What is frame rate (fps)?
Frame rate, or fps (frames per second), is the number of images a video shows every second. Film usually runs at 24 fps, web video and US television at 30 or 29.97, Europe at 25, and sports and gaming at 60. The rate changes how motion looks and how timecode math works.
Also called: fps, frames per second
The most common frame rates
Fractional rates like 29.97 come from analog color TV and are still in cameras and editors today.
| fps | Where you see it | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 23.976 and 24 | Film, series, music videos | The cinematic look |
| 25 | TV in Europe | PAL standard |
| 29.97 and 30 | US TV, web video | 29.97 can be drop frame |
| 50 | High frame rate TV in Europe | Double 25 |
| 59.94 and 60 | Sports, gaming, slow motion | Very smooth motion |
Why fps matters beyond the look
Every calculation in frames depends on the fps. The timecode 00:00:10:15 is ten and a half seconds at 30 fps, but ten seconds and 625 milliseconds at 24. Mixing rates on one timeline causes stutters and captions out of sync.
For captions, the rate matters at delivery: some specs ask for a minimum gap between captions in frames, and editors check the SRT against the project's rate.
fps in FilmScribe
When you download the SRT, you pick your project's frame rate, alongside the TV, Netflix and YouTube presets, on every plan. To convert a finished caption file from one rate to another, the free subtitle sync tool does it; for timecode math at any fps, use the calculator.
Timecode calculator Convert the same moment between 23.976, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94 and 60 fps, in frames, seconds and milliseconds. Convert between frame rates →Keeping frame rate consistent
- 01
Read the fps before the project
Check the frame rate of the camera files before you create the sequence, and set the project to match the main camera. Letting the editor guess is how mixed timelines start.
- 02
Convert variable frame rate first
Phones and screen recorders often record at a variable frame rate. If audio drifts or cuts land a frame off, convert the file to a constant frame rate before editing.
- 03
Plan slow motion by the math
On a 24 fps timeline, footage shot at 48 fps plays at exactly half speed and 60 fps plays at 40 percent. Choose the shooting rate for the slowdown you want.
- 04
24 and 23.976 are different
Treat 24 and 23.976 as separate rates. Mixed on one timeline, they slip by one frame roughly every 42 seconds, and audio recorded against one drifts against picture at the other.
Related terms
See all terms →Frequently asked questions
Should I shoot at 24, 30 or 60 fps?
It depends on the use. 24 gives a film look, 30 is the standard for web and US TV, and 60 suits fast motion or slow motion. What matters most is keeping the same rate from start to finish.
Why is there 29.97 instead of 30?
It is a legacy of color TV in the United States, which lowered the rate by 0.1% to fit the color signal. Cameras and editors still use it, and it is the rate that calls for drop frame.
Does fps change my captions?
An SRT stores time in milliseconds, so it works at any rate. Frame rate comes into play when the editor checks captions by frame or when the captions came from a version of the video at another rate.
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