Components

Overview

A component is a reusable design element. You build it once, place as many instances as you like, and edit them from a single master — change the master and every instance updates at the same time. It's the same idea as components in Figma, brought into the KinoViz timeline.

Each instance stays linked to its master but can carry its own overrides — small per-copy changes (like a different color) that don't affect the master or the other instances. Components are available on all plans.

When to Use Components

• Repeated graphics — a card, badge, or button you reuse across a scene, where a later change should apply everywhere at once.
• Icon systems — a consistent set of icons that share styling.
• Batch variants — the same base element repeated with small differences (a pricing tier, a color swatch), each tweaked through overrides.

Creating a Component

1. Select one or more elements on the canvas.
2. Right-click the selection and choose Create Component (shortcut Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + K).
3. The selection is replaced by a component instance, and a master definition is created behind it. You'll see a Component created confirmation.

The selection can't include a 3D model or an element that's already a component — remove those first if the option doesn't appear.

Reusing a Component

To place more copies of the same component, duplicate an existing instance (Cmd/Ctrl + D) or copy and paste it. Each copy is a new instance linked to the same master, so editing the master later updates all of them together.

The Component Panel

Select a component instance to open its panel on the right. It has three parts:

Overriding an Instance

The Overrides section lists the properties a component exposes for per-instance customization — for example, a fill color. Change a value here and only this instance changes; the master and every other instance stay as they are. This is how you make variants (the same badge in three different colors) without duplicating the design.

Editing the Master

To change every instance at once, edit the master:

1. Click Edit in the component panel, or right-click the instance and choose Edit Component.
2. The editor enters component edit mode and loads the component's internal elements.
3. Make your changes, then exit edit mode.

Your edits are saved back to the master, and all instances update to reflect them (each keeps its own overrides).

Instance Animation

If a component contains its own animation, the panel shows an Animation section with Play, Pause, and Stop controls to preview the instance's internal timeline. A play mode dropdown controls looping behavior:

You can also set a start time to offset when the internal animation begins.

Detaching an Instance

To break the link to the master and turn an instance back into ordinary, independent elements, click Detach in the panel (or right-click the instance and choose Detach Instance). The detached elements are fully editable on their own and no longer update when the master changes.

Next Steps

• Design Mode — Build and arrange elements
• Animation & Timeline — Animate components over time
• KinoViz AI Assistant — Generate elements to turn into components