The Clips and Timeline segments source media start and end values now show a dedicated value instead of showing the output of a converted timecode value; they now have their own Start Frame metadata. This Start Frame is decoupled from the timecode value that can be set inside the application.
This new Start Frame means updates to the following areas of the software:
- Preferences
- Media Import
- Media Export
- Timeline
- Player
- Batch
- Reformat tools
- List View
- Burn-in Metadata
- Tools
- Conform and Connected Conform
Preferences
The Start Frame setting that was previously available in the Batch/BFX moves the General tab and becomes the default Start Frame value accessible throughout the software.
![](https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2024/ENU/Flame-WhatsNew/images/GUID-D028EA8A-D016-4B0B-A017-650482EE4861.png)
The Preference named Use in Create Batch Group option is now disabled by default. With this option disabled, when you create a Batch Group from the Conform environment or from the Timeline, the source media Start Frame is used as the Batch Start Frame. On the other hand, if Use in Create Batch Group is enabled, the Batch Group created uses the Start Frame value defined in the Preferences.
Media Import
The file sequence index is now used to set the Start Frame value: a clip named SH01-Car-Beaty.1001.exr now imports with Start Frame 1001.
Open Clips and pattern browsing of file sequences also use the file index to set the Start Frame.
Media Export
In the Media Export window, in Video Options, the Frame Index now contains more options to manage the Start Frame.
![](https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2024/ENU/Flame-WhatsNew/images/GUID-D1C2673C-60C7-4D6C-8B08-F18B67349A90.png)
- Use Preference: Use the Start Frame value set in . This is the default value.
- Use Timecode: Same as in previous releases, it uses the timecode of the clip to create the frame index.
- Use Start Frame: This updated option uses the Start Frame of the content to generate the file index. If you do a Sequence Publish, the Include Handles option adjusts the index value.
-
Custom Start Frame: This new option mimics the legacy Use Start Frame option. It allows you to set a Start Frame when exporting media files.
With Custom Start Frame, if you perform a shot publish and select Include Handles, then the index starts at the first exported frame, not the first frame of the segment. For example, if you have 10 frames of handles and want the segment to start at 1001, you need to set the Custom Start Frame at 991.
Timeline
A Sequence always starts at frame 1, but its individual segments can have different Start Frames.
The frame range displayed at the bottom of the Timeline canvas now displays the media Start Frame for sources.
If you set
, the source frame and timecode information are displayed inside a Timeline segment the information box when the general display is set to Timecode.You can now change the Start Frame of a timeline segment with
. The new value is applied to the first visible frame of each selected segment.Timeline FX
In Timewarp editor, there is a new Start Frame menu.
![](https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2024/ENU/Flame-WhatsNew/images/GUID-C92E6F39-B03D-4E34-86E6-6FA6F2B94E75.png)
- Pre TW: Returns the Start Frame of the segment as the Start Frame at the beginning of the segment and then increment by one for other frames. This is the new default.
- Post TW: Returns the Start Frame of the frame seen with the Timewarp FX.
- Custom: The Start Frame at the beginning of the segment is obtained from a numeric that belongs to the Timewarp FX. When the Timewarp FX is set to Custom mode using Change Start Frame modifies the Timewarp FX instead of the source. This mode is the recommended one for content with a negative Timewarp FX.
When using Connected Segments, a change to the Start Frame option of the Timewarp FX updates all the Connected Segments. To limit the scope of the Start Frame change, disable Use Segment Connections option.
Player
All the time indications have been updated to display the source media Start Frame value when applicable.
In Show Source TC and Frame option displays both the timecode and frame value anywhere the source information appears. This is now the default option.
, the new![](https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2024/ENU/Flame-WhatsNew/images/GUID-F2941F49-59BE-4BAD-AF81-4E2A8C5BE106.png)
Batch
Using the Batch Timing view, you can align clips using their Start Frame with the Use Start Frame option instead of only relying on the timecode.
