What's wrong with frame 0?

posted to: Looping Ball

Hi, I come from a dev background and we love a zero index, and maybe I have missed an earlier course, but how come you always use frame 1 as your first frame, and not frame 0? Is it just the standard?

  • Omar Domenech replied
    Wayne would know better, but I think it's just standard yes. There is an option to allow for negative frames, but I don't see anyone using that ever. Also Kent was saying that Wayne usually starts to animate at frame 10 or frame 50, just so you have room in case you later realize you need extra frames at the start. So there doesn't seem to be a hardcore rule, just standard practices.
  • Dwayne Savage(dillenbata3) replied

    It's a matter of preference. You absolutely can start at frame 0. Just change the start frame to 0 instead of the default 1. Starting at 1 makes it easier for people new to video editing. As far as the video is concerned it doesn't matter because the output starts at the start frame and goes to the end frame. Infact many industry video editing software do start at 0. 

  • Dwayne Savage(dillenbata3) replied

    Sorry, after rereading your question I realized I didn't answer all of your question. For digital video, the defacto standard is to start with 0. In the days of actual film they started frame count at 1. For sound design it would either start at 0(left side of the frame) or 1(right side of the frame) then later threaded along with the frames. I think it was bottom, but don't remember. Since Blenders development happened with film they followed the film counting instead of programming's index start at 0. 

  • Wayne Dixon replied

    Hi George,
    You can totally start on frame 0 if you like.  There's actually one video (somewhere) that I explain this.
    The default for Blender is to start on frame 01 - but it depends on the project and personal preferences.

    Most of the time I start on frame 1.  But often in studios you start on frame 100 or frame 101 so you can have preroll if you need it. (for simulations or for editing)

    If frame 0 is your jam - then do it.

    You can even open a fresh scene, change the frame range to start at zero and then save that as you default file.  That way all new files will start at f0.

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