View source for SFM/Starting the SFM

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You can launch the SFM directly from Steam, as you would any other game.  When you launch the SFM, you'll see a startup screen that you can use to open a recent session, create a new session, or browse to an existing session.  Specify a name for your session and a directory to save it in, and click '''Create'''.

== Loading a map ==

Before you can begin creating a movie, you have to load a map.  Right-click in the viewport window, and then click '''Load Map'''.  You'll get a list of maps available on your computer.  You can filter this list by mod by typing text in the '''Mod Filter''' box at the top or by using the drop-down list.  You can also filter by file name by typing text in the '''Filter''' box at the bottom.  Choose the map you want, and click '''Open'''.

== The session ==

The SFM saves your movie as a .dmx file, which is your ''session''.  Inside each session, on the timeline, is the ''sequence'', which contains a series of ''shots'' that make up your movie.  Each shot contains a unique ''scene'', which starts with a single Source engine–generated game ''map''.  As you play back your sequence, every time it plays a different shot, the scene for the old shot is unloaded and the scene for the new one is loaded.  Each scene contains ''elements'', such as cameras, lights, and models.
{{Note|The sequence must link to a specific game map.  Only one map can be loaded at a time.}}

== See also ==
* [[SFM/UI overview|UI overview]]

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[[Category:Source Filmmaker]]