What is the Invisible Body Effect?
The invisible body effect is a video editing technique that has become popular on the video-sharing app TikTok. It uses green screen technology to make parts of a person’s body appear invisible or transparent in the video.
The effect works by having the person stand in front of a green background while filming. The video editing software can then detect and remove the green, making anything in front of it seem invisible. The remaining non-green portions of the video are composited over a new background image or video.
While green screens and video transparency effects have been around for decades, the invisible body effect became hugely popular in 2022 thanks to creators on TikTok. It spawned thousands of videos of people dancing, posing, and performing skits with missing body parts.
See example videos: https://www.tiktok.com/discover/invisible-body-effect?lang=en
History and Origins
The invisible body effect originated from TikTok user @ezgocopter in October 2020, who posted the very first video using the effect which involved removing his body from view while keeping his clothing visible [1]. The video quickly went viral, gaining over 30 million views. This inspired many other TikTok users to create their own versions using the effect.
The effect continued gaining popularity over time as more videos were created using it. One particularly viral video was posted in August 2021 by TikTok user @mikayuu, showing her dancing and removing her body parts one by one using the effect [2]. This video gained over 200 million views and helped expose the effect to an even wider audience.
By late 2021, the invisible body effect had become one of the most popular effects on TikTok, with searches for terms like “invisible body filter” accumulating billions of views [2]. Its viral nature and creative possibilities made it a staple effect for many top creators on the platform.
Why it Became Popular
The invisible body effect became hugely popular on TikTok due to its novelty and fun factor. As a new and unique visual effect, it captured people’s imaginations and inspired them to create their own humorous and engaging videos using the effect. According to an article on Dexerto, the effect “makes the skin of the person in frame look ‘invisible,’ and the use of the background in the video causes it to look bizarrely surreal” (source). This magical disappearing act was a fresh and entertaining concept that hadn’t been seen before.
The effect also allows for creativity in making videos. As explained in an article on Distractify, “it acts as a green screen where your body’s skin tone is matched to the color of your background” (source). TikTokers could choose fun backdrops and move in silly or surprising ways to create amusing illusions of floating clothes and disconnected body parts. The technical way the filter works enables all kinds of wacky video ideas.
Additionally, the invisible body effect is powered by artificial intelligence and computer vision technology. As described by Checkmarx, “This effect removes the character’s body from the video, making a blurred contour image of it” (source). The AI detects the human form and seamlessly renders only the background visible, replacing the person’s body with a “cloaked” blurred outline. This impressive technology captured attention when the effect first emerged.
Popular Types of Videos
The invisible body effect is widely used in certain genres of videos on TikTok. Some of the most popular types include:
Dance/lip-sync videos – The effect allows creators to appear as though they are dancing without a body. It creates an interesting visual of just a floating head busting moves. Creators can perform dances and lip-sync songs in a playful new way. Cara MacLeod’s dance videos are a great example.
Magic trick style videos – The invisible body effect lends itself well to tricks and illusions. For example, creators can “remove” their bodies or body parts in magical reveal videos. They can also appear to float objects around themselves. Zach King frequently uses the effect for magic tricks.
Interacting with real objects – An intriguing application is having the invisible creator seemingly interact with real people or objects around them. Their disembodied head or limbs can be shown playing with pets, poking friends, or grasping items. Noah Beck’s videos incorporate this type of real world interaction.
Notable Examples and Creators
The invisible body effect quickly became popular among top TikTok creators, who found innovative ways to utilize the visual trick in their videos.
One of the most viewed invisible body effect videos comes from TikTok creator @mackenziejonesofficial. In her viral video that has over 4 million views, Jones takes advantage of the effect by making it seem like she swaps clothes with her invisible doppelganger (source).
TikTok superstar @charlidamelio filmed an invisible body video showing her dancing with an invisible version of herself. The video blew up and currently has over 46 million views (source).
Another top creator @ohbukster received millions of views on his comedic invisible body skits, like one where his invisible clone seems to walk through walls (source).
Many dancers have also gone viral using the effect in transitions to make it appear as if they instantly switch outfits in the middle of a routine, like @mattia_polibio’s video with over 17 million views (source).
