The Aesthetics of Imperfection in Video Production

In my diploma thesis titled The Aesthetics of Imperfection in Video Production, I explore the phenomenon of various visual flaws and artefacts in the video image and their transformation from technical shortcomings into aesthetic devices.

I aimed to determine whether viewers always perceive imperfections as errors, or whether, in certain contexts, they may interpret them as artistic elements that contribute to authorial expression and emotional experience. I was also interested in where the boundary lies between an error resulting from technological limitations and an aesthetic device deliberately employed in the creation of video content.

In the theoretical part, I focus on how different types of imperfections arise, what they signify, and what they look like in practice. I analyse both digital artefacts, such as compression effects, and analogue irregularities.

For each example, I ask how creators use them intentionally, what effects they produce in the viewer, and in which cases such phenomena have been accepted as aesthetic devices.

My explanation also draws on the concept of the aesthetic of failure, which regards imperfection as a source of creative potential. I found it particularly interesting to examine animation and video games, where visual irregularities are used in unique ways, often as part of the narrative or to create a specific atmosphere.

The research approach is based on qualitative methods, with an emphasis on case studies, comparative analysis, and textual interpretation of selected scenes and music videos. Through these examples I explore how imperfections have been used, what they contributed to the overall aesthetic of the work, and how they would have been perceived had they occurred unintentionally.

In the practical part, I produced a short video illustrating the use of selected imperfections. This not only demonstrates their visual form but, above all, highlights their impact on the viewer’s perception.

For each effect, I considered how the audience might understand it if it were the result of a technical error, and how they perceive it when it is clearly employed as an aesthetic device. This reflection allowed me to better grasp the difference between unintentional mistakes and deliberate creative choices.