Unreal Engine Take Recorder guide: recording cameras and actors in archviz

Unreal Engine’s Take Recorder is a tool for capturing motion in a scene directly and editing it in Sequencer. Epic Games’ documentation explains that actor animations, camera motion, and live performances can all be recorded this way. In architectural visualization, the same approach can be used to prepare different recording variations for camera routes or moving scene elements. The steps below are based on Epic’s Take Recorder documentation, which does not specify which Unreal Engine versions the source applies to.

Before you start recording

Take Recorder is a plugin, so it must be enabled before use. Find it under Edit › Plugins in the main menu and check its box. Unreal Engine will prompt you to restart after enabling it. If you plan to record live motion or performances, you can also enable Live Link from the same plugin window; it also requires a restart to take effect.

Preparing the project also means ensuring that the actors to be recorded are present. Epic’s documentation lists a playable character and actors to record as project prerequisites; alternatively, it says you can use a project created with the Third Person Template. In architectural scenes, having the cameras or objects you want to record ready in the level makes it easier to select sources.

Open the panel via Window › Cinematics › Take Recorder. If no sequence is open, Take Recorder starts a new, empty sequence. Its core workflow is tied to Sequencer: recordings can be reviewed and edited in the timeline.

1. Set take details and choose a recording destination

Before recording, you can edit the information in the Slate area. It includes the take name and number, as well as the description, frame rate (fps), timecode, and recording speed. Descriptions and clear naming make it easier to distinguish similar camera moves or scene actions later. If you enter a take number that has already been used, the tool displays a warning; selecting the warning changes the number to the next available value.

By default, a new recording is sent to the pending take sequence. To record to a different sequence, select a destination from the Record to Sequence menu. When reviewing an earlier recording, the Return button takes you back to the pending take sequence. The Takes Browser lets you browse the content area containing recorded takes.

You can choose an available frame rate from the Frames Per Second menu. The documentation does not recommend a specific frame rate for archviz, so choose one based on the scene and delivery requirements. The Record Speed value changes the recording speed and the engine’s overall time scale. Epic notes that this control can help you observe motion more slowly when recording to a populated sequence. Making a short test recording first and checking that the motion was captured as expected is a practical way to validate the setting in your project.

2. Add and check sources

Add items to record using the +Source button. The documentation lists several source options, including any actor in the level, the Player actor, Camera Cuts, Level Sequence, Live Link, a microphone, newly spawned actors, and World/Level assets. You can also add an actor by dragging it from the Outliner into the Source panel.

The Camera Cuts source tracks the cameras active during recording. When the active camera changes, a new camera actor and camera cut section are added to the recording. This makes it possible to review transitions in scenes that use different camera angles within the same recording. The Level Sequence source lets other sequences play during recording; according to the documentation, this playback is supported during gameplay or simulation sessions.

Adding a source alone does not guarantee that it will be recorded. For Take Recorder to evaluate a source, it must have a recording path and a corresponding playable track in Sequencer. In other words, a property that Sequencer cannot represent with keyframes will not appear in the recording output. Before recording, check the source’s enabled status in the Source panel and confirm that the target actor has recordable properties.

3. Record, add markers, and compare takes

Start recording with the red Record button in the Take Recorder window. The Record button in Sequencer’s playback controls also records the selected actor into the current sequence; the Take Recorder window does not have to be open for this method. To finish the capture, use the recording control again or press Esc. The completed take is then saved.

While recording, you can add a marker at the current moment using the Add Marked Frame button. These markers make it easier to find specific moments in the recording later. You can create new takes for the same scene when trying a different camera move or performance variation. Open the previous recording via Review Last Recording; this view also includes an option to start a new recording.

If the Record button is disabled, first check whether a valid source is selected. The tool displays a warning icon when no recordable source is available. The enabled/disabled indicators beside sources also determine which items will be included in the recording; reviewing them before recording helps prevent unwanted items from being captured.

4. Review actor type and recording scope

For an Any Actor source, you can choose whether to record the actor as Spawnable or Possessable. Project Default uses the default behavior set in the project settings. The Record Parent Hierarchy option determines whether the actor’s parent hierarchy is also included in the recording. The effect of leaving this option off on transform coordinates varies depending on whether the actor is Spawnable or Possessable. For objects tied to a hierarchy, check the recording type and this option together.

When Reduce Keys is enabled, the Simplify operation is applied to keyframes after recording finishes. You can also enable or disable source properties individually; disabled properties are not created as tracks in the recording. These controls can be used to limit the scope of a recording as needed. If you select a Live Link source, enter the subject for the recording session in the Subject Name field in its details.

Impact on architectural visualization workflows

Take Recorder can help archviz teams evaluate different variations in the same workflow by transferring camera and actor motion from a scene into Sequencer. Recording camera cuts is useful for reviewing transitions between different framings, while multiple takes make it easier to compare alternatives for the same action. However, the tool works only with recordable sources and properties that have a corresponding track in Sequencer.

The documentation does not specify fixed hardware requirements or real-time recording performance; it says that the workflow depends on the hardware and setup. For this reason, it is sensible to make a short test recording in demanding scenes and verify the recording speed and source behavior on the project computer. The sources also provide no information about licensing terms, so this guide does not assess licensing.

Common mistakes

• Forgetting to restart Unreal Engine after enabling Take Recorder or Live Link.

• Starting a recording without checking that a valid, enabled source is present in the Source panel.

• Not testing whether the property to be recorded creates a playable track in Sequencer.

• Reusing a take number; the tool displays a warning in this case.

• Leaving the Subject Name field unspecified when recording Live Link.