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1-Point vs 2-Point Scaling — Complete Guide

BOTH

Scaling in Flair lets you take a master move and replay it with a robot at a different scale — useful for shooting miniatures or recreating a shot at a different model size. This guide covers when to use 1-point vs 2-point scaling, best practices, and common failure modes.

Before You Start — Essential Setup

Set Initialize Scaling to YES before doing any scaling work. Without this, Flair may choose the wrong kinematic solution and flip the camera upside down mid-move.

  • Flair Classic prior to ~7.28: Miscellaneous Setup → Initialize Scaling = YES
  • Classic 7.28+ / Flair 7: Setups → Target Tracking → Initialize Scaling = YES

"Init scaling 'yes' is one of the most important settings you should always have checked indeed." — Heiko Matting

See also: Scaling Move Flips Camera — Initialize Scaling

Best for: Most scaling scenarios where you know (or can calculate) the scale ratio.

The 1-point method is preferred by most experienced operators because it is simpler, more reliable, and easier to troubleshoot.

How it works

You provide one matching reference point (the same physical location in both the master and slave setups) and a scale factor. Flair uses this single reference to calculate how all axes should move in the slave.

Workflow

  1. Build your master move at full size.
  2. Position the robot at the equivalent starting location in the slave (scaled) environment.
  3. Open SFX → Scaling.
  4. Store the first position for the master.
  5. Move to the corresponding location in the slave and store the slave first position.
  6. Choose 1 Point scaling.
  7. Enter the scale value (e.g. 0.5 for 1:2 scale, 2.0 for 2:1 scale).
  8. Choose Scale to Camera.
  9. Apply and test the move in the rig model before running.

"I would recommend have the master and slave at the same angle in the set and know the scale and use 1 point scaling. Start simple with a 1:2 or 1:1 size scale." — Simon Wakley, 2026-06-10

Tips

  • Start with simple scales like 1:1 or 1:2 to build confidence with the method.
  • Master and slave should be oriented at the same angle relative to the set.
  • Don't try with master and slave at opposite ends of the track — while possible, it adds complexity.

2-Point Scaling

Best for: - When you cannot calculate the scale factor yourself. - When you need to scale with a rotation to a fixed miniature set.

2-point scaling uses two measured reference points to let Flair calculate both the scale and any rotational offset between the master and slave setups. It is powerful but requires precise measurement.

"2 Point scaling has to be measured perfectly to make it work ... Very powerful but requires true understanding of what you are doing." — Simon Wakley, 2026-06-10

Workflow

  1. Build your master move.
  2. Open SFX → Scaling.
  3. Starting from Home, drive to the first reference point (e.g. left corner of set) using only the main axes (track, pan, tilt, etc.). Store as Master Point 1.
  4. Drive to the second reference point (e.g. right corner of set). Store as Master Point 2.
  5. Repeat the same process in the slave setup: store Slave Point 1 (same physical location), then Slave Point 2.
  6. Choose 2 Point scaling.
  7. Apply and test.

Critical requirements for 2-point success

Requirement Why it matters
Go close to your reference points Distant points introduce measurement error
Use large axis travel to measure A small pan is not enough — use the track or largest axis
Align set along the track Placing set at 45° or more to the track means you run out of range
Two points far apart Corner-to-corner gives a better measurement than two nearby points
Arm stays positive on Milo/Talos Negative rotate values can cause 2-point scaling to fail on Milo/Talos

"To use 2 points scaling properly, go way closer to your reference, use a larger distance to corner pin, and, most important, use larger axes to take the measure, not just a little pan." — Heiko Matting, 2026-01-13

"If you're scaling up with a small rig, you should place your set along your largest axis, which is the track. You're doing that 45 deg or even more to the track, so you're running out of range instantly." — Heiko Matting, 2026-01-13

Milo / Talos — Avoid Negative Rotate

On Milo and Talos, 2-point scaling has historically failed when the rotate axis value is negative. Keep the arm in the x+ direction (positive rotate) for all 2-point measurements and playback.

Adjusting the Slave Path with Carts Priority

After scaling, the camera path may look correct but the track (or other translation axes) may still reflect the master move rather than the optimal slave path. Advanced operators use Carts Priority to fine-tune:

  1. Switch to Carts Priority.
  2. Browse through the move and adjust track keyframes while watching the rig model and axis graphs.
  3. When finished, use Convert (not just Apply) to recalculate axis positions before switching back to Axis Priority.

"Take care to use the 'convert' button to recalculate axis positions after changing back from carts, not just 'apply' the dialog!" — Heiko Matting, 2022-11-29

PDF Reference

Flair 7 Operator's Manual — Chapter 13 covers SFX Scaling in full detail.

Flair 7 Operator's Manual