Creating Cinematics with Sequencer

Cinematics
With Sequencer in Unreal Engine

INTRODUCTION
Sequencer is UE4’s newest cinematic
editor and pipeline for creating in-game
cut scenes. Sequencer is also used to
create linear-based content for film and
television. As software like UE4 and
hardware improves, the switch to using
real-time rendering engines to create
content is becoming more
commonplace. This lecture introduces
you to the Sequencer Editor and
pipeline.

The Sequencer Editor gives users the ability to create in-
game cinematics with a specialized multitrack editor.
SEQUENCER EDITOR

By creating Level Sequences and adding tracks, users
can define the makeup of each track, which will
determine the content for the scene.
SEQUENCER EDITOR

Tracks can consist of animations (for animating a
character), transformations (for moving things around in
the scene), audio (for including music or sound effects),
and several other track types.
SEQUENCER EDITOR

Sequencer Editor
Assets and Actors

LEVEL SEQUENCE ACTOR
The Level Sequence is the “container” for your cinematic
scenes and must be created in order to begin working
inside the Sequencer Editor. You can create a Level
Sequence directly in your Level from the toolbar under
Cinematics.

CREATING LEVEL
SEQUENCES
Creating a Level Sequence directly in your Level will add a
Level Sequence Actor to the Level and its Level Sequence
asset in the Content Browser, at which point the Actor can
be selected and its properties can be manipulated in the
Details panel.

CREATING LEVEL
SEQUENCES
In the Details panel, you can define whether the Level
Sequence will automatically play when a Level is started,
whether the sequence should loop, the play rate for the
sequence, and other settings.

LEVEL SEQUENCE ASSET
An alternate method of creating Level Sequences can be
performed in the Content Browser by clicking the Add New
button and selecting Level Sequence from the Animation
menu. When doing this, you are creating the Level
Sequence asset before placing it in a Level.

Level Sequences are
self-contained
assets, and you can
even embed a Level
Sequence within
another Level
Sequence.
For example, you can create a Level Sequence that has animated characters
and cameras as one scene that is part of a larger cinematic sequence.
Two terms you will hear when working with Sequencer is Master Sequence and
Level Sequence.
A Master Sequence is nothing more then a Level Sequence that uses a Shot
Track to manage the order and timing of all other Level Sequences.

SEQUENCER EDITOR
INTERFACE
The Sequencer Editor default layout
consists of seven key areas:
1. Toolbar
2. Sequence breadcrumbs
3. Add/Filter tracks
4. Timeline
5. Tree View
6. Tracks Area
7. Playback ControlsSequencer interface

TOOLBAR
The toolbar contains various buttons for saving and
toggling Sequencer preferences.
Icon Description
Saves the current Level Sequence.
Saves the current Level Sequence under a different
name.
Finds the currently viewed Level Sequence asset in the
Content Browser.
Opens the Render Movie Settings window, which allows
you to output your sequence as a movie or image
sequence.
Opens the General Options menu, with settings to
define functionality for Sequencer.
Enables/disables the Key All option. With this and Auto-
Key enabled, determines if all properties are keyed for a
track when changes are made or if only the changed
property is keyed.
Enables/disables different Auto-Key options. By default,
this option is disabled but can be set to Auto-Key All or
Auto-Key Animated.
Enables/disables grid snapping for the Tracks Area as
well as grid-snapping options.
Allows for adjustment of the time-snapping interval.
Opens the Curve Editor, which allows you to fine-tune
the animation keys placed in the Tracks Area.

SEQUENCE BREADCRUMBS
Depending on your workflow, you may choose to
create several Level Sequences as scenes and place
each of the scenes in a new Level Sequence that is
your “master” Level Sequence, which plays those
scenes back-to-back as part of a Shot Track. In these
instances, you can jump from your Master Sequence
directly into each scene by double-clicking on them
inside the Tracks Area.
In the image below, we have a Level Sequence called “shot_06”
inside another Level Sequence called “Master”.
We can click the “Master” breadcrumb to return to our Master Sequence
containing our “shot_06” Level Sequence and other sequences.

