Standards and checks for ensuring animation output is publication-ready.
Before writing any Manim code:
PRIMARY = main concept, etc.)MONO = "Menlo" set as the font constant# RULE: buff >= 0.5 for edge text
label.to_edge(DOWN, buff=0.5) # GOOD
label.to_edge(DOWN, buff=0.3) # BAD — may clip
# RULE: FadeOut previous before adding new at same position
self.play(ReplacementTransform(note1, note2)) # GOOD
self.play(Write(note2)) # BAD — overlaps note1
# RULE: Reduce font size for dense scenes
# When > 4 text elements visible, use font_size=20 not 28
Long text strings overflow the frame:
# RULE: Set max width for any text that might be long
text = Text("This is a potentially long description", font_size=22, font=MONO)
if text.width > config.frame_width - 1.0:
text.set_width(config.frame_width - 1.0)
# RULE: Define MONO once, use everywhere
MONO = "Menlo"
# WRONG: mixing fonts
Text("Title", font="Helvetica")
Text("Label", font="Arial")
Text("Code", font="Courier")
# RIGHT: one font
Text("Title", font=MONO, weight=BOLD, font_size=48)
Text("Label", font=MONO, font_size=20)
Text("Code", font=MONO, font_size=18)
The visible frame is approximately 14.2 wide × 8.0 tall (default 16:9). With mandatory margins:
Usable area: x ∈ [-6.5, 6.5], y ∈ [-3.5, 3.5]
Top title zone: y ∈ [2.5, 3.5]
Bottom note zone: y ∈ [-3.5, -2.5]
Main content: y ∈ [-2.5, 2.5], x ∈ [-6.0, 6.0]
Empty scenes look unfinished. If the main content is small, add context: - A dimmed grid/axes behind the content - A title/subtitle at the top - A source citation at the bottom - Decorative geometry at low opacity
Hard limit: 6 actively visible elements. Beyond that, the viewer can't track everything. If you need more: - Dim old elements to opacity 0.3 - Remove elements that have served their purpose - Split into two scenes
Check that no two consecutive scenes use the exact same: - Animation type (if Scene 3 uses Write for everything, Scene 4 should use FadeIn or Create) - Color emphasis (rotate through palette colors) - Layout (center, left-right, grid — alternate) - Pacing (if Scene 2 was slow and deliberate, Scene 3 can be faster)
A good video follows a tempo curve:
Slow ──→ Medium ──→ FAST (climax) ──→ Slow (conclusion)
Scene 1: Slow (introduction, setup)
Scene 2: Medium (building understanding)
Scene 3: Medium-Fast (core content, lots of animation)
Scene 4: FAST (montage of applications/results)
Scene 5: Slow (conclusion, key takeaway)
Between scenes:
- Clean exit: self.play(FadeOut(Group(*self.mobjects)), run_time=0.5)
- Brief pause: self.wait(0.3) after fadeout, before next scene's first animation
- Never hard-cut: always animate the transition
Colors that look vibrant on white look muddy on dark backgrounds (#0D1117, #1C1C1C). Test your palette:
# Colors that work well on dark backgrounds:
# Bright and saturated: #58C4DD, #83C167, #FFFF00, #FF6B6B
# Colors that DON'T work: #666666 (invisible), #2244AA (too dark)
# RULE: Structural elements (axes, grids) at opacity 0.15
# Context elements at 0.3-0.4
# Primary elements at 1.0
Once a color is assigned a meaning, it keeps that meaning for the entire video:
# If PRIMARY (#58C4DD) means "the model" in Scene 1,
# it means "the model" in every scene.
# Never reuse PRIMARY for a different concept later.
When showing a number changing:
# GOOD: DecimalNumber with smooth animation
counter = DecimalNumber(0, font_size=48, num_decimal_places=0, font="Menlo")
self.play(counter.animate.set_value(1000), run_time=3, rate_func=rush_from)
# BAD: Text that jumps between values
Before running manim -qh:
-ql-qm for text-heavy scenes (check kerning)self.camera.background_color = BG)add_subcaption() or subcaption= on every significant animation.to_edge() callsself.wait() after every reveal-ql and -qh)After stitching the final video: