r/SFM • • May 10 '26

Help Source Filmmaker and Animation Tutorials

16 Upvotes

I'm tired of having to reply to various post about asking for SFM Tutorials, so I'm just going to make a post containing all the playlists that helped me learn SFM.

  1. The official SFM playlist by Valve.
  2. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2B46DEB4157E67C4

This is where it all begins, The best way to learn almost all the basics of SFM is the official playlist on the Source Filmmaker channel. Aside from 2 videos, this is the best video for beginners.

The two videos that are not done well by the official channel are the Time Selection tutorial, and Graph Editor tutorial. They don't teach the most important parts.

  1. SFM Tutorial Week #2 - Using the Motion Editor by Argodaemon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfBfsqwylo0&list=PLmx5NIR6PO5t2vfHIX6GNkpXiFODM_6KJ&index=21

Now, THIS is the ultimate tutorial for the Motion Editor in the Motion Editor. It may be long, but it's well worth it. Argomadaemon's tutorial not only goes over everything from the Time Selection tutorial, but also goes over EVERY procedural preset, as well as overwrite, offset, and transform modes.

  1. How to Animate with the Graph Editor by Sir Wade Neistadt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ31vjgJM2c&t=44s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMSpauVphNs&t=308s

If you're looking to use the Graph Editor, Sir Wade Neistadt is THE go-to. Sir Wade covers EVERYTHING, from how to use the different fcurves in the Graph Editor for moving on a specific axis, to using the thing that makes the Graph Editor more powerful than the Motion Editor: The Tangents. Linear Tangents, Flat Tangents, Spline Tangents, Step Tangents, Weighted Tangents, and Unweighted Tangents.

The tutorial on the Source Filmmaker channel teaches you nothing about the Graph Editor's power.

  1. 12 Principles of Animation

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-bOh8btec4CXd2ya1NmSKpi92U_l6ZJd

Of course, if you're going into SFM for 3D animation, you have to learn about the 12 Principles of Animation. Squash and Stretch, Anticipation, Staging, Straight Ahead and Pose to Pose, Follow Through and Overlapping Action, Slow In and Slow Out, Arcs, Secondary Action, Timing, Exaggeration, Solid Drawing, and Appeal.

  1. Sir Wade Tips

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ31vjgJM2c&list=PLS4vjlZXZ7f5m5ED4ylJdUPTR5YKEg1bY

Sir Wade Neistadt is basically a completely free college level animation course on Youtube. I've organized his videos into a nice playlist. In it, you'll learn things such as professional workflows, what NOT to do, animation blocking, and how to find reference, shooting your own reference, real world camera tips and tricks that you can apply to your 3D animation, keep alive workflow with how to do a breathing animation, animating weight, lighting tips, some Blender stuff, and even interviews with professional Disney animators.

  1. SFM Tutorials by Argomadaeon

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmx5NIR6PO5t2vfHIX6GNkpXiFODM_6KJ

Argomadaemon's playlist teaches you a lot about what SFM has, including Depth of Field and Motion Blur, Animation Cycles, Creating an artificial sun light, and more.

  1. SFM Tip of the Day by Jimmer Lins

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL835902EACBFEE65F

This one is for more misc, but still useful SFM Tips, such as how to control qc eyes to make them follow the camera, the lightkit, gibbing a character, slugs, and more.

8.Walk Cycle Tutorial Part 1 by Will Hurrel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE-jakm9mcQ

  1. Animating Walk Cycles and Run Cycles by Alan Becker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y6aVz0Acx0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jggdbxTJPG4

  1. Endless Reference

https://www.youtube.com/@endlessreference

This youtube channel is full of videos for movement reference for animation, whether it's walking, running, skipping, sitting, martial arts, etc.

This is a complete list of all the stuff that goes over absolutely everything you need in terms of SFM, and animation knowledge in general.


r/SFM • • Jan 11 '21

Announcement Scenebuilding Tutorial (LINK IN THE COMMENTS)

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1.2k Upvotes

r/SFM • • 2h ago

Animation You walking down the hallway… (my first sfm animation)

60 Upvotes

still havent found out how to do the lip syncing so i did it by hand


r/SFM • • 8h ago

Artwork TF2 x Fallout New Vegas

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91 Upvotes

Made 2 years ago when i was obsessed with fallout new vegas


r/SFM • • 17h ago

Animation another SFM animation I regret making

242 Upvotes

r/SFM • • 11h ago

Artwork Mmmm yum?

