12 - Animation


GENERAL

The Matrix and Process menus have parameters that can be animated over time. The animation of these parameters is controlled by a block of buttons that are located at the bottom-right side of the Matrix and Process menus.

ANIMATION LOCATION

The text in parenthesis above the animation controls indicates which parameters the animation controls are currently affecting. In the screenshot above the animation controls are affecting the color tools. This allows you to quickly determine what parameters you are animating.

ANIMATION MODES

The animation controls have several modes that are represented by the three buttons at the top: Off , Manual and Auto . The state of these buttons indicates the current mode.

Grayed Out

When there are no animatable parameters in the current menu, the animation controls will be grayed out. This can happen with certain Plug-Ins and Effects that do not allow for animatable values.

Off

Once there are animatable parameters in the current menu, the animation controls become active but switched off. At this point you can choose how you would like to set keyframes; manually or automatically.

Manual


By clicking on the Manual button, the remaining controls become active, allowing you to set new keyframes for the animation. The Manual keyframe mode only sets keyframes when the Set Key button is pressed. The normal operation is to stop on a frame where you would like to add a keyframe; set the parameters to the values you want and then press the Set Key button to create a keyframe (or update an existing keyframe) with the current values.

Auto

When the Auto mode is engaged, keyframes are automatically set anytime a parameter is changed. This can be a very quick way of setting an animation, but it should also be used with care as you can set unwanted keyframes easily.

Set Key

The Set Key button is used to manually set the current values as a keyframe at the current frame. Each time the Set Key button is pressed, the keyframe values are updated.

Trim Key and All

The Trim Key button can be used to offset a keyframe by the amount that a value has been changed. On a single keyframe, this is the equivalent of setting the keyframe to the current value. However, when used with the All button you can offset every keyframe in an animation by the same amount with a single click. Trim Key + All is commonly used for ie: adjusting a layer position while it is already locked on a tracker path.

Reset

The Reset button removes all animation from the current menu. Individual parameters retain the value they were at when the animation was removed; this is not the same as resetting the parameters.

KEYFRAME INDICATORS

SCRATCH gives you feedback about which parameters have been animated by placing a white bar called a Keyframe Marker on the side of the Numerical Slate.

KEYFRAME NAVIGATION MODE

You can navigate quickly between keyframes by switching the mini-timeline into Keyframe Navigation Mode (note that this function was discussed in detail Chapter 5 - The Player). To switch to Keyframe Navigation Mode, select the S button located to the right of the Animate button on the main menu bar and then select Keyframe Navigation from the options presented. The Previous and Next shot buttons are then replaced by the Previous and Next Keyframe buttons.

Clicking on the Previous or Next Keyframe button moves the play cursor to the corresponding keyframe. Keyframes are also indicated in the mini-timeline area as short vertical white lines.


Posted - Friday, March 29, 2024 11:46:31 AM
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