![](https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2024/ENU/Flame-WhatsNew/images/GUID-F47C9D4B-7366-4DF3-88CD-8C42AEFCE5CF.png)
By default, when you apply a Batch FX to a segment, the Start Frame of that segment sets the BFX Start Frame. If you need your BFX to start at frame 1, disable
.![](https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2024/ENU/Flame-WhatsNew/images/GUID-41E8D4D4-0475-4339-B69A-2E23722B4CE3.png)
Start Frame No Longer Editable
The Start Frame changes from a numeric field to a non-editable field so it is no longer possible to modify the value by mistake.
![](https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2024/ENU/Flame-WhatsNew/images/GUID-EBDB6964-DB6B-4373-BE0C-5033D2690ABB.png)
The drop-down button associated to the field now offers three options:
- Change Start Frame: The calculator is opened so a new value can be defined.
- Use Start Frame Value: The value set in Preferences → General → Start Frame is used.
- Use First Clip Value: The start frame value of the first clip dropped in the Batch Group is used.
Clip Reformat and Change Frame tools
You can now use Clip Reformat and the new Change Frame tool to edit Start Frame of a clip.
The Change Frame tool is available in
.![](https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2024/ENU/Flame-WhatsNew/images/GUID-13430330-3518-493D-8FA4-4BEE6BD2934F.png)
Clip Reformat is available from a clip contextual menu and the Tools tab.
![](https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2024/ENU/Flame-WhatsNew/images/GUID-48769C17-D890-4B2B-AC23-D50B263847DD.png)
The Change Timecode tool can now affect the Start Frame, Update Start Frame. If you select Update Start Frame, changing the timecode also updates the Start Frame to match the new timecode.
List View
In the Media Panel, Conform, and MediaHub, the List views now displays both the Source TC and Source Frame information.
only affects the In and Out Marks, and Media Duration information.
![](https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2024/ENU/Flame-WhatsNew/images/GUID-94EB418F-823D-4972-98E7-CA54DC93F915.png)
List View with start and end timecodes, and frames values for media start, end, and duration
![](https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2024/ENU/Flame-WhatsNew/images/GUID-4C3BEF32-BBAE-4625-960B-B37215CBD862.png)
Time Display Mode box
Burn-In Metadata
In the Frame Layer, the Source Media option now displays the source media Start Frame instead of a converted timecode value.
Tools
From the Tools tab, when you load a tool with a clip, the tool now uses the Start Frame of clip.
If the clip contains keyframes and starts at a frame that differs from the previous clip, you are asked to slip the keyframes to match the new Start Frame. This offsets the keyframes to match the Start Frame.
Conform
You can now change the Start Frame of selected timeline segments with
.![](https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2024/ENU/Flame-WhatsNew/images/GUID-00DEC7D2-01CB-4B1F-84EA-15F2739EE9E5.png)
The Start Frame information is no longer displayed for unlinked segments.
Connected Conform
After creating a Sources Sequence or using
, changing the Start Frame from the Sources Sequence now also updates the connected segments.If you need to apply different VFX to a shared segment:
- On the segment you want to isolate in your deliverable sequence, select Remove Segment Connection from the context menu to break the connection with other segments.
- Select Duplicate Source from the context menu to disconnect the segment.
- You can now change the Start Frame and Update the Shot Name.
- Click Update Sources Sequence.
A new segment is now visible.
Consider Start Frame is a new option in the Conform Options menu. It configures how Sources Sequence handles duplicated content. With Consider Start Frame, the creation and update of the Sources Sequence ensures that duplicated content with different source Start Frame is visible in Sources Sequence. When the option is disabled, multiple instances of the same media are seen as a single segment.
Shots Sequence
Any Start Frame modification done on the Shots Sequence updates every connected segment.
Content with Timewarp FX has its Start Frame option set to the Custom mode. This ensures that the Start Frame from the source is correctly mapped to the segments with Timewarp FX.
Shot Publishing Sources Sequences & Shots Sequence
Publishing Sources Sequences & Shots Sequence allows the connected from the connected sequences to use the published shots. When publishing, make sure to set the Frame Index in the Video Options tab of Media Export to Use Start Frame so that the published content uses the right Start Frame information.
![](https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2024/ENU/Flame-WhatsNew/images/GUID-D1C2673C-60C7-4D6C-8B08-F18B67349A90.png)