Sequencer

Overview

Sequencer is an animation tool who’s goal is to combine multiple animation clips and assemble them into a cinematic.

User Manual

Sequencer follows a non-linear editor methodology. Using a traditionally styled time track and play-head, users can quickly add, edit and delete tracks and play them back over time.

Interface Overview

_images/ext_sequencer_ui-overview.png

Ref #

Button Name

Action

1

Sequencer Camera
Toggles the use of shot tracks to override viewport camera selection.

2

Create Track
Creates a new empty Shot, Asset or Audio track.

3

Sequence Controls
Play-Head Controls
Back: Moves the Play-Head back one frame
Play: Plays the sequence at the framerate set in FPS.
Forward: Moves the Play-Head forward one frame.
Loop: When playing and last frame reached, starts at beginning.

4

Play Head
The current frame of the sequence timeline.

5

FPS
How many frames per second to use for playback and recording.

6

Current Frame
Displays and allows setting the exact frame number of the Play-Head.

7

Movie Capture
Opens the Movie Capture extension if available.

8

Sequencer Options
Gives access to Sequencer Options.

9

Start Frame
Defines the start frame of the animation sequence.

10

Low Frame Filter
Frames below the frame designated are filtered from view.

11

High Frame Filter
Frames above the frame designated are filtered from view.

12

End Frame
Displays and allows setting the sequence end frame.

Note

When using frame filters, the filter bar will double as a horizontal scroll bar allowing you to quickly navigate your sequence.

Right Click Menus

Right Click Menus are contextual menus that display a variety of options based one what is selected. In sequencer, right click menus are used in both the shot pane and the track pane.

Shot Pane

Selected

Right Click Options

Result

Any Track

Delete Track

Permanently discards the selected track.

Any Track

Move Track Down

Moves Track Up 1 Slot

Any Track

Move Track Up

Moves Track Down 1 Slot

Nothing

Create Shot Track

Creates a Shot Track

Nothing

Create Asset Track

Creates an Asset Track

Nothing

Create Audio Track

Creates an Audio Track
Track Pane (Tracks)

Selected

Right Click Options

Result

Any Track

Delete Track

Permanently discards the selected track.

Any Track

Add Clip from Reference

Shot Track

Add New Shot

Adds a Shot Clip to the Selected Track

Shot Track

Add Selected as Shot

Adds the Selected Camera to the Shot Track

Nothing

Create Shot Track

Creates a Shot Track

Nothing

Create Asset Track

Creates an Asset Track

Nothing

Create Audio Track

Creates an Audio Track
Track Pane (Clips)

Selected

Right Click Options

Result

Any Clip

Delete Clip

Deletes the Clip Permanently

Any Clip

Duplicate Clip

Duplicates and positions clip after the selected clip.

Any Clip

Select Target

Selects the Selected the Target Mesh in the Stage

Any Clip

Select Animation

Selects the Selected Animation Clip in the Stage

Any Clip

Use Selected Prim as Target

Uses the Selected Mesh in Stage as Animation Target.

Any Clip

Use Selected Prim as Animation

Uses the Selected Animation in Stage as Animation.

Tracks and clips

In sequencer, tracks are containers for clips. For example, Asset Tracks can hold a number of Asset Clips however and Audio Track can not contain a Shot Clip. These tracks are designated by color.

_images/ext_sequencer_tracks-and-clips.png

Type

Color

Asset Track

Light Blue

Asset Clip

Dark Blue

Shot Track

Light Green

Shot Clip

Dark Green

Audio Track

Light Grey

Audio Clip

Dark Grey

Track Order

The order of tracks is important.

Tracks higher in the track list take priority. For example, if your sequence employs 2 camera tracks and their clips were to overlap, the top camera in the sequence will display while with assets, if the same character is applied to two tracks with overlapping clips, again the animation higher in the list will play.

Asset Tracks

In order to control the animation of a given model, assets are assigned asset tracks when dragged to the sequencer. Each line in light blue represents an Asset Track while the Dark Blue “Blocks” within the track represent the animation sequence (Asset Clip).

To create an asset track, several methods can be employed.

  • Use Add Track to create a track.

    _images/ext_sequencer_create-asset-track.png

  • Drag an asset from the stage to the sequencer.

    _images/ext_sequencer_asset-track-from-stage.png

  • Drag an asset from the content browser to the sequencer.

    _images/ext_sequencer_asset-track-from-browser.png
Assigning Asset Clips to Tracks

Asset Clips can be assigned to Asset Tracks.

Dragging a desired skeletal mesh to a track from the stage will generate a Track Clip.

_images/ext_sequencer_anim-clip-from-stage.png

Once the clip is displayed for the asset, it can be replaced with another skeletal animation.

_images/ext_sequencer_anim-clip-from-browser.png

To Position the Timing of the Shot…

  • Click and Drag the Clip to Position the Clip in in Timeline.

Note

Adjusting the In/Out handles on the clip can truncate your animation.

Shot Tracks

Shot Tracks allow for cameras to be assumed based on specified timing.

To add a camera to a shot track, simply select the + button in Sequencer, and select Shot Track to add a Shot Track.

_images/ext_sequencer_create-shot-track.png
Assigning Cameras to Tracks

Cameras get assigned to Shot Tracks and are called Shot Clips. These clips denote when when a specified camera will take control of the viewport. Cameras higher in the sequencer take priority.

Once the track is created, you can…

  • Drag a Camera From the Stage into the Shot Track

  • Select a camera in the Viewport or the Stage, Then Right Click on the Track and select Use Selected as Shot.

To Position the Timing of the Shot…

  • You can now stretching / squeeze the time with the Clip Handles.

  • You can position the track by clicking on the center of the clip and dragging.

To Review Your Shots…

  • Toggle the Sequence Camera to Enabled (Blue)

  • Click and Drag on the Playhead to “Scrub” Time.

  • You Should Notice that your Viewport Switches to Cameras based on the timeline.

  • Once pleased with results, press play to review playback at a specified rate.

Audio Tracks

Audio tracks allows for audio samples to be triggered and stopped at specified times.

To Add an Audio Track select the + button in Sequencer, and select Audio Track to add an Audio Track.

_images/ext_sequencer_create-audio-track.png
Assigning Audio Clips to Audio Tracks

To Add an Audio Clip to an Audio Track, Drag an Sound Prim from the Stage to the Audio Track.

  • The Audio Clip will adjust its length to the duration of the sound.

To Position the Timing of the Audio Clip…

  • You can position the track by clicking on the center of the clip and dragging.

Note

Adjusting the In/Out handles on the audio clip may result in your sound being truncated.

To Review Your Audio…

  • Sounds are now triggered in time, press play to hear the sounds being triggered based on the timeline in sequencer.

Editing Clips

To move a clip in the sequence, click on the clip body and drag left or right.

In addition to moving clips, you can also trim, loop, scale and split clips.

Trimming Clips

When Trimming clips using the trim handle, the source animation timing will remain constant in the sequence.

Trimming sets the Clip Source Animation In and Out Properties.

_images/ext_sequencer_clip_trimming.gif
Looping Clips

When dragging the looping handle, the clip will be set to looping when dragging from within the clip body or from the end of the clip available range.

_images/ext_sequencer_clip_looping.gif
Scaling Clips

When dragging the scale handle, the clip play rate will adjust to match the clip scale. Play rate will be displayed in the clip body if it is not equal to 1.0.

_images/ext_sequencer_clip_scaling.gif
Splitting Clips

Splitting a clip will create a new clip, truncating the original clip.

_images/ext_sequencer_clip_splitting.gif