FrameFlow – Advanced Reference Tool for Maya

FrameFlow by Levent Ulas: advanced video and image reference tool for Autodesk Maya

FrameFlow is an advanced video and image reference tool for Autodesk Maya, designed to help character animators work with animation references directly inside the Maya viewport. Instead of constantly switching between Maya and an external video player, you import, organise, adjust and retime your reference without leaving your animation workspace.

Scrub the Maya timeline and the video follows.

What FrameFlow does

It puts your reference where you are already looking. References sit in the viewport, stay synchronised with Maya’s timeline, and can be retimed to match what you are animating. Reference Time Warp lets you adjust reference playback timing with an editable timing curve so the reference lines up with your shot rather than the other way round. FrameFlow also supports multiple references, which gives you room to compare different performances, camera angles or ideas.

Key features of FrameFlow

• Video reference in Maya, import and display video references directly inside the Maya viewport
• Timeline synchronisation, keep reference playback synchronised with Maya’s animation timeline
• Reference Time Warp, retime video references using an editable timing curve
• Multiple references, import and manage several references within the same Maya scene
• Playback speed control, speed up or slow down reference playback to study motion and timing
• Reference trimming, adjust start frames and playback ranges
• Image sequence support, work with image sequences as well as supported video formats
• Viewport customisation, resize, reposition, zoom, crop and rotate references
• Colour adjustments, modify brightness, contrast, colour and opacity for better visibility
• Simple Maya interface, a clean workflow designed for everyday animation work

What FrameFlow is great for

• Character animation, where the reference needs to sit beside the rig rather than on a second monitor
• Body mechanics, where timing against the reference is the whole job
• Acting shots, where you are matching a performance beat for beat
• Creature animation and cinematics
• Motion reference analysis, slowed down or retimed to study what is happening

How it fits your Maya workflow

The point of a video reference tool for Maya is to stop you switching applications. Pull the reference in, trim it to the range you care about, warp its timing to your shot, and adjust brightness or opacity until it reads over your viewport. Scrub, and it follows. When you need a second angle, load another reference alongside the first.

Compatibility

Autodesk Maya 2022 to 2027, using the appropriate compatible build. Supported video formats may depend on the available decoding components.

FrameFlow by Levent Ulas. See more animation plugins on Animworks.