Convert Video to Autodesk Animator FLI/FLC with FFmpeg

This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to convert modern video files into the legacy Autodesk Animator (FLI/FLC) format using the FFmpeg command-line tool. You will learn the specific constraints of the FLI/FLC format—such as resolution limits and color depth—and the exact FFmpeg commands required to perform the conversion successfully.

Understanding FLI/FLC Constraints

Before converting, you must format your source video to meet the strict technical limitations of the Autodesk Animator format:

• Color Depth: Both FLI and FLC formats only support an 8-bit indexed color palette (maximum of 256 colors).
• FLI Resolution: Strictly limited to 320x200 pixels.
• FLC Resolution: Supports variable resolutions (typically 640x480 or custom sizes), but both width and height must be even numbers.
• Audio: Neither FLI nor FLC formats support audio tracks. FFmpeg will automatically discard any audio during conversion.

Basic Conversion Commands

To convert a video, you must scale the input to the correct dimensions and set the pixel format to pal8 (8-bit palettized color) so the flic encoder can process it.

Converting to FLI (320x200)

Run the following command to convert a video to the classic 320x200 FLI format:

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "scale=320:200" -c:v flic -pix_fmt pal8 output.fli

Converting to FLC (e.g., 640x480)

To convert to the FLC format with a larger resolution, use this command:

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "scale=640:480" -c:v flic -pix_fmt pal8 output.flc

Improving Color Quality with a Custom Palette

Standard 8-bit conversion can result in color banding or dithering artifacts. To achieve the best possible visual quality, you can use FFmpeg’s palettegen and paletteuse filters. This two-step process generates a custom 256-color palette tailored specifically to your video’s content.

Step 1: Generate the Custom Palette

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "scale=640:480,palettegen" -y palette.png

Step 2: Convert the Video Using the Palette

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -i palette.png -filter_complex "[0:v]scale=640:480[sc];[sc][1:v]paletteuse" -c:v flic -pix_fmt pal8 output.flc

(Note: Replace 640:480 with 320:200 and change the output extension to .fli if you are targeting the FLI format.)

Adjusting Framerate (Optional)

Legacy FLI/FLC players often struggle with high framerates. If you need to limit the video to a standard retro framerate (like 15 or 12 frames per second), add the -r flag to your command:

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "scale=320:200" -r 15 -c:v flic -pix_fmt pal8 output.fli