FrameForge J8Group inc.
FrameForge J8Group inc. (DBA Innoventive Software) develops FrameForge Studio, an optically accurate 3D pre-visualization and storyboarding application used by film, television, and streaming production teams to plan shots before filming. Founded in 1991 and headquartered in San Diego, the company sells Core and Pro annual subscriptions plus site and EDU licenses direct-to-consumer via Shopify.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersSan Diego, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What FrameForge J8Group inc. does
FrameForge J8Group inc. (legally ScriptPerfection Enterprises, Inc., doing business as Innoventive Software) develops FrameForge Studio, a 3D pre-visualization and storyboarding application for film, television, and streaming productions. Founded in 1991 and headquartered in San Diego, California, the company is a privately held, founder-led software firm led by Ken Schafer. The product is positioned not as a drawing tool but as an optically accurate virtual film studio: users construct sets (free-hand or by tracing a blueprint), populate them with actors, props, and lighting instruments, and frame shots through a virtual camera system that mimics the optical properties of real cameras and lenses. A "Smart Object Library" enables context-aware interactions (e.g., actors automatically pick up or sit on objects), and "Data-Rich Storyboards" export technical metadata — focal length, camera height, on-set position, and equipment lists — alongside each frame.
The business operates a product-led, direct-to-consumer go-to-market: software is sold globally through a Shopify-powered e-commerce storefront at storyboardsmarter.com, with a free trial (no credit card), a 30-day money-back guarantee, and electronic download delivery. Pricing is structured around annual subscriptions in Core and Pro editions (Pro adds sun-position auto-calculation, physical camera equipment simulation, and multi-unit site licensing), with both editions including seven expansion packs. Volume site licensing (5+ seats, up to an 80% discount) targets studios, production companies, and accredited schools, and a discounted EDU edition serves students, faculty, and US Armed Forces. Primary users include directors, cinematographers, VFX supervisors, and film educators; named past users include Marvel, HBO, Netflix, Sony Pictures, Walt Disney Studios, Universal Pictures, BBC, and Carnival Films. The product is the only storyboarding/previsualization program to hold both a Prime-Time Emmy (Technical Achievement) and a Lumiere Statuette.
FrameForge J8Group inc. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FrameForge J8Group inc.
- Legal name
- ScriptPerfection Enterprises, Inc.
- Website
- https://storyboardsmarter.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- FrameForge J8Group inc. (DBA Innoventive Software) develops FrameForge Studio, an optically accurate 3D pre-visualization and storyboarding application used by film, television, and streaming production teams to plan shots before filming. Founded in 1991 and headquartered in San Diego, the company sells Core and Pro annual subscriptions plus site and EDU licenses direct-to-consumer via Shopify.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FrameForge J8Group inc. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Film Pre-visualization Software
- NAICS
- Postproduction Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Industries (51219)
- SIC
- Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Asset Creation, Pipeline, DCC Integration & Content Management Tools (MPAFAFAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- CG Asset Creation (Modeling, Texturing, Lookdev, Rigging) (MPAHABAE), Virtual Production & LED Volume Services (Stage Ops, ICVFX, Real-Time Camera/Tracking) (MPADAHAB)
Keywords
Where FrameForge J8Group inc. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Diego
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
FrameForge J8Group inc. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Software Licenses (Core and Pro Editions): One-time purchase or subscription of FrameForge Studio software in Core or Pro editions. Both editions include seven expansion packs. Pro edition adds professional functionality including sun position auto-calculation, expanded camera controls, and enhanced lighting instruments.
- Upgrade Pricing: Upgrade pricing offered exclusively to registered users of previous FrameForge versions. Requires proof of previous ownership via serial number.
- Site Licensing: Volume licensing for studios, production companies, and educational institutions. Available for as few as five seats. Options include single serial number with multiple activations or multiple serial numbers. Customized licenses with specific expansion packs available.
- EDU Licensing: Specially discounted version for full-time students, faculty/staff at accredited schools, and US Armed Forces veterans and active servicemen. Identical to full program except limited to single installation and restricted actor nudity features.
