Rive for film and TV
Design futuristic interfaces (FUI) for film and TV in Rive, then play them live on the screens and props on set. The camera films the real screen, and an operator triggers each change on cue. Build them with your coding agent and the Rive CLI, and refine them in the Rive Editor, on the same file that plays on set.
A live Rive file
This console is a live Rive file built with the Rive CLI. Click it, then press 1, 2, 3, or 0, or use its buttons, to scan, lock on, raise an alert, or clear.
Territory Studio
Territory Studio makes screen graphics for feature films. At Unreal Fest 2024, co-founder Marti Romances showed how the studio uses Rive for interactive screens on set.
Example: Prop screens
Phones, tablets, and wearables on set run the Rive file themselves, so an actor’s touch gets a real response.
Example: Set monitors
Large displays play the same file at their own resolution, with values you can change between takes.
Rive Editor
Designers and animators build every screen by hand in the Rive Editor, an interactive design tool with timelines, State Machines, Data Binding, and Layouts. Your agent works on the same file.
State Machine
Design every beat as a state, like scan, lock, and alert, and move between them on a key press or a touch.
Data Binding
Bind names, numbers, and status text to data, so you change them between takes without rendering a new video.
Layouts
One responsive design fits a phone prop, a tablet, and a wide monitor.
Text
Live text with real fonts stays sharp at any size and updates when the data changes.
Vector Feathering
Soft glows and blurred edges drawn as vectors, for the light-on-glass look of screen graphics.
GPU Canvas
Add real 3D, like a rotating ship or a planet, next to your 2D interface in the same file.
On set
“DPs always love the idea of being able to put the lens where they want.”
Marti Romances, co-founder, Territory Studio, on the School of Motion podcast
Sharp at any resolution
The Rive Renderer draws vectors on the GPU at the screen’s own resolution, so lines and text stay crisp on a phone prop or a 4K monitor.
Triggered on cue
Keyboard and pointer Listeners move the graphic to its next state, so an operator or an actor sets off each beat live, during the take.
Changed between takes
Names, timers, and readouts are bound to data. Change them between takes in seconds instead of rendering a new video.
How to get started
Your agent builds it. You test it in the CLI preview window and keep directing it until it’s right.
01 Paste the prompt
Paste it into Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, or any coding agent. The agent installs the Rive CLI for you.
02 Describe the screen
Ask for a ship console, a HUD, a phone prop, or a hacking screen. Your agent writes the Rive file and shows it in the CLI preview window.
03 Wire the cues
Your agent adds the states, the keys or touches that trigger them, and the values you want to change between takes.
04 Keep designing in the Editor
Push the file to your Rive account and open it in the Rive Editor. Refine layout, motion, and states with professional design and animation tools. Needs a free Rive account.
FAQ
Common questions about screen graphics for film and TV.
What resolution and frame rate does Rive play at?
Rive draws in real time at the resolution of the screen it plays on, so it stays sharp on any display. By default a Rive view draws at the display’s refresh rate, and the Apple and React Native runtimes let you cap the frame rate.
How do we trigger changes on set?
Add keyboard or pointer Listeners in the State Machine, so a key press, click, or touch moves the graphic to its next state. Your own code can also fire triggers and set values through Data Binding.
What devices can play Rive on set?
Any device with a Rive runtime: web browsers, iPhone, iPad, and Android devices, Mac and Windows apps, and game engines like Unreal Engine and Unity. The runtimes are open source.
Can I still deliver a rendered video?
Yes. The Rive Editor exports MP4, GIF, or PNG sequences when a shot needs a rendered file. Video export is on paid plans.
Does Rive work in Unreal Engine?
Yes. Rive’s Unreal runtime renders and controls Rive files inside Unreal Engine, in UI and on textures in your 3D scene.
Do I need to code?
No. You can design, animate, and wire up states and data in the Rive Editor without code. A coding agent can build with you through the Rive CLI if you want one.
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