ADD/FILTER TRACKS
The Add button allows you to add tracks or Actors from
your Level to Sequencer, which you can then use to craft
your cinematic.
With an Actor in the Level selected, clicking the Add
button will allow you to select it quickly from the menu. If
you do not have an Actor selected, you can select one
from the Choose Actor section.

TRACKS
The table on the right contains a list of available tracks that
you can add to Sequencer.
Track Description
Add Folder
Enables you to add folders to contain your tracks
for organizational purposes.
Audio Track
Adds a master Audio Track, which can be used to
play sounds.
Event Track
Adds an Event Track, which can be used to signal
and kick off Blueprint script (currently only in the
Level Blueprint).
Camera Cut
Track
Allows you to switch between cameras associated
with Sequencer and provide a camera
perspective.
Shot Track
Allows you to add Level Sequences as “shots,”
which can have “takes” that can be swapped
in/out.
Play Rate Track
Adds a track that can be used to manipulate the
playback rate of the sequence.
Subscenes
Track
Adds a subtrack, which can contain other Level
Sequences. This is useful for creating multiple
copies of a sequence that different users can work
from without altering the original sequence.
Fade Track
Adds a track that will allow you to control the
fading in/out of the sequence.
Level Visibility
Track
Can be used to keyframe and control the visibility
of your Level.

ADD/FILTER TRACKS
The Filter option allows you to filter the Tree View for only
Actors that have been added to the sequence from the
Level.

You can right-click on the Timeline to define new start/end points from
the context menu, as depicted below.
TIMELINE
The Timeline indicates the playback range of your
sequence with green (start) and red (end) markers.
The current time of your sequence is indicated by the
Timeline Marker, which you can scrub by left-clicking and
dragging along the Timeline.

In the General Options menu, there is an option to keep your content inside the
section bounds, which will ensure there is no dead space during your sequence.Your sequence will
continue to play from
the start marker all
the way to the end
marker even if your
content does not
fully reach the end of
the sequence (or
extends beyond the
end marker).

TREE VIEW
The Tree View is where you determine what types of
actions you want to perform during your sequence defined
by tracks.
In the example on the right, the Camera Cuts track is for
switching camera angles during the sequence, a Cine
Camera Actor provides the view for a scene, and two
Skeletal Mesh Actors are the characters in the scene.

TREE VIEW
Sequencer is context sensitive and will allow you to add
subtracks to each track that will provide you with additional
options.
For example, on the right we have added a Camera
Component track to our Cine Camera Actor, which gives
us the ability to add another subtrack to adjust some of the
properties of the camera during our scene if we desire.

TREE VIEW
You can also add keyframes from the Tree View for your
tracks to define properties at a specific point on the
Timeline.
You can click the + keyframe button or press the Enter
key with a track selected.

TRACKS AREA
The Tracks Area is where you adjust the content in each
of your tracks. You can adjust any keyframes you have
added and trim/split or taper in/out of sections, as well as
use several other options that are available from the
right-click context menu.

Right-clicking on a keyframe for a Transform
track gives you the ability to change the key
interpolation type as well as to adjust other
properties from the Properties roll-out, which
updates based on the type of content you right-
click on.
Right-clicking on an animation assigned to an
Animation track and selecting Properties gives
you the ability to change the currently assigned
animation as well as to adjust properties related
to the animation itself, such as start/end offsets
and play rate.
Right-click PropertiesRight-click context

Control Action
Right-click+drag Moves around the Tracks Area.
Ctrl+mouse wheel in/out Zooms in/out in the Tracks Area.
Home key
Resets the zoom/view range of the
Tracks Area.
- and = keys
Zooms into and out of the view range by
10%.
, and . keys
Moves backward and forward between
placed keyframes.
Left-click+drag
Creates a selection box around
keyframes in the window.
Left-click on a keyframe Selects the keyframe.
Right-click on a
keyframe
Displays the context menu, where you
can define properties for the keyframe.
Middle mouse button
Creates a keyframe at the mouse
position.
Enter key
Sets a keyframe on the selected tracks
at the current time.
Ctrl+G key
Goes to a set time/frame in the
sequence.
I key Sets the start of Selection Range.
O key Sets the end of Selection Range.
NAVIGATING THE TRACKS
AREA
The table on the right lists methods and shortcuts you can
use to navigate the Tracks Area.