- Expansion Packs: Themed collections of outfits, buildings, props and more to add specificity and depth. Seven expansion packs normally sold separately for $99 each. Most subscriptions already include these packs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Core Edition - Entry-level storyboarding with essential features |
| Subscription | Annual | Pro Edition - Professional-grade previs and storyboarding |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Site Licensing - Volume discounts for organizations |
| Subscription | Annual | EDU Edition - Discounted pricing for students, educators, military |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
FrameForge J8Group inc. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FrameForge Studio is an optically accurate 3D virtual film studio and storyboarding software sold in Core and Pro editions, plus an EDU edition and themed Expansion Packs. The software lets filmmakers build sets, position actors/props/cameras, and export Data-Rich Storyboards with embedded camera technical data (position, focal length, camera height), enabling shot feasibility verification before production. Site Licensing (5+ seats) is offered to studios and educational institutions.
Product overview
FrameForge J8Group inc. operates primarily through its flagship product, FrameForge Studio, an award-winning storyboarding and previsualization software available in Core and Pro editions. Both editions provide an optically accurate virtual film studio with fully customizable actors and objects that know how to interact with each other. The Core Edition serves as the foundational version with camera matching, location building, and storyboard export capabilities. The Pro Edition adds professional features including sun position auto-calculation and physical camera equipment simulation. Seven themed Expansion Packs are included with both editions (valued at $99 each when sold separately), adding thousands of objects, sets, and costume combinations. The company's 'Fix it in Prep' philosophy underpins the product, emphasizing solving all technical shot problems during preproduction rather than on set. The company also developed story development tools Power Structure and Power Writer, and co-brands the RealD Stereo Calculator for mobile platforms. The software is developed by Innoventive Software, operated by ScriptPerfection Enterprises, Inc., based in San Diego, California.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- FrameForge Studio: Optically accurate virtual film studio and storyboarding software for pre-production, available in Core and Pro editions.
Products and services
- FrameForge Studio Core Edition Foundational subscription edition of FrameForge Studio featuring optically accurate floating cameras that match the optical properties of any camera/lens, the Location Builder for set creation with exact measurements or blueprint tracing, a drag-and-drop Smart Object Library with context-aware interactions, real-world angle viewing without forced perspective, easy shot modification for revisions, and exportable Data-Rich Storyboards with detailed camera data. Sold as an annual subscription with electronic download delivery and 30-day money-back guarantee.
- FrameForge Studio Pro Edition Professional annual subscription edition building on Core with auto-calculation of the sun's position by location and specified date/time, physical camera equipment simulation (cranes, tripods, dollies, tracks, heads, high hats, techno cranes), multi-unit site licensing options, and seven full Expansion Packs included.
- FrameForge EDU Edition Specially discounted annual subscription identical to the full program except limited to one installation on a single computer and restricted actor nudity features. Available to full-time students, faculty/staff at accredited schools, and U.S. Armed Forces veterans and active servicemen, with proof of eligibility required.
- FrameForge Expansion Packs Themed collection of outfits, buildings, props and additional content that add specificity and depth to FrameForge projects. Seven full expansion packs are included with Pro and Core subscriptions and are available separately. Themes include military, zombies, apocalyptic future, and Wild West productions.
- Power Structure Story development tool created by Innoventive Software as part of the company's filmmaking software suite alongside FrameForge Studio.
- Power Writer Story development tool created by Innoventive Software as part of the company's filmmaking software suite alongside FrameForge Studio.
- RealD Stereo Calculator Co-branded application for iPhone/iPad developed in partnership with RealD, recognized with a Lumiere Statuette from the Advanced Imaging Society for technical innovation in stereo 3D production and pre-production.
Quantifiable outcome
- Guarantees shots are absolutely possible to shoot before production
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use FrameForge J8Group inc.
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
FrameForge J8Group inc. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature11 records
FrameForge J8Group inc. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Write-Brothers (formerly Write Brothers, Inc.)minorWrite-Brothers now owns and sells Movie Magic Screenwriter, originally developed by Innoventive Software (formerly ScriptThing). This represents a licensing/ownership transfer relationship.
- RealDminorCo-branded RealD Stereo Calculator for iPhone/iPad, which won a Lumiere Statuette for Technical Innovation. The partnership produced a mobile application for stereo 3D production calculations.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
FrameForge J8Group inc. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Boords: Cloud-based storyboarding platform for video and film production teams. Competes with FrameForge on price, accessibility, and AI-assisted storyboard creation for the same SMB/indie/agency segment that FrameForge serves with Core/Pro subscriptions.
