In 2012, mobile video editing was just starting out, and most apps could only do basic things like add filters. That’s when the SuperPower FX team came to us with an exciting idea.
They wanted to create an app that let users add superhero effects – like shooting lasers from their eyes or teleporting – right into their videos. This was something totally new for mobile devices, and the challenge was to make it work despite the technology limits at the time.
The Challenge: Make It Happen
Our job was to develop an iOS app that could turn their vision into reality. We had to make sure the effects were high-quality and fit smoothly into the videos, all while keeping the app simple to use. The biggest challenge? Creating a powerful app that worked well on mobile devices, which didn’t have much processing power back then.
Turning Ideas into Reality
We started by looking into SuperPower FX’s biggest competitor, Movie FX, an app that added effects to pre-recorded videos. To really understand how it worked, we reverse-engineered the app to see how it applied effects and what made it tick from a technical standpoint. This gave us crucial insights into their video effects process and helped us refine our own approach.
But SuperPower FX needed to go beyond what Movie FX was doing – it had to add effects in real-time, while users were recording, and apply those effects directly to the people in the video. We built the first version of SuperPower FX for iOS using what we learned from reverse-engineering Movie FX. Users could now pick a superhero effect, record a video, and instantly see things like lasers shooting from their eyes, fireballs from their hands, or even teleportation.
As the app became more popular, we teamed up with Oreo to create a special branded effect, which boosted user interest. However, we faced a new problem – the app was getting too big and slow. To fix this, we switched the image format from .png to .jpeg, making the app 10 times smaller and much faster. We also gave the app a fresh, modern design to make it easier and more enjoyable to use.
Success and Growth
The app was a hit. SuperPower FX became the first app of its kind and gained thousands of users around the world. To reach even more people, we developed an Android version and later created AnimePower FX, which allowed users to add anime-inspired effects like tornadoes and tsunamis to their videos.
Today, SuperPower FX has over 500,000 downloads and more than 20,000 positive reviews on the App Store and Google Play. The app’s success shows how it has transformed regular videos into superhero scenes, making it a leader in mobile video editing for superhero fans everywhere.
The app is still available on the App Store – check it out and experience a piece of history!
Looking to develop your own video editing app? Contact us or book a quick call.
We'll discuss your project, brainstorm ideas, and offer you an initial estimate. It’s free.
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