Quality
Controls the severity of simulated compression.
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StylizeIntermediate
JPEGDamage
Compression artifact simulation
Simulates JPEG-style block artifacts, frequency loss and digital compression damage.
JPEGDamage
DaVinci Resolve · Fusion
JPEGDamage creates controlled low-quality compression artifacts for degraded-video, glitch and digital-failure looks.
Overview
What JPEGDamage does
Quality controls the overall severity, Resolution sets the block grid scale and Frequency Scale changes how much image-frequency information survives. The result can resemble aggressive JPEG compression, low-bitrate digital media or intentionally corrupted frames.
Because compression artifacts depend strongly on image scale, the effect should be tuned close to the final output resolution. Resizing afterward can soften or distort the intended blocks.
Mental model
Think of JPEGDamage as a deliberately bad compressor: lower the quality, choose the block scale and decide which frequency components are damaged most.
Common uses
Digital glitch effects
Low-quality web-image styling
Compression-hit transitions
Corrupted-media sequences
Flow anatomy
Inputs & outputs
The port structure shows how this node fits into a Fusion graph.
Input
Source image for the operation.
Effect Mask
Optional mask that limits where the node affects the image.
JPEGDamage
Fusion node
Output
The processed result from this node.
Inspector
Important parameters
Start with these controls before reaching for more complicated workarounds.
Resolution
Sets the scale at which compression blocks are generated.
Block Aspect Ratio
Changes the shape of the simulated block grid.
Frequency Scale
Controls how image-frequency information is reduced.
Scale Component
Chooses whether all, X or Y frequency components are affected.
Scale Component: All Frequencies
Sets Scale Component to All Frequencies.
Scale Component: X-Frequency
Sets Scale Component to X-Frequency.
Scale Component: Y-Frequency
Sets Scale Component to Y-Frequency.
Practical setup
A reliable workflow
- 1
Set the comp close to final delivery resolution.
- 2
Lower Quality until the desired block structure appears.
- 3
Tune Resolution to match the intended digital medium.
- 4
Use frequency controls for directional or stylized damage.
- 5
Check motion and compression after export.
Typical node chain
Clean image→
JPEGDamage→
Compressed look
Examples
Where this node fits in real work
Web compression look
Use moderate quality reduction and small blocks for degraded online-video styling.
MediaInJPEGDamageMediaOut
Glitch transition
Animate severe JPEG damage over a short transition interval.
MediaInJPEGDamageDissolveMediaOut
Troubleshooting
Common mistakes
Resizing heavily after creating the block pattern
Using extreme damage for long-form footage
Confusing JPEG artifacts with analog noise
Ignoring final codec compression
Production notes
Practical tips
Tune the effect at final resolution.
Short bursts of severe compression can work well for transitions.
Combine with chroma offsets only when the design calls for a broader glitch look.
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