How to create a video walkthrough in Enscape: Full guide

Summary: 

Learn how to use Enscape's built-in video editor with this walkthrough guide. From setting up keyframes to previewing and exporting a smooth, narrated flythrough. The guide is relevant for users of Enscape within Revit, SketchUp, Rhino, Archicad, and Vectorworks.

When navigating a model in real time is not practical, or you want a pre-scripted path that aligns with your talking points, creating a walkthrough video is the solution.

For example, I worked in my previous firm’s booth at a regional conference to promote our design services. We used a large television to play a continuously looped Enscape-generated video (straight off a USB drive, plugged directly into the TV). This eye-catching medium proved to be very engaging and prompted several questions, thus serving its purpose to engage attendees in a meaningful conversation about the work we do.

This article will cover the video creation features and workflows found within the Enscape plugin. Enscape has a simple workflow for developing a video walkthrough (if you're in need of more advanced architectural visualizations, check out Envision, with which Enscape is compatible).

I will be using Revit, but the way this functionality is implemented into Enscape allows it to work the same in SketchUp, Rhino, Vectorworks, and Archicad as well. If you’re not an Enscape user yet, sign up for the free trial.

TIP: Follow along in your own project or with a free sample project here from Chaos. This post was written using the beautiful modern office shown in the following Enscape-rendered still image.

1. Getting started with video creation in Enscape
2. Creating the video path
3. Editing the video path
4. Quick feature overview
5. Save and load a path 
6. Export settings 
7. Render video
8. Conclusion

Getting started with video creation in Enscape

Enscape offers a powerful video walkthrough renderer for Revit, SketchUp, Rhino, Archicad, and Vectorworks. The overall process of creating a walkthrough rendering is straightforward.

First, in your design software, start Enscape, toggle the Video Editor on, and then compose a view in Enscape as shown in the first image below. Click the Add Keyframe (the + button) to define the start point. You can then continue this process as you move along the path you would like the video to follow. The path and keyframes are visible within Enscape, as shown in the second image below, after exiting the current keyframe. The video follows this path and morphs between each keyframe. For example, notice the view direction arrow added at each keyframe. Enscape will smoothly transition between #1 and #2 and then again between #2 and #3.

In the video editor, you can select your different keyframes by clicking on the diamond shapes on the timeline. In addition to morphing the view direction, keyframes allow other adjustments such as Time of Day, Focal point, and Field of View. The duration between keyframes can be adjusted by setting an explicit Timestamp.

To finish, once the path is defined, the video may be previewed in Enscape using the Preview command (play button). If everything looks good to you, use the Export command to create an MP4 file, which can be hosted online or shared widely. Keep in mind that you can also adjust the output quality and resolution through the Visual Settings -> Output tab beforehand.

Creating the video path

A video is created by following a camera path and defining this path has never been easier in the AEC industry when using Enscape. To begin the process, within Enscape, click the Video Editor command (or type V). This will activate the Video Editor UI within Enscape - see image below. Next, while in Enscape, simply compose a view and click the Add Keyframe + button (or type K). This adds a keyframe, represented as a diamond on the Timeline. Continue composing views and adding keyframes along the desired path until it is adequately defined to travel around objects, corners, and up or down stairs.

TIP: Be sure to save your path before closing Enscape, otherwise your work will be lost!

Keyframe tools legend:
A. Add a new keyframe, based on current Enscape view, before the first keyframe
B. Click a diamond to select a keyframe
C. Click between two keyframes to add a new keyframe
D. Add a new keyframe, based on current Enscape view, after the last keyframe

Editing the video path

The path may need to be modified to adjust the view direction or avoid colliding with objects in the scene. Enscape makes this easy by allowing you to select keyframes and then visually adjust them. This process can be started within the 3D view or via the Timeline in the Video Editor. In the 3D view, hover your cursor over a camera (i.e. a keyframe) until it turns green (see next image) and then click. Notice how the camera path, shown between keyframes as an extruded tube, has arrows on it, indicating the direction of travel.

Once a Keyframe is selected, you can toggle Gridline visibility (item A) for reference, as shown in the image below. While in the keyframe, the path is not visible. The path will not appear again until you click Exit Keyframe (item B). Note that the Timeline and Movement options in the Video Editor apply to the entire video, so they are only editable while not in a specific keyframe.

In the short video below, I will demonstrate how keyframes can be inserted graphically on a path simply by clicking on it. I demonstrate how to add another keyframe between #2 and #3, so we look straight ahead for a longer period after leaving keyframe #2. To change the view direction of a keyframe, click on the last keyframe/camera, make the view composition adjustments, and then click Update to apply the changes to the current keyframe.

Using the controls in the Keyframe Editor, you can override the Time of Day, Field of View, Depth of Field, and Timestamp from their current settings. For example, if a keyframe is selected and the timestamp is adjusted, the duration of the entire video is adjusted. Or, if the time of day is adjusted in at least two keyframes, it will morph between these views. To help keep track of where overrides exist, markers are added to the Timeline as shown in the following image. These same adjustments can be seen in Enscape, next to each keyframe, as shown in the second image below. It is essential to click 'Update' to save changes to the current keyframe.

