Using some underwater content from a previous filming session, I experimented with creating light leaks, film burns and other light based errors common in old, cheap or damaged camera equipment.

Recently, digitally adding camera ‘errors’ has been a popular effect in visual media. Lens flares have appeared in nearly every movie coming out over the past couple years, most notably, the new Star Trek film. The next step in the process was moving beyond flares to chromatic aberration, which is the separation of colours as a result of imperfect (old or cheap) lenses. Cheap point and shoot digital cameras often have purple halos around high contrast areas, as a result of this. Even further than separating and distorting colour is adding virtual light leaks to give the media an antique or old film look.

These light leaks and imperfections in the image are what made Holga cameras so popular before the age of digital photography.  They give the image a unique, warm feeling, and add reference of human touch.  In this day and age of digital imaging, sterile, accurate pictures are the norm, but not without some resistance.  There are numerous iPhone Apps which soften, reverse color correct, vignette and even add grain and leaks.  However, these effects are not as easy to come by in video format, and are created with layered stock video or motion graphics (like these) and are overlayed using a video editing or compositing program.

The light leaks and film burns were all created in After Effects, as was the RGB separation effect.