PLAYBACK CONTROLS
The Playback Controls can be found in the bottom lower-
left corner of the Sequencer Editor and are similar to
those in standard media-player applications. With the
default Unreal Editor layout, there is also the same
Playback Controls displayed in the main Level Viewport.
When using a Cinematic Viewport, the Playback Controls
will appear inside the Viewport.
Icon Description
Sets the playback start position to the current position
indicated by the Timeline Marker.
Jumps to the playback start position.
Jumps to the previous key in the selected track(s).
Jumps to the previous frame.
Plays or pauses the Level Sequence from the position
of the Timeline Marker.
Jumps forward a frame.
Jumps to the next key in the selected track(s).
Jumps to the playback end position.
Sets the playback end position to the current position
indicated by the Timeline Marker.
/ Toggles between looping the Level Sequence during
playback.

Sequencer Editor
Cinematic Viewports

There are some specialized Viewports you
can enable that will give you the ability to
preview your cinematics in real time. The
following guide will show you where you can
access and turn on those Viewports and
how to enable the Viewport Playback
Controls and Viewport Options menus.
ENABLING CINEMATIC
VIEWPORTS

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Inside a Level Editor Viewport, click the View
Mode button, then select Cinematic Viewport.
From the main toolbar, click Cinematics, then
select Add Level Sequence.
Enter a save name and save location for the
Level Sequence.
Sequencer will automatically open, and you will
now have Playback Controls inside the
Cinematic Viewport.
Click the Viewport Options drop-down, and
under Layouts, select the side-by-side Two
Panes layout.
This will reset the Viewports, which you can
reenable with keyboard shortcuts.

Step 5
Step 6
Step 7
Step 8
In the left window, press Alt+G, then in the
right window, press Shift+C.
Shift+C turns the active Viewport into a
Cinematic Viewport (Shift+D returns it to a
default Viewport).
Click the Viewport Options drop-down again,
then check the Game View option.
This will put the Viewport into game view (G
key shortcut), which will hide all Editor icons.
Click the Viewport Options drop-down once
more, then uncheck the Show Toolbar option.
This will turn off the Viewport toolbar, which
includes Editor gizmos that you may not need
in your Cinematic Viewport.
Click the Cinematic Viewport Overlay option
button.
You can use the Viewport overlays to help
frame up your scenes or view safe areas.

END RESULT
With the Sequencer preview windows open,
you will be able to quickly see the results of
your cinematic sequence as you are editing
it.

Sequencer Editor
Cinematic Actors

CINEMATIC ACTORS
There are a collection of Actors that are designed
specifically to work with Sequencer.
The Cinematic menu in the Modes panel lists three
Cinematic Actors that can be used for crafting cinematics.
You can drag any of these Cinematic Actors into your
Level, adding them to Sequencer, or you can drag a
Cinematic Actor into Sequencer, which will make it a
spawnable.

CAMERA RIG CRANE
The Camera Rig Crane Actor can be used to simulate
crane-like camera movements that are used in traditional
filmmaking.
You can attach a camera to the Camera Rig Crane Actor,
which enables you to manipulate the crane’s movement
through the Details panel and Crane Controls values.
Those values affect the crane’s pitch, yaw, and arm
length. All of these values can be keyframed within
Sequencer, which will enable you to adjust them as
desired during your cinematics.

CAMERA RIG RAIL
The Camera Rig Rail Actor is a spline-based tool that a
camera can be attached to that provides a “path” for
movement.
You can select each spline point and alter the tangents to
produce the path that you want your camera to follow. The
camera that is attached to the rail can be rotated
independently, and the camera’s position on the rail can
be adjusted with the Current Position on Rail property
inside the Details panel. This value can also be
keyframed.

