17 first video workflows

First-video workflows

Use these short routes before building a long or high-resolution job. Each save has a different owner: a heart saves a seed, Save composition saves the timeline and sources, Render writes the native output, and Save export creates an edited copy.

A native fractal video

1. Open Resources. Check the enabled GPU(s), choose H.264 MP4, and decide whether to retain PNGs for later Clip Studio editing. Leave CPU/GPU headroom while learning the workflow.
2. On Explore, choose a family and generate seeds. Open Fine tune on a promising result, choose a supported saved animation preset, render a short preview, then Heart animated seed. Use Heart static seed if you want to author all animation in Compose.
3. On Compose, select the seed. Start with one source and a short duration such as 4 seconds at 30 FPS (120 rendered frames).
4. Add camera segments or parameter keys. A static source with a Hold camera and no parameter animation will produce a static clip; increasing FPS does not create motion.
5. Add a second source only after the first works. Confirm the Base layer, choose overlay or supported Formula mix deliberately, and preview the blend before adding more effects.
6. Render an animation-preview window at the start, around a transition, and near the end. Use the full-flight storyboard for coverage of a longer composition.
7. Save composition with a recognizable name. In Render, select that name, check whether the button says Render selected or Render queued, keep the preview renderer, and clear size overrides unless you intend to change output dimensions.
8. Render. Open Videos → Clip Studio, select the completed clip, play it, then apply trim/speed/effects if needed. Save export writes an edited copy; it does not replace the saved Compose animation.

Start from a guided recipe

Expand Guided starter renders on Explore and choose Start in Compose. Check the recipe's source rows, camera segments, and risk note. Recipe names describe a direction; approve the actual base/layer order and current preview. Save under a new name before experimenting if you want to keep a version.

A procedural video without Compose

1. Open Videos → Live FX, Generator Lab, or Shader Lab.
2. Choose an effect, family, or shader starter. Generate this keeps that subject; Generate any can change it.
3. Set the source's motion and color while the live preview runs. Lock controls you want builder actions to preserve.
4. Set Exact output dimensions, FPS, frame count/duration, and format. Preview quality is a separate interaction setting.
5. Add post effects deliberately with Add effect. Temporal feedback/trails require ordered rendering and may reduce parallelism.
6. Render final output. The finished result appears in Video library; open it in Clip Studio only if another edit/export is needed.

A repeatable Auto experiment

Choose the native or procedural engine on Auto Builder, constrain the subject, set a short duration and modest size/FPS, and enter a repeatable seed. Use Preview plan first. Inspect the route and frame count, then Generate one. Use Queue batch after one example behaves as intended. Cancel/retry Auto jobs in its Build queue, even when Render mirrors their activity.

Understand the three clocks

Clock	Changes what?	Does not do
Seed animation speed/phase and Compose tracks	The actual source/camera state sampled for each rendered frame	Does not merely change video playback speed
Preview window/player	Which interval and cached samples you inspect	Does not rewrite the saved profile or composition
Clip Studio speed/ping-pong/output FPS	Playback/export of already rendered frames	Does not generate new fractal detail or new seed states

For slow motion with more unique detail, render the source at a higher FPS first. A 30 FPS source slowed to 0.5× has only 15 unique source frames per displayed second.

Continue: Troubleshooting.