Systems and methods for a video multi-codec encoder are provided. Video input data including a plurality of video frames is accepted. At least one codec Y subsystem is applied to frame data that includes at least one video frame of the plurality of video frames, where the frame data includes at least an unencoded portion of the plurality of video frames before one or more of the at least one codec Y subsystem is applied. The at least one codec Y subsystem includes at least partial Yi codec functionality. Yi is a codec selected from video codecs ={Y1, . . . , Yn}. At least one codec Z subsystem is applied to the frame data, where the at least one codec Z subsystem includes at least partial Z codec functionality. Video output data is generated including simple Z-encoded video data of the at least one video frame using the frame data.