CINE CAMERA ACTOR
The Cine Camera Actor is similar to the default Camera
Actor. However, additional camera settings are available.
The Cine Camera Actor includes Look at Tracking Settings
(following an Actor), Filmback Settings (16:9 DSLR, Super
8mm, 35mm VistaVision, and so on), Lens Settings, and
Focus Settings, including Current Aperture and Current
Focus Distance. While using a normal Camera Actor is
perfectly fine, to achieve a more cinematic feel and expose
more camera settings, it is recommended that you shoot
your scenes with a Cine Camera Actor.
Cine Camera Actor (black camera) and default Camera
Actor (blue camera) pictured above

Sequencer Editor
Adding Actors to Sequencer

ADDING ACTORS TO
SEQUENCER
After creating a Level Sequence, double-
click on it to open the Sequencer Editor so
you can begin creating your cinematic.
Sequencer with Cinematic Viewports setup

ADDING ACTORS TO
SEQUENCER
To add a track type, click the Add button. From the drop-
down menu, you will see several track types you can
select from, as well as the ability to add an Actor to
Sequencer.
The Actor To Sequencer option will enable you to add any
Actors that you have selected in your Level (at the time)
to Sequencer so that you can manipulate them during
your scene.

ADDING ACTORS TO
SEQUENCER
Typically, if you are creating a cinematic that has
characters, animals, creatures, or anything along those
lines that will animate and move, you will have a Skeletal
Mesh for it, which you will need to add to Sequencer.
For example, on the right we have a Skeletal Mesh of a
bear that we have placed in our Level. With the bear
selected, we can then click the Add button in Sequencer
and choose Actor To Sequencer so that we can add it and
control it in the Sequencer Editor.

POSSESSABLES VERSUS
SPAWNABLES
Sequencer uses the concept of “possessables,” meaning
Actors that exist in the Level and that Sequencer will take
possession of in order to apply changes to them.
For example, you can place a Skeletal Mesh in the Level
and add it to Sequencer, then inside Sequencer you can
add an Animation track associated with the Skeletal Mesh
and assign different animations for it to play during your
scene. In the example on the right, we are possessing the
Skeletal Mesh that exists in the Level in order to tell it
what to do.

Right-click on desired track in Sequencer and
choose Convert to Spawnable.
POSSESSABLES VERSUS
SPAWNABLES
Sequencer also includes another form of manipulation
whereby certain objects are referred to as “spawnables,”
meaning objects we are possessing that do not yet exist
and will be spawned by Sequencer.
In this case, Sequencer will have authority over the
spawned Actor and can determine its life cycle. Since the
object is spawned, it is not bound to a particular Level.
Anything marked as spawnable can be used in any Level,
so you could create a scene and have it take place in any
environment, and reuse that scene in new Levels without
having to re-create it.
A new Spawned track will be checked and added, and
the icon next to the Skeletal Mesh will change.

ADDING KEYS
If you are familiar with most animation tools, the concept of
using keyframes to drive content may be familiar to you.
Sequencer allows you to make changes to an Actor’s
properties over time by adding keys, referred to as
“keyframing.”

Above, Keyframe buttons are shown for the Current Focal Length and
Aperture settings of a Cine Camera Actor.
ADDING KEYS
You can add a keyframe by selecting a track and pressing
Enter, or by clicking the Add Keyframe button on each
track.
With a track containing selected keyframes, you can press
the , (comma) and . (period) keys to quickly move between
each placed keyframe.
Above, keyframe buttons are shown for the Current Focal Length and
Current Aperture settings of a Cine Camera Actor.

When adding keyframes to an Actor’s transforms, the mantra is “Move in time,
move in space, add a key.”
The order of operations when adding keys for transforms is as follows:
• Move in time: Move the Timeline Marker in the Tracks panel to the desired
spot where you want to add a key.
• Move in space: Move or rotate the Actor in the Level Viewport assigned to
the track that contains the Movement track you are adding the key to.
• Add a key: Add a key at the current time on the selected Location, Rotation,
or Scale track to store the change in transform.
Move in time,
move in space,
add a key.

