AI Brings New Life to Old Video Footage, But Restoration Still a Delicate Process
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Internet creator Teigan Reamsbottom restores and upscales old video clips of pop culture moments using AI software, recently restoring a clip of Kim Cattrall scat singing.
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Upscaling video is challenging - the AI guesses details like faces and can leave artifacts behind, sometimes failing on things like teeth.
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Reamsbottom spends over a day upscaling a 30-minute video, playing with settings to avoid making people look overly enhanced.
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The AI struggles with certain images like sequins or pixelated footage; quality source material helps achieve better results.
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When done well, the restored footage can be emotionally powerful, like rediscovering something for the first time.