How To Use Old Footage In Surf Videos

Sometimes the raddest clips are old-school, capturing timeless moments but lacking modern sharpness. When it comes to surfing footage, this can be especially true—the best waves may have been filmed far from the beach on clunky cameras. The poor quality will be obvious and can be off-putting to viewers. But here's the good news: you don’t need the footage to look like it was filmed yesterday. In fact, you can make the throwback a vibe, not a flaw, by adding some clever effects and leaning into the vintage look. Here’s how to get started.

1. Remove the Color for a Timeless Feel

Taking color out of your footage can work wonders. Black and white or sepia filters are classic choices that transport viewers to a different era. This is especially effective when your footage is low quality. Removing color can make the fuzziness less distracting. A grayscale filter might even add some mystique and have viewers dying to know where the video was filmed. But keep in mind, if your clip isn’t really that old (think pre-1960s), using black and white might look overly stylized and campy. For more recent footage, use the techniques below.

2. Keep It Cute: Scale and Mask the Footage

Sometimes less is more, especially with lower-resolution footage. Don’t try to scale it up; keep it small and easy to watch. You could even scale it down and use a rectangular mask to make it look like the scene is playing on an old TV screen. That’s a visual that pops because it feels intentional and it's unique. Your video will stand out because funky sizes aren't commonly seen these days. Best of all the clip will remain crisp on today’s large screens.

3. Add A Glitch Here & Static There

Old surf clips are the perfect place to add animations that enhance the story. Think about layering screen static over a black and white scene or adding a glitch effect within a TV screen mask. You could even insert title cards that slide in, or text that shrinks from the center, like an 80s game show. These effects bring out the age of the clip in a way that is fun without being distracting.

4. Balance Action with Vibes

Surf videos aren’t just about that surfing. It’s also important to draw attention to the broader vibe—the waves, the lineup, people's reactions, the whole scene. So if you have a hard time seeing all of the action in an older clip, use the rest of the elements to your advantage to make your story even more powerful. Whether it’s a shot of the sandy road or a quick clip of the someone cheering, your story becomes richer with these elements in folded in.

Old footage doesn’t have to look new. With a few easy effects, you can transform it into a compelling surf story that doesn’t need high-definition perfection to capture attention. So don't trash the old videos. Upload them to Clipswell and start putting them in the mix—there’s a whole retro world to explore in your footage.