How to blur company branding from stock or b-roll footage
- Step 1Load the B-roll or stock clip — Drop the MP4, MOV, MKV, WEBM or AVI. Stock footage is usually MP4 or MOV; all load locally via FFmpeg.wasm with no upload. One clip per run.
- Step 2Scrub to the shot with the logo — Set Start (s) to where the brand mark appears — the picker renders that frame so you can box the logo precisely against the real footage.
- Step 3Box the logo — Drag a rectangle over the mark. Logos are usually fixed within a shot, so a snug box works; if the camera moves, enlarge the box to cover the drift. Reposition by dragging inside; resize with the SE corner.
- Step 4Set the time window for the shot — Enter End (s) for the end of the shot the logo appears in. The blur is active only between Start and End, so other shots in the clip stay clean.
- Step 5Pick the blur strength — A moderate-to-high Blur strength dissolves a wordmark or logo while keeping the surroundings natural. The radius caps at half the smaller side of the box, so enlarge the box rather than just the number if a small logo is still recognisable.
- Step 6Export and review the cut — Process to MP4 and review the shot at full size. Confirm the brand is no longer recognisable across the whole window — including the frame where the logo is largest or sharpest.
Brand-blur scenarios
Where unlicensed branding shows up in footage and how to box it.
| Branding | Box approach | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Store sign in a street shot | Box the sign for that shot's window | Window per shot; other shots stay clean |
| Laptop / phone logo | Snug box over the logo (fixed position) | Static box fits a static product shot |
| Competitor product label | Box the label; moderate-high strength | Enlarge if a small logo stays recognisable |
| Watermark on stock footage | Box the watermark across the clip | Often visible throughout — whole-clip window |
| Logo on a moving vehicle | Large box or several time windows | Static box can't track motion |
Redactor output for delivery
Fixed processing facts when prepping B-roll for a cut.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Processing | In-browser FFmpeg.wasm — no upload |
| Region | One rectangle per pass; boxblur over crop |
| Output | MP4 / H.264 (CRF 20, preset medium) |
| Audio (music / ambient) | Stream-copied, unchanged |
| Blur radius | strength (5–50), capped at min(W,H)/2 |
| Max file (Free / Pro / Media / Dev) | 1 GB / 10 GB / 100 GB / 100 GB |
Cookbook
Recipes for editors clearing branding from B-roll and stock before a commercial cut.
Blur a store sign in a street B-roll shot
A chain-store sign is in shot from 0:05 to 0:11 in a pan down the street. Box the sign and window it to the shot.
Source: city_broll.mp4, 3840x2160 Redact rectangle: X=1200 Y=300 Width=700 Height=240 Start (s): 5 End (s): 11 Blur strength: 38 radius = min(38, floor(240/2)) = 38 Filter: [0:v]split[base][redact];[redact]crop=700:240:1200:300,boxblur=38:1[blur]; [base][blur]overlay=1200:300:enable='between(t,5.000,11.000)'[outv]
Dissolve a laptop logo in a product cutaway
A branded laptop lid faces camera for the whole 6-second cutaway. Box the logo snugly and blur the entire clip.
Source: desk_cutaway.mov, 1920x1080 Redact rectangle: X=860 Y=480 Width=200 Height=120 Start (s): 0 End (s): (whole clip) Blur strength: 45 -> radius = min(45, floor(120/2)) = 45 Output: desk_cutaway.mp4 (music bed copied)
Remove a stock watermark across the clip
Comp/stock footage carries a corner watermark the whole time. Box the watermark and leave the window at default.
Source: comp_clip.mp4, 1280x720 Redact rectangle: X=900 Y=600 Width=320 Height=80 Start (s): 0 End (s): (whole clip) Blur strength: 50 -> radius = min(50, floor(80/2)) = 40
Two logos in one clip (two passes)
A street shot has both a billboard and a bus livery logo. One box per pass; process for the billboard, then feed the MP4 back for the bus.
Pass 1: shot.mp4 -> billboard box (window 0s-4s) -> step1.mp4 Pass 2: step1.mp4 -> bus-logo box (window 2s-6s) -> final.mp4
Small logo stays recognisable — enlarge the box
A 120×30 box over a thin wordmark only blurs a little (radius 15). Make the box taller so the brand fully dissolves.
