Chapter 18: Preview and Playback
The Preview Player lets you watch your video template in action before exporting. Preview individual scenes or the entire video, with full playback controls and timeline scrubbing.
Opening Preview
Preview Button
Click the Preview button in the top toolbar to open the preview player:
- Preview Current: Shows only the selected scene
- Preview All: Plays through all scenes in order
The preview opens as a full-screen overlay with playback controls.
Preview Modes
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Local | Canvas-based rendering in browser |
| Rendered | Server-rendered high-quality stream |
Local preview is instant but may differ slightly from final render. Rendered preview shows exact final output but requires processing time.
Playback Controls
Basic Controls
| Control | Action |
|---|---|
| Play/Pause | Start or stop playback |
| Mute/Unmute | Toggle audio |
| Close | Exit preview (Escape key) |
Timeline Scrubbing
The timeline bar at the bottom shows:
- Scene segments: Colored blocks for each scene
- Current position: Playhead indicator
- Total duration: Full video length
Click anywhere on the timeline to jump to that time.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Space | Play/Pause |
| Escape | Close preview |
| Left/Right | Seek backward/forward |
Scene Transitions
During preview, scene transitions play as configured:
- Fade, slide, wipe effects
- Custom smart object transitions
- Transition duration affects scene overlap
The timeline shows transition overlap as scene colors blend.
Play-in-Place
For quick element timing checks without opening full preview:
- Hold Space on the canvas
- The current scene plays in place
- Elements animate according to their timeline settings
- Release Space to stop
This is useful for:
- Checking entrance animations
- Verifying timing of multiple elements
- Quick iteration on keyframe animations
What Plays in Preview
Elements
- Text with animations
- Images with animations
- Videos (with sound if unmuted)
- Shapes with animations
- Tables with reveal animations
- Smart objects (static and animated)
- Scene layers (imported scene snapshots)
- Layer effects and adjustment layers
Audio
- Scene sounds (music, effects)
- Audio layers, including volume-adjustment ducking
- Background sounds (continuous across scenes)
- Video element audio
- Voiceover audio (when configured)
Audio only plays when:
- Preview is not muted
- Sound is not disabled in editor settings
- Audio files are loaded successfully
Timing
- Element in/out times respected
- Keyframe animations play
- Appearance animations trigger
- Scene durations honored
Local vs Rendered Preview
Local Preview
Fast, browser-based playback:
- Instant start
- Canvas rendering
- May have slight visual differences from export
- Good for checking timing and flow
Rendered Preview
Server-processed stream:
- Processing time required
- Exact match to final output
- DASH streaming playback
- Shows true render quality
Use local for iteration, rendered for final verification.
Preview Quality
Resolution
- Preview renders at canvas resolution (default 1920×1080)
- Display scaled to fit preview window
- Final export matches canvas settings
Frame Rate
- Preview targets configured frame rate (default 30fps)
- May drop frames on slower devices
- Final render maintains consistent frame rate
Troubleshooting
Preview Won’t Open
- Check browser popup blockers
- Verify template has at least one scene
- Try refreshing the page
Video Stuttering
- Close other browser tabs
- Check system resources
- Try local preview instead of rendered
- Reduce canvas resolution temporarily
Audio Out of Sync
- Reload the preview
- Check scene duration settings
- Verify audio file integrity
Elements Missing
- Check element visibility settings
- Verify element in/out times
- Ensure elements aren’t outside canvas bounds
Transitions Not Playing
- Verify transition is configured on the scene
- Check transition duration isn’t zero
- Ensure scenes overlap correctly in timeline
Preview Workflow Tips
Iterative Review
- Make changes in the editor
- Use play-in-place for quick checks
- Open full preview for scene transitions
- Use rendered preview before export
Testing Checklist
Before considering your video complete:
- All text reads correctly
- Images and videos appear at right times
- Animations feel smooth and timed well
- Audio levels are balanced
- Transitions flow naturally
- Variables display expected values
Multi-Scene Projects
For longer videos:
- Preview individual scenes first
- Then preview entire video
- Pay attention to scene-to-scene flow
- Check audio continuity