REPOSITIONING KEYS
With a key (or with multiple keys or sections) selected, you
can use the Transform Selection Range tools to reposition
and rescale your selection.
You can also access the Transform Selection Range tools
by pressing Ctrl+M.
These tools will enable you to offset the key(s) or
section(s) by a specified amount, or the amount to scale
them by a specified time.

Sequencer Editor
Animating a Static Mesh

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Create a new project with the Third Person
template and starter content.
In the Content Browser, create a new folder and
name it “MySequences”.
In the Content Browser, with the folder
selected, click the Add New button and
navigate to Animation and select Level
Sequence. Name the new Level Sequence
asset “Sequence_A”.
Place into your Level the Shape_Cube Static
Mesh asset from the Props/Shapes folder under
StarterContent in the Content Browser.

Step 5
Step 6
Step 7
Step 8
From the Content Browser, drag the
“Sequence_A” Level Sequence asset into the
default Level.
Set up your Cinematic Viewport as previously
discussed.
In the Content Browser, double-click on the
“Sequence_A” Level Sequence asset to open
the Sequencer Editor, and dock it next to the
Content Browser.
Select the Cube Static Mesh in the Level
Viewport. Then in the Sequencer Editor click on
the green Track button and select Actor To
Sequencer. Pick Add ‘Shape_Cube’ at the
top.

Step 9
Step 10
Step 11
Step 12
In the Timeline, set the green marker to frame
0 and the red marker to frame 60.
Select the “Shape_Cube” Transform Track,
then move the Timeline Marker to 0 and press
Enter to create a key.
Move the Timeline Marker to 30, and in the
Level Viewport move the cube 100 units or so
away from its original positions and press Enter
to add a key.
In the Track view, select the key at frame 0,
then right-click and select Copy. Move the
Timeline Marker to frame 60, and right-click and
select Paste/Transform. You should now have
three keyframes, and the first and last have the
same transforms.

Step 13
Scrub the Timeline Marker. The cube should
move back and forth.
Next, set up the Level Sequence Actor
properties. Select the “Sequence_A” Actor in
the Level Viewport, and in the Details panel
turn on Auto Play and set Loop to Loop
Indefinitely.
Step 14
Playtest your Level in New Editor Window. The
box should move back and forth.

Step 13
Scrub the Timeline Marker. The cube should
move back and forth.
Next, set up the Level Sequence Actor
properties. Select the “Sequence_A” Actor in
the Level Viewport, and in the Details panel
turn on Auto Play and set Loop to Loop
Indefinitely.
Step 14
Playtest your Level in a new Editor Window.
The box should move back and forth.

Sequencer Editor
Adding a Cine Camera Actor

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
In the Modes panel, search for Cine Camera
Actor and drag it into the Level Viewport.
Position it so it faces the Cube Actor.
With the Cine Camera Actor selected, in the
Sequencer Editor click on the green Track
button and select Actor To Sequencer. Pick
Add ‘CineCameraActorXX’ at the top.
Now add a Camera Cut Track. In Sequencer,
click the green Track button and select Camera
Cut Track.
With the Camera Cut Track selected in Tree
View, move the Timeline Marker to frame 0,
then click the + Camera Cuts button and select
the Cine Camera Actor.

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
In the Modes panel, search for Cine Camera
Actor and drag it into the Level Viewport.
Position it so it faces the Cube Actor.
With the Cine Camera Actor selected, in the
Sequencer Editor click on the green Track
button and select Actor To Sequencer. Pick
Add ‘CineCameraActorXX’ at the top.
Now add a Camera Cut Track. In Sequencer
click the green Track button and select Camera
Cut Track.
With the Camera Cut Track selected in Tree
View, move the Timeline Marker to frame 0,
then click the + Camera Cuts button and select
the Cine Camera Actor.

Step 5
Step 6
Finally, tell Sequencer to look through the
Camera Cut. Click on the camera icon to the
right on the Cine Camera Actor Track in Tree
View. This will change the active Viewport to
the Camera Actor’s point of view.
Playtest your Level in a new Editor window.
The box should move back and forth.

Creating Cinematics with Sequencer

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