Before: 120x30, strength 50 -> radius = floor(30/2) = 15 (readable) After: 160x90, strength 50 -> radius = floor(90/2) = 45 (dissolved)
Edge cases and what actually happens
Logo on a moving subject leaves the box
By designThe box is static for the window. A logo on a passing vehicle or a turning product moves out from under it. Size the box to cover the whole path, or split into time-windowed passes for each position.
Small wordmark still recognisable after blur
Insufficient radiusA thin box caps the boxblur radius at half its smaller side, so a wordmark may still read. Enlarge the box (taller/wider) to raise the cap and fully dissolve the brand. Check the sharpest frame.
Reflection or second instance of the logo
PreservedOnly the rectangle you drew is blurred. A logo reflected in glass, or a second logo elsewhere, stays visible. Run another pass with a box over it.
Output is MP4 from a MOV/WEBM source
By designStock MOV or WEBM clips come back as H.264 MP4. If your edit pipeline needs the original container or a delivery codec like ProRes, transcode the redacted result with the video-transcoder or use the prores-encoder.
Whole clip recompressed at CRF 20
ExpectedThe video stream is re-encoded once because the filter touches it. For a finishing pipeline that minimises generation loss, redact early and keep the master, or trim to the affected shot first with the lossless-trimmer.
Audio (music bed) preserved
PreservedAudio is stream-copied unchanged. If the clip also contains an audio brand mention or jingle you can't licence, the blur won't help — mute that span with audio-mute-region.
Stock metadata / watermark IDs survive
PreservedBlurring pixels doesn't remove container metadata, including stock-provider tags. Run the redacted file through the metadata-scrubber if those need clearing before delivery.
Large delivery file exceeds Free tier
Tier limitFree caps the video family at 1 GB per file; high-bitrate delivery masters can exceed it. Upgrade (Pro 10 GB, Pro + Media / Developer 100 GB) or trim to the shot needing redaction first.
Frequently asked questions
Does blurring a logo fully clear me of trademark issues?
Blurring removes the recognisable mark from the frame, which is the standard editorial step before commercial use — but legal clearance depends on the specific footage and jurisdiction. This tool handles the visual redaction; consult your rights or legal team for the IP determination.
Can the blurred logo be recovered?
No. The boxblur destroys the pixels in that region — it isn't a movable overlay. There's no original logo layer to reveal within the box you drew.
Why is a small logo still recognisable after blurring?
The blur radius caps at half the smaller side of the box, so a thin box can't blur hard. Make the box larger (taller and wider) around the logo and the cap rises, fully dissolving the brand.
Does the footage get uploaded?
No. It's processed in your browser via FFmpeg.wasm on your own machine. Nothing is sent to a server.
Can I blur the logo only in the shot it appears in?
Yes. Set Start (s) and End (s) to the shot's window; the blur is gated by enable='between(t,start,end)' so other shots stay clean and sharp.
There are two logos in the clip — can I blur both?
One rectangle per pass. Blur the first, then run the resulting MP4 back through the tool with a box and window for the second.
Will my music bed survive the redaction?
Yes — audio is stream-copied unchanged. If there's an unlicensed audio mention or jingle, mute that span with audio-mute-region.
What if the logo is on something moving?
The box is static for the window. Size it large enough to cover the motion, or split into multiple time-windowed passes. There's no automatic tracking except for faces (face-blur).
What output do I get, and can I deliver ProRes?
Output is H.264 MP4 (CRF 20, preset medium). For a finishing/delivery codec, transcode the result with the video-transcoder or encode ProRes with the prores-encoder.
Does it strip stock-provider metadata?
No — blurring is a pixel operation. Run the redacted file through the metadata-scrubber to clear container metadata before delivery.
How large a delivery file can I process?
Up to 1 GB on Free, 10 GB on Pro, and 100 GB on Pro + Media / Developer, with no length cap. For very large masters, trim to the affected shot first with the lossless-trimmer.
Will the rest of the footage stay sharp?
The whole video is re-encoded once at CRF 20 (visually near-transparent), and only your chosen rectangle and window are blurred. Everything else looks the same; redact early in the pipeline to minimise generation loss.
Privacy first
Every JAD Video tool runs entirely in your browser via WebCodecs and FFmpeg (WebAssembly). Your video files never leave your device — verified by zero outbound network requests during processing.