Importing Video Files for Image Sequence Conversion

Learn how to import video files into RenderGod to convert them into image sequences. This feature is essential for extracting frames from video files for editing, compositing, or further processing.

Overview

RenderGod can convert video files into image sequences, extracting individual frames from video files. This is useful for:

• Frame-by-frame editing: Work with individual frames in image editing software
• Compositing: Use video frames in compositing workflows
• Analysis: Extract frames for technical analysis
• Archiving: Store video content as image sequences

Supported Video Formats

RenderGod supports common video formats including:

• MP4 (H.264, H.265)
• MOV (QuickTime)
• AVI
• MKV
• And other formats supported by FFmpeg

Import Methods

You have two convenient ways to import video files into RenderGod:

Method 1: Drag and Drop

The quickest method for importing video files.

1. Open Windows File Explorer
2. Locate your video file
3. Drag the video file from File Explorer
4. Drop it onto the RenderGod application window
5. The video will be automatically added to your queue as a "Video to Image Sequence" job

Tip: You can drag and drop multiple video files at once to convert them all to image sequences.

Method 2: Import Button

Use the import button for a more traditional file selection approach.

When Queue is Empty

When your render queue is empty, you'll see import buttons in the center of the screen.

1. Click the "Import Video" button
2. A file dialog will open
3. Navigate to your video file location
4. Select the video file(s) you want to import
5. Click "Open" to add them to the queue

When Queue Has Items

When your queue already contains items, locate the import buttons in the bottom-left panel.

1. Find the "Import Video" button in the bottom-left corner
2. Click the button
3. Select your video file(s) from the file dialog
4. The files will be added to the end of your queue

Job Configuration

After importing a video file, a new job card appears in your queue with these configurable options:

Export Folder

• Default Location: RenderGod creates a new folder in the same location as your video file
• Folder Name: The folder is named after your video file
• Custom Path: You can change the export folder to any location you prefer

Image Format

Choose the format for your extracted image sequence:

• PNG + Alpha: Preserves transparency (if available in video)
• PNG: Standard PNG format with lossless compression
• EXR Lossless (ZIP): Professional format with high dynamic range support
• EXR Fast (DWAA): Faster EXR encoding with good quality
• EXR Uncompressed: Maximum quality, largest file size
• JPEG Baseline: Standard JPEG compression
• JPEG Progressive: Progressive JPEG loading
• JPEG Fastest: Fastest encoding, lower quality

Recommendation: Use PNG for most workflows, EXR for professional compositing with HDR, or JPEG for smaller file sizes.

Frame Rate Detection

RenderGod automatically detects the frame rate (FPS) from your video file. This ensures:

• Accurate frame extraction: Each frame is extracted at the correct timing
• Proper sequence numbering: Frames are numbered correctly for the sequence
• No manual configuration: The FPS is set automatically, though you can override it if needed

Default Settings

You can configure default settings for video to image sequence conversion:

1. Go to Settings > Default Settings
2. Find the Video to Image Sequence section
3. Set your preferred default image format
4. Configure default export folder behavior

These defaults will be applied to all new video imports, but you can still customize each job individually.

Best Practices

Before Importing

1. Check video file: Ensure the video file plays correctly in a media player
2. Verify disk space: Image sequences can be large - ensure you have sufficient storage
3. Consider format: Choose an appropriate image format based on your needs (PNG for quality, JPEG for size)

After Importing

1. Review export folder: Verify the export location is correct
2. Check image format: Ensure the selected format meets your requirements
3. Adjust frame range: If needed, you can specify which frames to extract (though this is typically not necessary)

Workflow Example

A typical workflow for video to image sequence conversion:

1. Import video file using drag and drop or the import button
2. Review job card - Check that export folder and format are correct
3. Start conversion - Click the start button to begin processing
4. Access results - Open the export folder to view your image sequence

Output Structure

After conversion, your export folder will contain:

• Numbered image files: `001.png`, `002.png`, `003.png`, etc.
• Sequential naming: Frames are numbered sequentially for easy import into other software
• Original video information: Frame rate and timing information is preserved

Troubleshooting

Video Not Importing

• Check format: Ensure your video format is supported
• Verify file integrity: Make sure the video file isn't corrupted
• Check codec: Some codecs may require additional system codecs

Conversion Issues

• Disk space: Ensure you have enough space for the image sequence
• Format compatibility: Try a different image format if one doesn't work
• File permissions: Check that RenderGod has write permissions to the export folder

Related Features

• Image Sequence to Video: Convert image sequences back to video files
• Default Settings: Configure default formats and paths
• Queue Management: Manage multiple conversion jobs efficiently

Your video files are now ready to be converted to image sequences!