- Storyboard That: Browser-based storyboarding platform for education, business, and creative professionals. Overlaps with FrameForge in the educator/student segment and in pre-production for corporate and short-form video creators.
- Toon Boom Storyboard Pro: Industry-leading storyboarding and panel layout software widely used in animation, TV, and film pre-production. Directly competes with FrameForge in the professional storyboarding/previs category for the same directors, DPs, and VFX supervisors.
- Final Draft: Industry-standard screenwriting and pre-production software used across film and TV. Competes with FrameForge's broader pre-production positioning and shares the same Hollywood customer base, often considered by the same buyers when standardizing pre-production tooling.
- Celtx (Backlight): End-to-end pre-production platform covering scriptwriting, storyboarding, shot lists, and production planning. Competes with FrameForge inside the same pre-production workflow for indie filmmakers, agencies, and studios seeking an integrated alternative.
Broad incumbents
- Unreal Engine (Epic Games): Real-time 3D engine that has become the dominant platform for virtual production, ICVFX, and on-stage previs. Threatens FrameForge at the high end by absorbing previs workflows into the same tool used for LED-volume filming and final pixel work.
- Unity: Real-time 3D development platform widely used in interactive content and increasingly in film/animation pre-visualization. Competes indirectly by enabling studios to consolidate previs, virtual scouting, and lighting into a single real-time pipeline.
Others
- The Third Floor: Premium visual effects and previsualization services studio for feature films, episodic TV, and games. Competes for the same overall previs budget FrameForge targets; The Third Floor often *uses* tools like FrameForge internally, making it a customer-and-budget-adjacent peer.
- Halon Entertainment: Pre-visualization, post-visualization, and concept art studio serving major studios including Disney and Marvel. Competes for previs spend and uses FrameForge as one of several previs tools, making it an adjacent peer in the broader pre-vis spend pool.
Emerging players
- Storyboarder (Wonder Unit): Free, open-source storyboarding tool that integrates with Photoshop and other DCC workflows. Competes on price (free) and integration with modern creative pipelines, drawing budget-conscious users away from FrameForge's paid tiers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
FrameForge J8Group inc. social profiles
Digital presenceFrameForge J8Group inc. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FrameForge J8Group inc. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
FrameForge J8Group inc. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FrameForge J8Group inc. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about FrameForge J8Group inc.
What does FrameForge J8Group inc. do?
FrameForge Studio is an optically accurate 3D virtual film studio and storyboarding software sold in Core and Pro editions, plus an EDU edition and themed Expansion Packs. The software lets filmmakers build sets, position actors/props/cameras, and export Data-Rich Storyboards with embedded camera technical data (position, focal length, camera height), enabling shot feasibility verification before production. Site Licensing (5+ seats) is offered to studios and educational institutions.
Is FrameForge J8Group inc. a public or private company?
FrameForge J8Group inc. is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was FrameForge J8Group inc. founded?
FrameForge J8Group inc. was founded in 1991.
Where is FrameForge J8Group inc. based?
FrameForge J8Group inc. is headquartered in San Diego, United States, in the North America region.
How does FrameForge J8Group inc. make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Software Licenses (Core and Pro Editions) is the primary driver. The others are upgrade Pricing, site Licensing, EDU Licensing and expansion Packs.
Who are FrameForge J8Group inc.'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Boords, Storyboard That, Toon Boom Storyboard Pro, Final Draft and Celtx (Backlight). Broad incumbents are Unreal Engine (Epic Games) and Unity. Others are The Third Floor and Halon Entertainment. Storyboarder (Wonder Unit) is listed as an emerging player.
Does FrameForge J8Group inc. have an API?
No public API is recorded for FrameForge J8Group inc..
What industry is FrameForge J8Group inc. in?
FrameForge J8Group inc.'s product category is Film Pre-visualization Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAFAL, Asset Creation, Pipeline, DCC Integration & Content Management Tools, with a secondary code of MPAHABAE, CG Asset Creation (Modeling, Texturing, Lookdev, Rigging). Its NAICS code is 51219 and its SIC code is 7819.