Aberrations (or flaws) in the design of these lenses created the single most identifying characteristic anamorphics are known for, their anamorphic lens flare, creating a broad streak of "searing" light emanating from any bright source of light in the frame. While the anamorphic streak is technically an error, that specific artifact defines so many great movies, they have ended up developing a certain cachet of their own in defining “cinematic” to many viewers.

Fast forward to the 21st century: Arri released their Master Anamorphics that were optically refined to the point that they did not create anamorphic streaks, which cinematographers and directors had come to love.

However the use of the anamorphic streak has not faded, The JJ Abrams stylistic reboot of the Star Trek franchise utilized a large number of flares forcibly created as part of the production design

There was a need apparent in the market to create the “anamorphic streak” effect in camera with the new high-resolution anamorphic lenses that didn’t streak and also with standard non-anamorphic “spherical” lenses.

Ira Tiffen at OPTEFEX first popularized the use of filters to produce the anamorphic blue streak effect by laminating color-tinted cylindrical lenses between sheets of glass. When Ira joined Schneider Optics his team at Schneider began producing those filters. Now there are multiple styles available from Schneider, Vantage, Tiffen Filters, Formatt and the new Lindsey Optics Rota-Streak.

Missy Elliott WTF Music Video Shot with a Schneider True-Streak Filter

Streak filters mimic the look of an anamorphic lens flare, causing streaks on bright light sources or reflections in the scene. Streaks are created from any specular light source or reflection in the scene rendering headlights, flashlights, candles and any practical lights in the scene with the definitive smeary look of an anamorphic style streak. By varying the spacing of the rod lenses in the filter, Lindsey Optics provides filters that allow the user to choose stronger or weaker filters to increase or decrease the strength of the streak effect

Bringing the “anamorphic look” to a new generation of filmmakers via selective filtering allows smaller projects and independent productions to take on the look of big budget features, while maintaining the cost savings of working with standard spherical lenses instead of renting a set of the limited anamorphics available.