Production-grade resolution, without re-rendering from scratch
Upscale AI footage to 4K and beyond. Preserve motion clarity. Handle frame interpolation. Export color-managed for DaVinci, Nuke, and broadcast delivery.
Open workflow
When to use this recipe
Built for productions delivering to broadcast, theatrical, streaming, or large-format display.
Source below delivery resolution
Most AI video models output at standard HD. Broadcast and theatrical need 4K or higher. Upscale closes the gap without re-generating the shot.
Sequence requires resolution consistency
Mixing shots at different resolutions in one sequence reads as inconsistent. Upscale brings the whole sequence to a uniform delivery resolution.
Motion clarity at high resolution
Naive upscale produces motion smearing. Workflow preserves motion clarity via frame interpolation and motion-aware upscaling. Critical for action and camera-move shots.
Color-managed delivery
Rec.709 for HD broadcast. Rec.2020 for HDR. DCI-P3 for theatrical. Output color-managed for the target spec; colorist receives clean assets.
The workflow
Five steps from source footage at standard resolution to delivery-grade output.
Tips and failure modes
Six patterns separating clean delivery upscales from upscaled footage that fails on broadcast.
Upscale ratio matters
2x upscale (1080p to 4K) is reliable. 4x upscale (1080p to 8K) is harder; results vary. Generate at higher source resolution if you can rather than upscaling further.
Motion shots need motion-aware upscale
Default upscale produces motion artifacts on fast-action or camera-move shots. Use the motion-aware setting on these shots. Slower but cleaner.
Frame rate conversion is fragile
Source 24fps to delivery 60fps requires generating 36 intermediate frames per second. Results vary by content. Test on a 5-second sample before committing to a full reel.
Color space mismatches break delivery
Source Rec.709 to delivery Rec.2020 needs explicit color management. Without it, color shifts and clipping happen. Workflow handles this; confirm the color space target is set before export.
Throughput is compute-bound
Premium tier processes about 1 minute of 4K per 10 to 20 minutes wall-clock. For 30-minute deliverables, plan a half-day of compute. Ultra tier accelerates significantly.
Colorist still does the grade
Upscale is resolution work; color grade is creative judgment. Hand off clean color-managed assets to the colorist; do not pre-grade in the upscale step.
Frequently asked questions
What post-production teams ask about upscale for delivery.
Will this pass broadcast QC?
Yes when delivered to spec (resolution, frame rate, color space, codec). Broadcasters have automated QC. Output ProRes or DNxHR at the target spec passes reliably.
How does this compare to Topaz Video AI?
Topaz is excellent for specific upscale and frame-interpolation cases. This workflow integrates upscale into the platform pipeline alongside generation, character LoRA work, and other production steps. Use Topaz if you already have it; use the integrated workflow for end-to-end production.
What is the upscale limit?
2x upscale (1080p to 4K) is reliable. 4x (1080p to 8K, or 720p to 4K) varies by source. Above 4x typically does not produce usable results. Generate at higher native resolution if you need extreme delivery resolution.
Can I upscale photography too, not just video?
Yes. Image upscale uses the same workflow path. Often used for legacy product photography migration or vintage imagery restoration. See the Supplier Image Rescue recipe for image-specific use cases.
What about HDR delivery (Rec.2020)?
Workflow supports HDR output. Source must contain HDR information (or have been mastered to HDR before upscale); upscaling SDR footage does not create HDR. For HDR deliverables, plan HDR from generation.
How do I export for After Effects compositing?
Export as ProRes 4444 or DNxHR HQX to preserve compositing range. Adobe-friendly export option in the workflow. AE consumes the upscaled output natively.
Can I batch a season of episodes?
Yes on Premium or Ultra tier. The workflow handles batch operation. For long-form deliverables (30+ minutes per episode), Ultra tier with priority queueing is the practical fit.
Will this work with mixed source resolutions in one sequence?
Yes. Define target delivery spec; workflow upscales each source to that spec. Result is a sequence at uniform resolution. Frame rate must also unify; mixed frame rates need separate interpolation per shot.
Deliver at broadcast and theatrical resolution
Upscale for Delivery workflow produces 4K-and-beyond output with motion clarity preserved and color management baked in. Premium tier handles most production volume; Ultra for high-throughput delivery.
Open workflow