TikTok is a popular social media app that allows users to create and share short videos. Since launching in 2016, TikTok has grown to over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide (Source: https://www.houseofmarketers.com/47-tiktok-user-stats-and-tiktok-statistics-2022-2023/). The app is especially popular among Gen Z users.
One of the key features of TikTok are its filters and effects. Filters alter the look of the entire video, while effects add graphic elements to specific parts of a video. Both filters and effects allow users to get creative, express themselves, and enhance their videos.
In this article, we’ll take a deeper look at the differences between TikTok filters and effects, how they work, and provide examples of some of the most popular options.
What are TikTok filters?
TikTok filters allow users to alter their appearance in videos, applying effects like smoothing skin, adding makeup, changing facial features, or adding virtual accessories. Filters use augmented reality (AR) technology to detect and modify a person’s face in real time as they record videos.
Some examples of popular TikTok filters include ones that add freckles, change eye color, add virtual jewelry or headpieces, apply digital makeup looks, add facial hair or tattoos, make eyes look bigger, or give an anime-inspired look. There are hundreds of filters available in the TikTok app that users can scroll through and try out.
Filters work by using advanced computer vision algorithms to perform facial mapping and tracking. As the TikTok camera scans the user’s face, the filter overlays the selected effects and adjustments over the person’s real facial features and skin. This creates an augmented reality effect within the video.
According to BrandXR, “TikTok utilizes advanced algorithms and AI to seamlessly integrate filters with user-generated content.” The technology is optimized to work quickly and smoothly, reacting in real-time as the user moves and changes expression (https://www.brandxr.io/exploring-the-world-of-tiktok-filters). This allows the filters to modify a person’s appearance while still looking natural on camera.
Types of TikTok filters
TikTok has a vast library of filters that allow users to transform their appearance or surroundings in fun and creative ways. Some popular categories of TikTok filters include:
Beauty filters
Beauty filters smooth skin, brighten eyes, apply makeup looks, and adjust colors to make you look your best. These are some of the most used filters on TikTok for selfies and videos. Examples include the Angel filter that gives a natural beauty enhancement and the Glam filter that applies a full face of makeup.
Fun filters
Fun filters add entertaining effects and augmented reality elements like facial distortions, animations, and stickers. The Shapes filter morphs your face with geometrical shapes, while the Wanderlust filter shows travel stickers floating around you.
Animations
Animation filters overlay computer-generated effects to make you part of an illustrated world. The Anime filter turns you into an animated character, and the Pixel filter pixelates your surroundings in a retro video game aesthetic.
What are TikTok effects?
TikTok effects add extra visual or sound elements to videos. Effects use augmented reality (AR) technology to overlay graphics, filters, and other enhancements over a video in real-time. This allows users to create more dynamic and visually engaging videos.
Some examples of TikTok effects include:
- Face filters that add makeup, accessories, or distort facial features
- Background effects like rain, snowfall, or changing the scene
- Overlaying 3D objects, text, emojis, or stickers
- Green screen and perspective effects
- Voice effects like auto-tune
Effects tap into the phone’s camera and sensors to track the environment and user’s face to anchor the enhancements properly as the camera moves. This makes the effects appear seamless and integrated into the real footage.
Effects help videos stand out and go viral. Popular effects get added to TikTok’s Effect Gallery for any user to browse and add to their own videos. Brands and influencers often create customized branded effects as part of their TikTok marketing campaigns.
According to TikTok AR Examples for Brands, some notable effect campaigns include Chipotle’s lid scanner, e.l.f Cosmetics’ Magic Rainbow filter, and Gymshark’s contouring effect.
Types of TikTok Effects
There are a few main types of effects available on TikTok:
Visual Effects
Visual effects alter the look of your videos. Some examples include filters that change the color tones, add graphic overlays, or manipulate facial features. Popular visual effects include the Green Screen effect for custom backgrounds, Time Warp Scan for a cool scanning effect, and Beauty for smoothing skin and enhancing facial features (1).
Sound Effects
Sound effects add audio elements like music, voice effects, or ambient noise. You can browse TikTok’s music library to add songs and sounds. Some fun audio effects are Echo for an echoing voice and Time Warp for distorted slowed-down audio (2).
Transitions
Transition effects seamlessly switch between video clips. TikTok offers quick transitions like Jump Cut, Zoom, Spin, and Glitch. Using transitions is an easy way to level up basic slideshow-style videos (3).
TikTok is continuously expanding its effect library, so new creative effects are always being added. But most effects fall into these core visual, sound, and transition categories.
