Can you spot which video has fake motion blur?

Video editing programs allow us to add all sorts of effects to our videos, including motion blur. But can you distinguish the one that was done artificially from the real motion blur? This video from biscuitsalive is like a little quiz that lets you try and distinguish between real and artificial motion blur. And if you ask me, it’s harder than it looks.

Biscuitsalive filmed with two identical GoPro cameras attached to an FPV drone, both with the same settings. The only difference is that one camera had an ND32 filter on the lens. This way, he was able to shoot at 1/50 shutter speed with this GoPro. The one without a filter shot at 1/600 so he could add the artificial motion blur later.

The flight resulted in four videos: one with real motion blur and three with fake, added by Hürcan Emre Yılmazer. Hürcan processed the first video in After Effects using ReelSmart Motion Blur Plugin. The second one was made with the same plugin, only in DaVinci Resolve. The third one features AE_pixel_motion_blur, which is After Effects’ own included motion blur.

Artificial motion blur can be great for various projects, especially those heavy on VFX, biscuitsalive notes. Another advantage is that you can control the amount of motion blur you want to add. On the minus side, there are some limitations like occasional weird artifacts.

Of course, I tried guessing which of these clips has real motion blur – and I failed. For me, it wasn’t easy to figure it out, especially with videos being side-by-side and playing simultaneously. Of course, I don’t want to spoil it for you and tell you which one is real. I’ll just give you two hints: observe the horizon and the edges of the frame. Try guessing during the first minute and a half of the video, since you’ll hear the answer after it. Did you make the correct guess?

[Can you spot fake motion blur? (When its next to the real thing) | biscuitsalive]