Overall, leading TikTok creators have paved the way in showcasing the creative possibilities with the invisible body effect, whether for comedy, dance, transitions, or illusions. Their innovative videos have inspired even more users to test out the effect for themselves.
Limitations and Criticisms
One of the main limitations of the invisible body effect is the difficulty of perfecting the effect. While the effect can produce amusing videos, completely removing the body in a seamless way requires carefully controlling the filming environment and body positioning. Many TikTok creators note it takes multiple tries to make the effect look believable and flawless (https://www.tiktok.com/@testingthelimits). The effect also does not work as well on certain body types and skin tones.
The invisible body effect has also received some criticism for promoting unrealistic beauty standards. By making part or all of their body invisible, some argue TikTokers reinforce the idea that only certain body types are desirable or “worthy” of being seen. The effect’s viral popularity highlights how some social media trends can reinforce self-confidence issues and negative body image, especially among young users. While many use the effect simply for fun and entertainment, some experts encourage examining the unintended cultural impacts of trends like the invisible body effect.
Impact on Culture
The Invisible Body Effect has become a notable part of TikTok video culture. Its widespread popularity has inspired numerous related memes, challenges, and even songs.
One example is the “Invisible Body Challenge,” where people try to come up with creative ways to use the effect in their videos. Challenges like this further spread the trend and inspire new iterations.
The effect has also made its way into pop culture through references in songs. Rapper Doja Cat released a track called “Invisible” which uses audio of the effect from TikTok videos. The lyrics play on the visual effect from the videos. This shows how quickly memes from the app can cross over into mainstream media.
Overall, the Invisible Body Effect is now ingrained as a familiar part of the culture and creativity on TikTok. Even if the specific effect loses popularity in the future, it has already made a noticeable impact and influenced pop culture more broadly.
Other Social Media Platforms
The Invisible Body effect also gained popularity on other social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube.
On Instagram, users utilized the effect in Reels and photos. Instagram introduced a similar “invisible body” effect in its Spark AR filters that allowed users to create videos where parts of their body disappeared (source).
On YouTube, creators began filming “invisible body prank” videos where they would pretend parts of their body disappeared in public or scared friends and family. The effect was adapted for YouTube’s vertical video format for Shorts (source).
A key difference is that the effect originated and is primarily used in a playful or comedic manner on TikTok, while on other platforms like YouTube it is often used for “prank” videos. But across social media, the effect allows creators to appear to remove parts of their body in a unique visual trick.
Future Possibilities
The invisible body effect could evolve in fascinating ways as technology advances. Researchers are already exploring how virtual reality and augmented reality could take the illusion to the next level. For example, one study showed that using a VR headset could enhance the feeling of having an invisible body. This could lead to more immersive implementations of the effect in the future.
There are also many potential innovative uses for the invisible body effect. It could be used therapeutically to help people with conditions like chronic pain or body image issues. Artists and content creators could use it in innovative performances and experiences. As the effect becomes more advanced, we may even see practical invisibility cloaking become feasible. While still firmly in the realm of science fiction, the possibilities are exciting to consider.
As technology progresses, the invisible body effect has an intriguing future ahead. We can expect developers and creators to find new ways this illusion could impact how we interact with the world and each other.
Conclusion
In summary, the invisible body effect has become a popular trend on TikTok due to the seemingly magical illusion it creates through creative video editing and effects. Users employ green screens, body suits, and other techniques to make parts of their body transparent or invisible in videos, often blending into the background or appearing to float.
While some creators use the effect in more serious or artistic ways, it tends to lend itself to lighthearted and fun videos,amazing viewers and allowing users to show off their editing skills. As the effect relies on post-production techniques, it does have limitations in terms of how seamlessly the illusion of invisibility can be achieved.
The invisible body effect demonstrates the capacity for short form video platforms like TikTok to produce innovative trends and effects that capture people’s imaginations. Understanding why certain effects take off and propagate across social media can provide insight into human creativity, desires for escapism and fantasy, and how we present ourselves online. While often playful on the surface, trends like the invisible body effect have deeper cultural significance in terms of identity, aesthetics, and community on social platforms.