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26 Upvotes

Requested by a cool person I consider my friend :D


r/SFM • • 1h ago

Artwork monstruos de la primera generacion

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• Upvotes

render de pokemon


r/SFM • • 4h ago

Artwork Made this cool edit for my streamer friend, Sk4y!

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3 Upvotes

Had to improvise the unusual effect because the green screen removed it from existence


r/SFM • • 9h ago

Artwork Despite Everything Spoiler

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4 Upvotes

r/SFM • • 1h ago

Animation When you're Vegan

• Upvotes

r/SFM • • 17h ago

Animation Spy: Cheri

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14 Upvotes

r/SFM • • 3h ago

Help Problem : Rig controls not showing

1 Upvotes

I was fiddling around in SFM and reloaded a new map. I wanted to move the models and there are no controls other than this universal one. The models are .mdl, from valve and they are not anything usermod or custom. I had this problem once before but after closing/opening sfm it had fixed itself, so I'm not quite sure what to do. Toggling the 'Hidden Controls" does nothing as well. I'm sure this is an easy fix but I have no clue, only been using sfm for a few weeks on and off, any help is appreciated thank you :0))


r/SFM • • 14h ago

Artwork Thats a nice fireplace

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7 Upvotes

r/SFM • • 4h ago

Help Ребят/guess

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0 Upvotes

Я понимаю что вы можете обо мне подумать (сублимация вещь хорошая )Мне нужна объективная оценка моих работ.

Сейчас я размышляю над тем, чтобы попробовать монетизировать свои навыки, но для начала хочу понять, насколько мой нынешний уровень соответствует этому. Поэтому решил выложить свои работы и попросить вас о честной оценке и критике.

Для понимания моего опыта: у меня около 200 часов в SFM.

Пожалуйста, оцените мой уровень по шкале от 1 до 10. Буду благодарен за конструктивную критику и советы о том, над чем мне стоит поработать.

Заранее спасибо всем, кто откликнется!(I'd like to get some honest feedback on my work.

I know what you might think of me (sublimation is a wonderful thing, after all).

I'm currently facing a dilemma: I'd like to find a way to monetize my skills. But first, I want to make sure I'm actually good enough to start doing that. That's why I've decided to make this post.

For context, I have around 200 hours in SFM.

So, please, what overall rating would you give my work on a scale of 1 to 10? I'd really appreciate your help and honest feedback!)


r/SFM • • 21h ago

Help HELP WHAT DO I DO?!

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16 Upvotes

[I FIXED IT AHAHAHAAH] I just wanted to do a pose with this modle and it just showed up like this. WHAT DO I DO?! Any help would be great


r/SFM • • 18h ago

Help How did I do this?

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7 Upvotes

I was trying to make a camera shake that slowly faded. I somehow succeeded, I did *something* that allowed me to adjust the tapering effect I wanted by adjusting the motion editor but it was completely by accident and now I can't replicate it. Anyone got experience with this feature? How do I do it again?


r/SFM • • 9h ago

Help Guys does anyone have a model of the combine APC with this door being able to open, I'm pretty sure I saw it somewhere but I can't find it

1 Upvotes

r/SFM • • 1d ago

Animation YT Short work in progress

183 Upvotes

r/SFM • • 21h ago

Artwork Day 17 of Voltober - INJURE

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6 Upvotes

r/SFM • • 1d ago

Artwork POV: You've just folded, but everyone else keeps raising

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18 Upvotes

r/SFM • • 1d ago

Artwork In embraces of The King in Yellow

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5 Upvotes

r/SFM • • 17h ago

Animation Talking With The S.T.A.R.S. | The Chris & Wesker Episode by @LadyHUNKStudios on X

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1 Upvotes

r/SFM • • 1d ago

Animation Mum

29 Upvotes

r/SFM • • 22h ago

Request I'm building a new SFM Model Browser. What would you change about the current one?

2 Upvotes

I'm building a replacement for SFM's Model Browser using a modified version of VPKEdit.

A goal is to load and preview models outside SFM's 32-bit memory limits, reducing crashes when browsing models.

What frustrates you about SFM's current Model Browser? What would you change or add?

Below is an early alpha preview. Development is ongoing.


r/SFM • • 1d ago

Artwork Helldivers krieger (comm by me)

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14 Upvotes