The VHS and CRT retro aesthetic is everywhere, from music videos to title sequences to social content, because nostalgia sells and analog imperfection feels human. Recreating it well takes more than a cheap filter. Here's how to build a convincing retro look with the right overlays and effects.
What makes footage look "VHS"?
The VHS look is a stack of imperfections: soft grain and static, tracking errors, color bleed, and a slightly degraded image. Layering authentic textures over your footage recreates those artifacts far more believably than a single preset.
Step 1: Add VHS grain and static
NOISE, 4K VHS Grain is a best-selling collection of premium 4K noise grain with 14 levels of intensity, capturing analog grain, dust and tracking artifacts in crisp detail. Drag it over your footage, set the blend mode to Screen, and adjust brightness and contrast for the perfect degraded look. It works in Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve.
Step 2: Add an authentic CRT text effect
Nothing says retro like glowing CRT-monitor text. CRT Text Effect simulates vintage cathode-ray displays with a real pixel grid, RGB channel splitting and adjustable flicker, and you can apply it to entire titles at once instead of placing characters one by one. It's built for Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro and After Effects, perfect for retro intros, gaming content and music videos.
Step 3: Add glitch and decay
To push the analog-degradation vibe further, layer in a visual echo or glitch. DECAY, Visual Echo Effect adds trailing, decaying frames that feel like a worn tape or a signal breaking up, a great accent on beat drops and transitions.
How to combine them for a cohesive look
- Grade first. Slightly lower saturation and lift the blacks for a faded tape feel.
- Layer VHS grain on Screen and dial in the intensity.
- Add CRT text for titles and on-screen readouts.
- Accent with DECAY on key moments, sparingly.
- Optional: add a subtle aspect-ratio crop for an old-broadcast frame.
Build your retro toolkit
Combine NOISE VHS Grain, CRT Text and DECAY and you've got everything you need to turn modern footage into authentic, nostalgic retro visuals.