Quick feature overview

Field of view defines what is visible at a particular position and orientation in space. Chose the angle of the area captured through the camera to influence the atmosphere of your scene.

Set the time of day by choosing the desired hour of day in the editor; the lighting will be changed accordingly. Enhance your project by fine-tuning where the daylight falls in every scene.

TIP: Be careful changing the time across a short video, as it can be distracting and not very realistic.

Depth of field determines the focal point in your video. You can either use the center of the screen as an automatic focus or set a target distance. Use this feature to increase emphasis on a specific part of the scene.

TIP: Focal Point has no effect in the Keyframe Editor when Auto Focus is checked within the Visual Settings dialog.

An Enscape video path can also traverse floors, as shown in the following two images. The process is the same: compose views along the path and add keyframes.

My first attempt at this multi-level path only had a keyframe at the top and bottom of the stair run. However, when smoothing/morphing the path between keyframes, the path curved too much between the bottom and top of the stairs. To correct this, I inserted another keyframe mid-stair to define the path as shown in the image above. Using these features, we have complete control over the path and view direction.

The video path editing features allow multiple keyframes on the same position (with different camera rotation or time of day) as well as explicit control over the timing. I recently wrote about this on my blog, BIM Chapters, in the two posts below:

• Animate Time of Day from a Single Location in Enscape
• Adding a Pause in an Enscape Animation

Save and load a path

If you want to use a path again in the future, you can save it using the Save Path to file... command, as shown below. The ability to define multiple paths within a single project is a particularly beneficial feature. Save these files in the project folder on the network so the entire design team has access. Once a path is saved, or if you wish to discard the current path, click New video path.

The saved file is an XML file. If you open this file, you will notice that each keyframe has an X, Y, and Z value for Position and LookAt. These numbers could be modified to make more precise adjustments along the path - be sure to save a copy first!

Export settings

Once the path is defined, the video can be created. First, the quality of the video is dependent on the options specified in the Visual Settings dialog, shown below. There are a few important things to know:

1. Resolution

Choose the video resolution in pixels. This setting impacts the time needed to generate the video and the resultant file size. If you chose a Full HD (1080p resolution), Enscape will render a video with 1920 x 1080 pixels.

TIP: For 4k video, I recommend using the VLC Media Player which performs very well.

2. Video

Compression Quality: A higher compression quality increases the file size but reduces compression artifacts in the video. The export time is unaffected by this setting.

TIP: Selecting Lossless creates individual image files, not a video file. A maximum or lower setting will create an MP4 when the video is exported.

Frames Per Second (FPS): Takes proportionally longer to render, but higher values yields a smoother video.

3. Motion blur

Motion Blur, found on the Image tab, can be deactivated if rapid camera movements result in a blurred image.

4. Rendering quality

This setting controls the lighting and reflection quality of Enscape. Higher values yield more photorealistic results, though this increases the render time per frame. Thus, the combination of render quality and capture settings can significantly impact the time required and the quality of the final product.

Keep in mind that the overall length of the video is determined automatically or by the Timestamp animation feature in the Video Editor, as described above. It does not matter where the keyframes are or how many there are.

Render video

Finally, use the Preview - play button - command (or “P” on the keyboard) to get a quick preview of the animation in real-time. If the preview looks acceptable, use the Export command in the Video Editor to create an MP4. As already mentioned, this process can potentially take a significant amount of time. This is mainly dependent on your settings (see above), but also determined by the computing power of your hardware. A powerful graphics card can significantly improve export rendering times.

The resultant video file can be pretty large. I have created a few that were upwards of 2GB for a 20-minute 1080p video. However, the results are definitely worth it!

Here is an example created just by using the Enscape video editor. Video editing software was used only for overlays and to string them together:

Credit: Finn

And a further example where no video editing software has been used:

Credit: Jack Tenrev

Conclusion

In an increasingly fast-paced and intricate professional environment, it’s essential to have visualization tools that are both robust and user-friendly. As demonstrated throughout this article, Enscape streamlines the creation and editing of walkthrough videos, making the process accessible for all users. The flexibility to generate and manage multiple animation paths, which can be saved and revisited as needed, significantly enhances workflow efficiency. Moreover, Enscape’s consistent user experience across various leading modeling platforms—such as Revit, SketchUp, Archicad, Vectorworks, and Rhino—sets it apart as a truly versatile solution.

Walkthrough videos remain one of the most compelling ways to communicate design intent. For clients making significant investments, seeing a polished video offers reassurance and helps bridge the gap between concept and reality. These visualizations not only support the design process but also serve as impactful marketing assets for both design firms and their clients, whether shared on websites, in presentations, or at stakeholder meetings.

Ultimately, Enscape’s powerful features and intuitive interface provide a strong value proposition for the industry, making it an excellent choice for professionals seeking high-quality, efficient visualization workflows.

Recommended reading: Tell Your Story Through Video: Tips for Rendering Animations in Enscape

Recommended watching: How to Create Architectural Animations with the Enscape Video Editor