Halftone Dithering FX

Halftone video works best when the clip has a strong subject, readable contrast, and limited camera shake. Busy textures can shimmer because small changes between frames alter the dot pattern. Before changing tool settings, trim to a representative section and preview the most detailed moment in the clip.

If the source footage is flat, increase contrast enough to separate foreground and background before pushing grid size. If the footage already has harsh highlights, lower contrast or adjust gamma so bright areas do not disappear into blank space.

A still frame can look excellent while the moving result flickers. Watch the preview for edges that crawl, backgrounds that pulse, or fine texture that changes too quickly. Moderate smoothing can make motion more stable, but excessive smoothing can make the video feel soft and disconnected from the source.

Ordered dither gives predictable structure, which can be helpful for graphic loops. Error diffusion can look more organic, but it may produce more frame-to-frame texture movement. The right choice depends on whether the project needs clean motion graphics or a rougher analog print effect.

Export WebM when you need a browser-friendly animation or a quick creative preview. For campaigns that also need static thumbnails, pause on a strong frame and export PNG or SVG with the same settings. Keeping the same preset across still and motion assets helps the final set feel consistent.

Save a local preset once the loop is stable. If you process multiple clips from the same shoot, reuse that preset first, then make only small adjustments for exposure differences. This keeps the dot size, mark shape, and contrast language consistent across the whole series.