bad_predator

Description

Applies a stylized “bad Predator heat vision” effect to the input video.
This intentionally degraded thermal-vision look mimics the broken or low-budget interpretation of the thermal-view used in the Predator films — surreal color distortion, thermal-like banding, exaggerated edge detection, and unstable gradients.

Purpose

bad_predator is designed for creators who want to:

add a faux–heat vision aesthetic,
produce psychedelic or thermal-like color distortions,
disrupt realism with genre-coded VFX,
introduce mood, abstraction, or sci-fi ambience,
create an intentionally wrong or glitchy interpretation of cinematic thermal vision.

How It Works

Thermal Color Remapping
The video is transformed into an artificial temperature-based palette, often with exaggerated reds, blues, greens, and neon ranges.
Edge Boosting & Gradient Distortion
Edges may “glow,” flatten, or warp, imitating digital thermal sensors or corrupted color channels.
Contrast Folding
Shadows and highlights are redistributed into stylized color bins rather than natural brightness patterns.
Encoding
Output is encoded using global Videobeaux settings (codec, CRF, pixel format).

Program Template

videobeaux -P bad_predator \
  -i input.mp4 \
  -o output.mp4

Arguments

(No additional program-specific arguments; uses global videobeaux options only.)

Real World Example

videobeaux -P bad_predator \
  -i myvideo.mp4 \
  -o bad_predator_styled.mp4

Program Output

Technical Notes

The effect is purely stylistic — not physically accurate thermal imaging.
Works best on footage with strong silhouettes or motion, where thermal-emulated contrast is most visible.
If the global pixel format is set to low bit depth (e.g., 8-bit), banding interacts strongly with the effect, enhancing the “bad thermal” look.
Use chain_builder to combine with other stylized processes for multi-layer sci-fi or horror visuals.

Recommended Usage

Music videos, experimental film, and glitch-aesthetic sequences.
Sci-fi projects referencing Predator-style heat vision.
Stylized surveillance overlays or false-sensor aesthetics.
Abstract color grading for live visuals or performance art.

Quality Tips

Apply before compression-heavy steps to preserve the color distortions.
Combine with bad_contrast, hash_fingerprint, or bad_animation for a fully degraded sensory aesthetic.
Use lower CRF values to avoid washing out the neon tonal ranges.
Consider pairing with gamma_fix to stabilize midtone visibility before applying the effect.

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