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Go-with-the-Flow: Motion-Controllable Video Diffusion Models Using Real-Time Warped Noise (2501.08331v4)

Published 14 Jan 2025 in cs.CV

Abstract: Generative modeling aims to transform random noise into structured outputs. In this work, we enhance video diffusion models by allowing motion control via structured latent noise sampling. This is achieved by just a change in data: we pre-process training videos to yield structured noise. Consequently, our method is agnostic to diffusion model design, requiring no changes to model architectures or training pipelines. Specifically, we propose a novel noise warping algorithm, fast enough to run in real time, that replaces random temporal Gaussianity with correlated warped noise derived from optical flow fields, while preserving the spatial Gaussianity. The efficiency of our algorithm enables us to fine-tune modern video diffusion base models using warped noise with minimal overhead, and provide a one-stop solution for a wide range of user-friendly motion control: local object motion control, global camera movement control, and motion transfer. The harmonization between temporal coherence and spatial Gaussianity in our warped noise leads to effective motion control while maintaining per-frame pixel quality. Extensive experiments and user studies demonstrate the advantages of our method, making it a robust and scalable approach for controlling motion in video diffusion models. Video results are available on our webpage: https://eyeline-research.github.io/Go-with-the-Flow. Source code and model checkpoints are available on GitHub: https://github.com/Eyeline-Research/Go-with-the-Flow.

Summary

  • The paper introduces a novel noise warping algorithm that leverages optical flow to achieve real-time motion control in video diffusion models.
  • It ensures temporal coherence and maintains spatial Gaussianity without requiring any modifications to existing model architectures.
  • Extensive experiments demonstrate superior pixel quality, temporal consistency, and motion fidelity compared to state-of-the-art methods.

An Analytical Overview of Motion-Controllable Video Diffusion Models

The paper under discussion, authored by Burgert et al., presents significant advancements in the domain of video diffusion models, focusing specifically on enhancing these models with motion control capabilities through the use of real-time warped noise. The paper introduces a method termed "Go-with-the-Flow," which facilitates motion control by leveraging optical flow fields and a novel noise warping algorithm. This approach is designed to be efficient, model-agnostic, and non-invasive to existing model architectures, positioning it as a versatile tool for both researchers and practitioners in video generation and processing fields.

The central innovation of this work lies in its ability to induce structured latent space sampling by incorporating optical flow-derived warped noise. This structured noise is the result of pre-processing training videos, which enables the integration of temporal coherence in a space that typically embodies temporal randomness. The method fundamentally shifts the paradigm from conventional random noise sampling to a model that retains spatial Gaussianity while introducing controlled temporal correlation. This allows the authors to achieve motion controls such as individual object movement, camera trajectory manipulation, and motion transfer across contexts with impressive efficiency.

Technical Methodology

The methodology is comprised of two key components: a novel noise warping algorithm and the fine-tuning of video diffusion models using this algorithm. The proposed algorithm achieves real-time performance and ensures the preservation of spatial Gaussianity during noise warping. It iteratively tracks noise propagation across frames using optical flow, reducing computational overhead by designing an efficient, linear time-complexity approach.

In practice, the warped noise is utilized during the fine-tuning of video diffusion models such as CogVideoX, effectively embedding motion control as a feature. Notably, the fine-tuning process requires no architectural modifications, which underscores the model-agnostic applicability of this strategy. The implementation of noise degradation offers a flexible mechanism to adjust the strength of motion conditioning, allowing users to control the extent to which the video adheres to the input motion patterns at inference time.

Experimental Validation

Burgert et al. demonstrate the efficacy of their method through extensive experiments in multiple video generation tasks, including local object motion control, motion transfer, and camera movement control. The paper showcases quantitative and qualitative improvements over several state-of-the-art baselines such as MotionClone and SG-I2V. Noteworthy, the model surpasses existing methods in metrics evaluating pixel quality, temporal consistency, and motion fidelity, which is further corroborated by superior performance in various user studies focusing on subjective user preferences.

These results are supported by rigorous evaluations of the noise warping algorithm, which preserve the Gaussianity of the warped noise—a critical factor for maintaining the integrity of per-frame diffusion processes. Gaussianity is verified through standardized tests such as Moran's I and K-S tests, underscoring the novel algorithm's capability to produce temporally-coherent noise patterns without sacrificing the statistical properties of the noise necessary for diffusion model operations.

Implications and Future Directions

The paper presents a significant step toward making video diffusion models more controllable and practical for real-world applications. By enabling precise and efficient motion control, the proposed method supports a range of applications from visual effects in filmmaking to dynamic content creation in digital media. The plug-and-play nature of this approach, together with its computational efficiency, enhances its utility and potential for widespread adoption.

Future work could explore further optimizations of warped noise patterns to enhance realism in dynamic scenes or investigate hybrid approaches that combine traditional control mechanisms with the introduced noise-based control. Exploring the scalability of this method to more complex scenes and longer video sequences might also yield valuable insights, potentially contributing to the development of even more sophisticated video synthesis technologies.

In summary, Burgert et al. offer a compelling contribution to the landscape of video diffusion modeling, introducing a robust framework for integrating motion control that is both computationally efficient and broadly applicable. This work advances our understanding of how structured chaos in latent spaces can be harnessed for creative purposes, opening new avenues for research and application in AI-driven video technologies.

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