Distortion-Based Video Re-Encoding

An input video stream of video content may be encoded and transmitted from a provider to an intermediary, which decodes and edits the video content, and then re-encodes and transmits the video content to end viewers via an output video stream. When re-encoding the video content, the intermediary may determine to selectively re-use and/or not re-use input motion vectors from the input video stream, for example based on an amount of distortion associated with editing of the video content. In some examples, input motion vectors may be re-used for re-encoding of certain portions (e.g., frames, parts of frames, etc.) of the output video stream and not re-used for re-encoding of other portions of the output video stream.