Synthesia offers multiple ways to build and refine your video. Each view is designed for a different stage of the process, from reviewing your full script to editing individual scenes and fine-tuning animations with precise timing
View Type | Best for |
Editing visuals and layout scene by scene. | |
Reviewing and editing the full script in one place. | |
Precise timing, layering, and animation control. |
Canvas view: Edit scene by scene
Canvas is the traditional view where you can:
Work on one scene at a time
Add or time animations and visuals
Adjust layout, avatars, and media for each scene
💡Use the Canvas view when you need precise control over how your video looks and sound.
Storyboard view: See your full script at a glance
Storyboard provides a continuous, scrollable view of your entire video script. It’s ideal for reviewing flow, structure, and pacing without switching between scenes.
Use Storyboard to
Read and edit all scripts in one place
Review the full narrative and pacing of your video
Edit Agentic scenes (roles, prompts, actions) while staying in context
Perform quick quality checks across the entire script
How to access Storyboard
Open your video.
Select Expand in the top-right corner of the Script box.
The full script opens in a expanded, scrollable view.
From here you can:
Easily review, edit, and quality-check your script without switching between scenes
Edit Agentic scenes including roles, prompts, and actions, while staying in context with the full narrative
Select Collapse to return to Canvas view
You can also hide scene previews in Storyboard using the Hide Previews / Show Previews toggle.
💡 Storyboard is best for writing, reviewing, and refining your script before focusing on visual details.
Timeline view: Precision control for complex scenes
The Timeline is a visual editing interface inside each scene, designed for syncing visuals to narration and managing complex animations and layers.
What is the Timeline?
The Timeline shows how elements such as images, text, avatars, animations, and effects are layered and timed within a scene.
📚 Want to learn more about the timeline view? Check out our article on How do I use the timeline view in Synthesia?