Free tutorials

Learn SFM & Blender

Pick your level and I'll hand you the right tutorials, from first-timer basics to advanced deep-dives. Every technique behind the library is taught here, free.

  • Free
  • 15 tutorials on YouTube
  • Easy · Medium · Hard
Get the assets on Patreon Pick your level

Rather skip the build? The finished effects, animations and scenebuilds are on Patreon; memberships start at $20/month.

Three levels

Pick your level

Jump in exactly where you are. Each level is a short, focused set of videos.

7 tutorials

Easy: start here

Absolute basics. Start here if you've never opened SFM.

4 tutorials

Medium: level up

Level up your scenes: lighting, motion, composition.

4 tutorials

Hard: deep dives

Advanced deep-dives into the techniques behind the packs.
Easy · 7 tutorials

Easy: start here

Absolute basics. Start here if you've never opened SFM. This level includes lip synchronization, two ways, and animating in the Motion Editor.

EasyTutorial 1

SFM How to: Lip Synchronization

Watch on YouTube

EasyTutorial 2

Watch on YouTube

EasyTutorial 3

Watch on YouTube

EasyTutorial 4

Watch on YouTube

EasyTutorial 5

SFM How to: Animation in 5 Minutes (Motion Editor)

Watch on YouTube

EasyTutorial 6

Watch on YouTube

EasyTutorial 7

SFM How to: Lip Synchronization (Optimized/Export Based)

Watch on YouTube

Done with Easy?

Move on to Medium and level up your scenes.
Medium · 4 tutorials

Medium: level up

Level up your scenes: lighting, motion, composition. This level includes animation transposition with HoovyTools: SFM Transposition Addon, the same add-on that makes the 600+ animations in the full library transposable.

MediumTutorial 1

SFM How to: Animation Transposition (Addon)

Watch on YouTube

MediumTutorial 2

Watch on YouTube

MediumTutorial 3

Watch on YouTube

MediumTutorial 4

Watch on YouTube

Moving your scenes to Blender? The free HoovyTools add-ons import whole SFM sessions and rebuild .pcf particle effects as live geometry nodes.

Hard · 4 tutorials

Hard: deep dives

Advanced deep-dives into the techniques behind the packs. This level includes advanced polishing and SFM's Particle Editor.

HardTutorial 1

SFM How to: Polishing (Advanced)

Watch on YouTube

HardTutorial 2

SFM How to: Particle Editor

Watch on YouTube

HardTutorial 3

Watch on YouTube

HardTutorial 4

Watch on YouTube
Your path

From watching to animating

The assets are a shortcut. The tutorials mean you never need one.

  1. Watch

    Pick a level above and work through it at your own pace. The tutorials are free, with no paywall.

  2. Try

    Grab the free HoovyTools add-ons and the free items on the Steam Workshop.

  3. Skip ahead

    Want the finished effects instead of building them? They're in the Patreon library.

The tutorials live on YouTube

Subscribe to the HoovyTube channel for new videos, or play every tutorial back to back in the full playlist.

Open the YouTube channel Play the full playlist
Answers

Tutorial FAQ

Are the tutorials really free?

Yes. You don't have to pay a cent: every skill used to build the library is walked through on YouTube, with no paywall. You can rebuild all of it yourself.

Where should I start?

If you've never opened SFM, start with Easy. Comfortable with the basics? Medium levels up your scenes, and Hard goes deep into the techniques behind the packs.

Can I get the finished assets instead?

Yes. The library is on Patreon in three tiers (memberships start at $20/month), single packs are in the Patreon shop, and free items are on the Steam Workshop.

Is there anything for Blender?

Yes: HoovyTools, two free Blender add-ons. One imports a whole SFM session; the other rebuilds .pcf particle effects as editable geometry nodes.