Get started with the Cinematic Studio Template

Discover Sequences through the sample

Create a new Sequence Asset

Bring the Sequence Asset to life

Manage Sequence Asset Variants

Export your final cut

In this short introductory learning experience, you’ll explore the Cinematic Studio Sample and use some of Unity’s key cinematic features to:

Get familiar with a cinematic built on Sequences

Create and adjust your own content within the sample

Export a video and other data from the sample

Cinematic Content Creation with Sequences

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Overview

Lock the Timeline window

Adjust the character position for the shot

Prepare the character for the animation

Record the animation

Save and play

Next steps

In this tutorial, you’ll record a short animation of the Sequence Asset you just created.

Now that you’ve created a Sequence Asset and added it to a Sequence, you’re ready to create and record a short animation to bring this Sequence Asset to life. 

In the following steps, you’re going to edit your Sequence Asset directly in the sequence where you added it. To keep the context of the cinematic timeline throughout this process, you must lock the Timeline window:

1.  In the Sequences window, select the Master Sequence (MICH-L_Cinematic).

2.  In the Timeline window, enable the lock icon at the top right.

This keeps the cinematic loaded even when you select and iterate on other GameObjects in the Hierarchy. 

Image of the Timeline and Sequences windows; the “MICH-L_Cinematic” Sequence is selected in the Sequences window and the lock icon, in locked state, is highlighted in the Timeline window.

Now you’re ready to get started. First, let’s adjust the character position for the shot:


1.  In the Sequences window, select S01.
Note: To be able to see the chicken in the Scene, you need to ensure to place the Timeline playhead somewhere within S01.


2.  Locate the chicken within the Sequence Asset you added in the Sequence:
In the Hierarchy window, expand the content of the S01 GameObject, expand the Sneaky Chicken Prefab instance.

3.  Place the chicken closer to the camera:
In the Hierarchy, select my_chicken, and in the Inspector, set the Z Position coordinate to 5.5, for example.

Image of the Hierarchy window with MICH-L_01 > MICH-L_Cinematic > S01 > Sneaky Chicken expanded and “my_chicken” selected.

Next you need to prepare the character for the animation:

2.  In the Timeline window, expand the Character group, and in the Sneaky Chicken track, double click on the Sneaky Chicken Timeline clip.

3.  The Timeline window now shows the empty timeline of the Sequence Asset used in S01. Add an Animation track to it:
Select the + (plus) button at the top left of the Timeline window and select Animation Track.

4.  Drag and drop the my_chicken Prefab from the Hierarchy to the animation track header field and select Create Animator on my_chicken.

Image of the Timeline window corresponding to Sequence “S01”, with the Character track group expanded and the “Sneaky Chicken” clip highlighted in the “Sneaky Chicken” track.

Image of the Timeline window corresponding to the “Sneaky Chicken” Sequence Asset, with the Add button and Animation Track selection highlighted.

Image of the Hierarchy window with MICH-L_01 > MICH-L_Cinematic > S01 > Sneaky Chicken expanded and “my_chicken” selected; the mouse cursor indicates a drag-and-drop action started.

Image of the Timeline window corresponding to the “Sneaky Chicken” Sequence Asset, with Create Animator on “my_chicken” highlighted as selection for the Animation track target.

1.  In the Animation track header, double-click my_chicken (Animator) in the target field.
This selects the targeted Prefab in the Hierarchy.

2.  In the Animation track header, click the record button. 

3. Add three keyframes to change the vertical (Y) position of the chicken through time, for example:

To set each keyframe, place the Timeline playhead on the specified frame, and in the Inspector, edit the Y Position to the corresponding specified value.

4.  Select Record again to stop the recording.

5.  Scrub the Timeline playhead to preview the animation result. 

Image of the Timeline window corresponding to the “Sneaky Chicken” Sequence Asset, with the mouse cursor on the “my_chicken” target field in the Animation track.

Image of the Timeline window corresponding to the “Sneaky Chicken” Sequence Asset, with the mouse cursor on the record button in the Animation track.

Image of the Timeline window corresponding to the “Sneaky Chicken” Sequence Asset, with the Animation track in recording mode and three keyframes already set up.

Image of the Inspector window corresponding to “my_chicken”, with the Y Position value highlighted.

You must never forget to save your Prefab, which means applying the overrides of the Prefab instance from the Scene to the source Prefab stored in your project folder:

1.  In the Hierarchy, select the Sneaky Chicken Prefab.

2.  In the Inspector, select Overrides and click on Apply All. 

3.  In the Editor main menu, select File > Save.

4.  Select Play at the top of the Editor layout to play your cinematic and see the result.

Image of the Hierarchy window with MICH-L_01 > MICH-L_Cinematic > S01 > Sneaky Chicken expanded and “Sneaky Chicken” selected.

Image of the Inspector window corresponding to “my_chicken”, with the Overrides menu expanded and the mouse cursor on Apply All.

Image of the Play mode control buttons over the Game view, with the Play button highlighted.

In the next tutorial, you’ll create a Sequence Asset Variant from the Sequence Asset you just animated, to see how you can test variations of the same content directly in the context of the movie. 

Bring the Sequence Asset to life

1. Overview

2. Lock the Timeline window

3. Adjust the character position for the shot

4. Prepare the character for the animation

5. Record the animation

6. Save and play

7. Next steps

Complete this tutorial