lum='floor(lum(X,Y)/32)*32':cb='floor(cb(X,Y)/32)*32':cr='floor(cr(X,Y)/32)*32'" \
  bit_crush.mp4

# XOR pattern
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "geq=lum='bitxor(lum(X,Y),X+Y)':cb='cb(X,Y)':cr='cr(X,Y)'" \
  xor_pattern.mp4
```

## Scan Lines & CRT Effects

### Scan Lines

```bash
# Horizontal scan lines
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "drawgrid=w=iw:h=2:t=1:c=black@0.5" \
  scanlines.mp4

# Heavier scan lines
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "drawgrid=w=iw:h=4:t=2:c=black@0.7" \
  heavy_scanlines.mp4

# RGB scan lines (trinitron style)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "drawgrid=w=3:h=ih:t=1:c=black@0.3" \
  rgb_scanlines.mp4
```

### CRT Simulation

```bash
# Full CRT effect
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "\
    gblur=sigma=0.5,\
    drawgrid=w=iw:h=2:t=1:c=black@0.4,\
    vignette=PI/4,\
    eq=saturation=1.2:contrast=1.1,\
    lenscorrection=k1=0.1:k2=0.1,\
    noise=c0s=5:c0f=t" \
  crt_effect.mp4
```

### Interlacing Effects

```bash
# Add interlacing artifacts
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "interlace=scan=tff,fieldorder=bff" \
  interlaced.mp4

# Fake interlacing (comb effect)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "tinterlace=merge" \
  comb_effect.mp4
```

## Mirror & Kaleidoscope

### Mirror Effects

```bash
# Horizontal mirror (left to right)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "crop=iw/2:ih:0:0,split[a][b];[b]hflip[b];[a][b]hstack" \
  mirror_h.mp4

# Vertical mirror (top to bottom)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "crop=iw:ih/2:0:0,split[a][b];[b]vflip[b];[a][b]vstack" \
  mirror_v.mp4

# Quad mirror (kaleidoscope-lite)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "\
    crop=iw/2:ih/2:0:0,split=4[a][b][c][d];\
    [b]hflip[b];[c]vflip[c];[d]hflip,vflip[d];\
    [a][b]hstack[top];[c][d]hstack[bottom];\
    [top][bottom]vstack" \
  quad_mirror.mp4
```

## Combined Glitch Presets

### Music Video Glitch

```bash
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "\
    minterpolate='mi_mode=mci:mc_mode=aobmc':enable='lt(mod(t,2),0.2)',\
    rgbashift=rh='3*sin(t*10)':bh='-3*sin(t*10)',\
    lagfun=decay=0.9:enable='gt(mod(t,3),2.5)',\
    noise=c0s=10:c0f=t:enable='lt(mod(t,5),0.3)'" \
  -c:v libx264 -crf 18 music_glitch.mp4
```

### Horror Glitch

```bash
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "\
    eq=brightness=-0.1:contrast=1.2:saturation=0.7,\
    chromashift=cbh='5*random(1)':crh='-3*random(1)',\
    noise=c0s=15:c0f=a+t,\
    tblend=all_mode=difference:all_opacity=0.1:enable='lt(mod(t,3),0.1)',\
    drawgrid=w=iw:h=2:t=1:c=black@0.5" \
  horror_glitch.mp4
```

### Cyberpunk Glitch

```bash
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "\
    eq=saturation=1.5:contrast=1.3,\
    colorbalance=rs=0.2:bs=0.2,\
    rgbashift=rh='-3':bh='3',\
    drawgrid=w=iw:h=3:t=1:c=black@0.3,\
    unsharp=5:5:1.5" \
  cyberpunk.mp4
```

### Analog TV Signal Loss

```bash
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "\
    noise=c0s=50:c0f=t:enable='lt(mod(t,10),0.5)',\
    chromashift=cbh='10*random(1)':enable='lt(mod(t,10),0.5)',\
    eq=brightness='-0.3*lt(mod(t,10),0.5)'" \
  signal_loss.mp4
```

## Performance Tips

1. **geq is CPU-intensive** - Use sparingly or on short clips
2. **minterpolate is slow** - Consider reducing resolution first
3. **lagfun accumulates** - May need periodic "reset" cuts
4. **Test on short clips** before processing full videos
5. **Hardware encoding** - Use NVENC/QSV for final encode after effects

```bash
# Process effects, then encode with hardware
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -vf "your_glitch_filters" \
  -c:v rawvideo -f nut - | \
ffmpeg -i - \
  -c:v h264_nvenc -preset p4 -cq 20 \
  output.mp4
```

This guide covers FFmpeg glitch and distortion effects. For color grading see `ffmpeg-color-grading-chromakey`, for transitions see `ffmpeg-transitions-effects`.