Analyze a source clip and build an editable composition for a target aspect ratio using subject-following, shot-aware, or static framing.
Where: Flowgen → Add → Video & Motion → AI Edit → Reels & Aspect.
Before you start
- Connect one video to the Video input.
- Choose a target ratio and framing method before building the composition.
Key ideas
- This creates a composition, not a rendered file: The node emits composition_out. Connect it to Video Render to encode a file, or to Video Editor to adjust layers and timing by hand.
- Three framing methods solve different clips: Follow tracks a subject; Shots analyzes cuts and frames shots; Static holds a manually chosen focus. All are local analysis rather than a paid generative model call.
- The crop preview is editable: The target frame can be dragged over the source preview and focus presets provide quick starting positions. A stale-source warning means the built composition came from a different clip.
- Reels & Aspect card: VideoReframeNode uses the authored shared-card path. Analyze a connected clip and build a target-aspect editable composition using subject-following, shot-aware, or static framing.
- Properties sidebar: ReelReframePanel.tsx
- Opened surfaces: Crop preview; expanded reframe workspace; reframe result summary
Steps
- Connect the source clip and choose a Target preset (for example, a Reel ratio) or Custom dimensions.
- Choose Follow for a moving subject, Shots when the clip contains cuts, or Static when one fixed crop is suitable.
- Choose how the frame handles edges, then drag the crop window over the preview or choose a focus preset such as Head high, Centre, or Low.
- Review the source-frame crop before building. The Reframe action performs local tracking/cut analysis and creates an editable composition; it does not encode the final video.
- Inspect the result summary for followed subjects, shots, cuts, and warnings. If the source changed, rerun so the composition matches the current clip.
- Connect Composition output to Video Render for export or Video Editor for a manual review and refinement pass.
- To adjust the larger workspace, select the node and use its Edit reframe action in the properties sidebar. The card and inspector share the same framing controls.
Card and inspector controls
- Target: aspect presets or Custom width/height.
- How: Follow, Shots, or Static framing method.
- Edges: fit behavior for the target frame.
- What it keeps: draggable crop/focus preview plus Head high, Centre, and Low focus shortcuts.
- The sidebar includes the expanded reframe workspace and result details; the node outputs an editable Composition.
Choosing a method
- Follow is suited to one prominent subject moving through the shot.
- Shots is useful when the clip cuts between distinct scenes and each shot needs its own crop.
- Static is predictable for locked-off footage, a known focal point, or a deliberate fixed composition.
- Inspect fast motion, multiple competing people, occlusion, and cut boundaries; automated framing is a draft to review, not a guarantee of editorial intent.
Reels & Aspect controls and presets
- Add path: Flowgen → Add → Video & Motion → AI Edit → Reels & Aspect.
- Card: VideoReframeNode.
- Properties: ReelReframePanel.tsx.
- Controls: Target preset/custom dimensions; follow/shots/static method; edge fit; draggable focus crop; focus presets; Edit reframe workspace; shot/cut summary; stale-source warning; composition output.
- Opened surfaces: Crop preview; expanded reframe workspace; reframe result summary.
Tips
- Set the target ratio before judging headroom; a crop that looks good in the source aspect can fail in a portrait frame.
- Preview both sides of every cut and the subject’s position at the beginning and end of long movement.
Limitations and important notes
- Reframe builds an editable composition; a separate Video Render step is needed for an encoded deliverable.
- Tracking and cut detection can miss ambiguous subjects or fast transitions; review the result before publishing.
- The node’s analysis does not call a paid generation model.
Troubleshooting
Reframe is disabled.
Connect a usable video source and wait for its duration and preview frame to load.
The crop does not follow the intended subject.
Try another method, reposition the focus/crop, or refine the composition in Video Editor.
The card says the result is stale.
The upstream video changed after the previous analysis. Run Reframe again, then review the new composition.