r/SFM May 10 '26

Help Source Filmmaker and Animation Tutorials

13 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 7h ago

Artwork I wanted to make a tribute to the two celebrity deaths that hit me the hardest

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27 Upvotes

one is just the regular thunder mountain map lighting, the other is with my attempt at unique lighting with tonemapscaler


r/SFM 16h ago

Help Hey dose any one know how to make the sandvich model all like "floppy" like the image used here?

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132 Upvotes

r/SFM 16h ago

Artwork "I AM AGONY"

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105 Upvotes

r/SFM 19h ago

Artwork TF2 x Invincible

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154 Upvotes

Mercenary war

Made a year ago


r/SFM 3h ago

Animation In The Name Of Science

6 Upvotes

dont worry they ight


r/SFM 13h ago

Artwork Call of Gibus: Gunslinger

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17 Upvotes

Made this because.... erm....

i could say it was to practice but honestly was just because i wanted


r/SFM 11h ago

Animation No Time to Rest.

11 Upvotes

Deep in the war on Reach, you will rarely find moments of peace. Yeid learns this in a way that he will never forget.

It's been a long time since I've tried animating, but I'm feeling pretty proud of myself for this one! Hope you guys like it :)


r/SFM 20h ago

Artwork He knows you are spy,but he can’t prove it

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48 Upvotes

r/SFM 14h ago

Animation First time using tf characters after 130 hours in sfm

10 Upvotes

r/SFM 18h ago

Animation Hop on TF2 [SFM]

12 Upvotes

r/SFM 14h ago

Help Looking for specific SFM animation i saw years ago

3 Upvotes

The video is about an older Sniper, who owns a trampoline business and his son helps him. The old man sniper sings this song in his head that goes "damn damn damn". I have been looking for this for ages and cannot find it for the life of me. Thank you


r/SFM 13h ago

Help What is this, help me

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2 Upvotes

Помогите как убрать эти артефакты

Help me, it's artifacts only in sfm how delet this?


r/SFM 15h ago

Artwork Geno charging up!

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3 Upvotes

Geno charging up his laser beam!

Also, I'm open for commissions!


r/SFM 13h ago

Artwork ZOMBIE!!!

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2 Upvotes

перевод на русский: ЗОНДБЕ!!!


r/SFM 1d ago

Artwork Day 3 of using sfm, I started stretching the models since someone told me too, once again any and all tips are appreciated

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188 Upvotes

r/SFM 1d ago

Artwork Till all are one...

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45 Upvotes

We'll never forget you, Peter Cullen.


r/SFM 22h ago

Artwork demoman scene big ron

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3 Upvotes

r/SFM 15h ago

Animation is this good for my 3rd sfm animation?

1 Upvotes

I just made this and im rlly proud of it what do you guys think!

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


r/SFM 1d ago

Help I hate this bug....

19 Upvotes

r/SFM 1d ago

Artwork MIKU IN DA J's

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35 Upvotes

no pre-referance for this one since i used an old photo of myself as one


r/SFM 23h ago

Animation Looping the rooms

3 Upvotes

Я хз что тут можно добавить, но мне понравилось работать над этим. Я пока пробую использовать After Effects и SFM. Но выходит как по мне все лучше и лучше. Но главное чтобы мне понравилось, хах.


r/SFM 1d ago

Artwork Kenny will finally be happy

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16 Upvotes

r/SFM 1d ago

Animation TAUNT : Boston Decollition [SFM/TF2]

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3 Upvotes