EbSynth is a desktop VFX tool that turns video footage into stylized animation by editing just one keyframe. You paint or retouch a single frame in your image editor of choice, and EbSynth propagates that style across the entire shot using texture synthesis algorithms rather than generative AI. Built by Secret Weapons and used on productions like Apollo 10½ and Netflix's Wednesday, it fits animators, filmmakers, and VFX artists who want hand-painted looks, rotoscoping, colorization, or digital makeup without frame-by-frame work.

• Single-Keyframe Style Propagation: Paint one frame in Photoshop or any editor, and EbSynth applies that style across the whole video sequence automatically.
• Texture Synthesis Engine: Uses a fast non-parametric texture synthesis algorithm instead of neural networks, preserving keyframe pixels for tight creative control.
• Rotoscoping and Retouching: Handles manual tracking tasks like colorization, digital makeup, and VFX cleanup without frame-by-frame effort.
• Optional AI Keyframe Generation: Pro plan includes 100 AI-generated images per month if you want to create keyframes without painting from scratch.
• Offline Studio Processing: Studio plan runs entirely offline with command-line automation, keeping unreleased footage on your machine.
• High-Resolution Exports: Pro adds 1080p and 4K exports, along with PNG output featuring alpha channels and priority processing.
• Separate Video Tracks: Work on independently moving areas such as faces, eyes, or backgrounds on separate tracks for greater control over the result.
• Transparent Keyframes: Isolate elements using transparent-background keyframes, making it possible to apply changes to specific parts of a shot.

• Genuine Free Tier: Free plan includes all core functions with 720p MP4 export and no time limits, not a crippled demo.
• Pixel-Level Control: Because it copies from your keyframe rather than generating new content, you get predictable results that match your artistic intent.
• Open Source Roots: The original EbSynth code is available on GitHub under a public domain license for developers who want to build on it.
• Flexible for VFX Work: Use it for retouching, rotoscoping, colorization, digital makeup, and stylized video work.
• Saves Manual Tracking Time: Propagate edits from selected keyframes instead of making the same change frame by frame.

• Struggles with Fast Motion: Complex or overlapping movement can produce inconsistent frames that need manual touch-ups or extra keyframes.
• Learning Curve on Keyframes: Choosing when and where to insert keyframes takes practice, and poor selection leads to muddy or flickering results.
• Cloud Upload on Free/Pro: Free and Pro plans temporarily upload footage to EbSynth servers for rendering, which may not suit studios handling confidential material.

• Hand-Painted Animation from Live Action: Filmmakers shoot live footage, paint a stylized keyframe in Photoshop, and let EbSynth generate an oil-painted or A Scanner Darkly-style sequence without frame-by-frame animation.
• Rotoscoping and Digital Makeup: VFX artists paint over an actor's skin, add tattoos, or alter makeup in one frame, then propagate those changes across the shot for realistic integration.
• Colorization of Black-and-White Footage: Colorists paint one reference frame with target colors and use EbSynth to spread the palette across the sequence, replacing days of manual tracking.
• Stylized 3D Renders: 3D animators break the polished CG look by painting a painterly keyframe over a render, giving finished shots a hand-crafted feel for cutscenes or short films.
• VFX Retouching and Cleanup: Studios use EbSynth to fix wardrobe issues, remove unwanted elements, or apply aging effects across multiple frames by editing a single reference.