Sources:
(1) https://www.iconosquare.com/blog/the-15-tiktok-filters-and-effects-you-want-to-use
(2) https://filmora.wondershare.com/tiktok/tiktok-filters.html
(3) https://www.cyberlink.com/blog/app-video-editing/1927/best-filters-for-tiktok
Difference in functionality
The key difference between filters and effects lies in what they actually do to your videos. As the name suggests, TikTok filters apply changes to the filters of a video, altering the colors, saturation, brightness and other visual elements. Filters do not add any new elements to a video, they simply modify what’s already there. According to Iconosquare, TikTok filters are very similar to Instagram filters in this way.
In contrast, TikTok effects actively add new visuals and modifications that weren’t originally present in the video. As explained by Artlist, effects can morph your face, voice, and environment, inserting new animations, graphics, and distortions that go beyond just changing colors and filters. So while filters only change how you look, effects can add entirely new elements, almost like Snapchat lenses.
The key difference is that filters change a person’s appearance, while effects add extra elements that weren’t originally there. Filters modify, effects augment.
Creating filters vs effects
Filters and effects on TikTok are created in different ways. Filters are created using augmented reality (AR) technology. They are made in Effect House, TikTok’s AR creation suite. Users can choose an image or video clip and use AR tools to apply different effects and animations to their face or body. The resulting filter can be saved and shared for anyone to use in their TikTok videos.
Effects, on the other hand, are created using editing software outside of the TikTok app. They are added in post-production to create unique transitions, graphics, captions, green screen backgrounds, and more. Effects are manually edited onto video clips rather than generated in real-time like filters. Popular editing apps used to make effects include Premiere Pro, After Effects, and InShot. The custom effect videos are then uploaded to TikTok for others to use.
The key difference is that filters rely on AR technology to alter users’ appearance in real-time, while effects are editing tricks added after recording. But both serve to enhance TikTok videos in visually engaging ways.
Popular Examples
Some of the most popular filters and effects used on TikTok currently include:
- Green Screen – This popular TikTok filter lets users easily add custom backgrounds behind themselves or objects in their videos. It’s one of the most widely used filters on the platform.
- Time Warp Scan – The Time Warp Scan effect scans across the subject to create a cool warped distortion effect. It’s commonly used for transition effects.
- Anime filter – This effect turns videos into an animated cartoon. It smooths and beautifies skin and makes eyes bigger.
- Invisible filter – This effect hides part of the subject to make them look invisible. It’s fun for magic trick-style videos.
- Disney filter – Adds a Disney character filter over your face, like Mickey Mouse or a Disney princess.
According to Influencer Marketing Hub, the Green Screen, Anime Filter, and Invisible Filter are among the top filters used on TikTok in 2023.
Using filters and effects together
One of the most creative ways to take your TikTok videos to the next level is by layering filters and effects together. This allows you to combine multiple visual changes into one video for a more dynamic and eye-catching result.
TikTok makes it easy to use filters and effects together. Once you’ve added your first filter or effect, tap the ‘+’ icon at the bottom to add another. You can keep tapping ‘+’ to add more layers. The order matters – whatever you add first will be on the bottom layer.
Some popular ways creators combine filters and effects include:
- Adding a color filter first, then using the green screen effect to overlay custom backgrounds behind you
- Starting with the time warp filter, then adding sparkles or other VFX on top
- Layering multiple beauty filters for a highly edited look
The key is experimenting and finding unique combos that enhance your content. Try out unexpected or contrasting pairings. The more creative you get with mixing and matching filters and effects, the more your videos will stand out on TikTok.
Conclusion
In summary, the main differences between TikTok filters and effects are that filters change the overall look and feel of a video, while effects add specific elements into a video. Filters adjust aspects like color, contrast, and mood, almost like putting an Instagram filter on a photo. Effects enable creators to insert animated objects, stickers, text, and more. Both are important creative tools on TikTok.
Filters help set the tone and aesthetic of a video, while effects add fun embellishments that enhance and personalize content. Successful TikTok creators utilize both filters and effects to stylize their videos in line with current trends and their personal brand. Finding the right combinations of filters and effects is key to creating eye-catching and engaging content that resonates with viewers.
Understanding the nuances between filters and effects unlocks more possibilities for creativity and self-expression on TikTok. Those who master these tools gain an advantage in capturing audience attention in a competitive environment. Though different in function, filters and effects work hand in hand to elevate videos and bring creative visions to life on the platform.
