Frame Rate

What is Frame Rate?

Frame rate is how many individual images are shown per second in a video. More frames per second means smoother motion; 24 FPS looks cinematic, while 60 FPS looks smooth and immediate.

At a glance

Also known as
FPSFrames per secondTemporal resolution
Used for
Determining motion smoothness in videoEstablishing cinematic or broadcast aesthetic characterEnsuring delivery platform compatibility
Common tools
Camera frame rate settingsVideo editing software timeline settingsExport and encoding parameters
Related terms
Frames per second (FPS)Shutter speedFrame interpolationMotion blurSlow motion

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How it compares

How it compares

Frame rateshutter speed

Frame rate and shutter speed are related but distinct parameters. Frame rate determines how many frames are captured per second. Shutter speed determines how long each individual frame's exposure lasts. In standard cinematography, the shutter speed is set to approximately double the frame duration ( the 180-degree shutter rule ) which creates a specific amount of motion blur per frame that contributes to the natural, fluid appearance of motion at that frame rate. Changing the frame rate without adjusting the shutter speed accordingly produces either too much or too little motion blur for the natural-looking motion the frame rate would normally produce.

Think of it like…

Think about an old-fashioned cartoon flipbook. If you flip the pages very slowly, you see each drawing separately and the movement looks jerky and jumpy. If you flip faster and faster, the drawings start to blend together into smooth movement. Frame rate works the same way: it is how fast you are flipping through the pages. Films use a specific flip speed that gives them their particular dreamy, slightly blurry look. Sports use a faster flip speed so every movement is sharp and clear. Each speed creates a completely different feeling even if the same action is shown.

Pro tip

When generating AI video intended to feel cinematic, specifying 24 FPS as the frame rate and ensuring your editing software's timeline is also set to 24 FPS prevents the accidental frame rate mismatches that can cause judder and timing errors when 24 FPS footage is placed on a 30 FPS timeline. If your delivery platform requires 30 FPS, it is generally better to generate at 24 FPS for the aesthetic character and then apply a clean pulldown conversion during export rather than generating at 30 FPS and losing the cinematic quality.

Types and variations

  • 24 FPS is the theatrical film standard, producing the characteristic motion blur and temporal cadence associated with cinematic content.
  • 25 FPS is the PAL broadcast standard used in Europe, Australia, and many other regions.
  • 30 FPS is the NTSC broadcast standard used in North America and Japan, producing slightly smoother motion than 24 FPS.
  • 60 FPS is used for sports coverage, gaming content, and any high-motion video where maximum clarity is the priority.
  • High-speed frame rates from 120 FPS upward are used for slow-motion capture, where footage is recorded at a high frame rate and then played back at a lower rate to create the slow-motion effect.
  • Variable frame rate refers to footage where the frame rate changes within a single clip, common in smartphone video and sometimes problematic in post-production.

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Common use cases

  • Narrative film and prestige television productions use 24 FPS to achieve the cinematic look associated with high-production-value storytelling.
  • Live sports broadcasts use 60 FPS or higher to capture fast action with maximum clarity.
  • YouTube creators use 60 FPS for gaming and action content where smoothness is valued, and 24 or 30 FPS for narrative and lifestyle content where a more cinematic look is preferred.
  • AI video generation platforms allow frame rate selection as part of generation parameters, with higher frame rates typically costing more computational resources per second of output.

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FAQs

What is frame rate in video production?
Frame rate is the number of individual still images, called frames, that are captured or displayed per second in a video, measured in frames per second. It determines how smoothly motion is rendered and significantly affects the aesthetic and perceptual character of the footage, with different frame rates associated with different visual qualities ranging from cinematic to smooth and immediate.
Why does 24 FPS look cinematic?
24 FPS has been the standard for theatrical film since the introduction of sound cinema, which means audiences have watched more than a century of films at this frame rate. The characteristic motion blur and temporal cadence of 24 FPS has become deeply associated with cinematic storytelling and high-production-value content in the cultural perception of audiences worldwide. The motion blur itself ( a consequence of the shutter speed relationship at 24 FPS ) contributes a softness to fast movement that has become part of the aesthetic language of film.
What frame rate is best for YouTube videos?
The best frame rate for YouTube depends on the content type. Gaming and action content benefits from 60 FPS, which renders fast movement with maximum clarity and is well-supported for high-frame-rate playback by YouTube. Narrative, documentary, and lifestyle content typically uses 24 or 30 FPS, with 24 FPS giving a more cinematic quality and 30 FPS providing slightly smoother motion in a familiar broadcast aesthetic. YouTube supports all standard frame rates and recommends using the same frame rate as the source material.
How does frame rate affect AI video generation?
In AI video generation, frame rate is typically a parameter specified during generation that directly affects the computational cost and generation time. Higher frame rates require the model to synthesise more frames per second of output, proportionally increasing both the processing time and the resource requirements. Some generation tools produce video at a fixed frame rate and allow the creator to apply frame interpolation in post-production to achieve higher frame rates after generation.
What is the difference between 30 FPS and 60 FPS?
30 FPS and 60 FPS both appear smooth to viewers, but 60 FPS produces visibly more fluid motion rendering with less motion blur per frame, making fast-moving content appear sharper and more immediate. 30 FPS retains more motion blur and has a slightly softer temporal appearance. The difference is most noticeable in content with fast motion ( sports, action sequences, rapid camera movements ) where 60 FPS renders movement with significantly greater clarity.
What is slow-motion footage and how does frame rate affect it?
Slow-motion footage is created by capturing video at a higher frame rate than playback rate, then playing it back at a standard speed. A clip recorded at 240 FPS and played back at 24 FPS will appear to play at one-tenth normal speed, stretching each real second of action into ten seconds of playback. The higher the capture frame rate relative to the playback rate, the more dramatic the slow-motion effect and the smoother the slow-motion footage will appear.
What happens if frame rates are mismatched in editing?
When footage at one frame rate is placed on an editing timeline set to a different frame rate, the editing software must reconcile the mismatch by either dropping frames, duplicating frames, or applying frame rate conversion. This can produce judder ( uneven motion caused by inconsistent frame timing ) or timing errors where the footage plays at the wrong speed. Setting the timeline frame rate to match the primary footage and handling any necessary conversions explicitly during export produces the cleanest results.
Can frame rate be changed after filming or generation?
Frame rate can be changed after the fact through frame rate conversion, but the results depend on the conversion method and the relationship between the original and target rates. Converting between closely related rates using pulldown methods can produce clean results. More significant changes ( converting 24 FPS to 60 FPS ) either require frame interpolation to synthesise new frames or result in duplicate frames that create judder. Frame interpolation quality has improved significantly with AI methods but still produces artefacts in challenging motion conditions.
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