Upscaled Video

What upscaling is

Upscaling is the process of converting a video from a lower resolution (like SD or 480p) to a higher one (like 1080p or 4K) using software. The resulting file may show HD or 4K specs, but no real visual detail is added. The image typically looks soft, blurry, or artificially sharpened compared to content that was genuinely captured or finished at that resolution.

Common indicators include:

• The filename contains words like "Upscaled," "Converted," or "UpRes"
• The footage looks soft or lacks the detail you'd expect for the stated resolution
• The film is from before the HD era but is encoded as 1080p or 4K with no restoration history
• Black bars (pillarboxing) appear inside an HD or 4K frame
• Interlacing artifacts are visible in an HD or 4K file

What we accept

Export your video at the native resolution of your source footage -- the resolution it was actually captured or finished in. Do not apply scaling or resizing during export.

If you're exporting from an editing timeline, make sure the sequence settings and export settings match the original capture resolution.

Professionally restored content

Films that have been professionally remastered or restored -- through processes like film scanning, color restoration, or grain recovery -- may be accepted even if the output resolution is higher than the original source. If your title has gone through a professional restoration process, reach out to our support team with details and we can review it.

Simply converting a file to a higher resolution using a software tool or online converter does not qualify as professional restoration.

Recommended export settings

For master files, ProRes HQ or DNxHR HQ are recommended. For the full list of accepted codecs and file formats, see Video & Audio Requirements.