How To Add Keyframes In Adobe After Effects

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Adobe After Effects is a formidable tool in the realm of animation and video editing, providing endless opportunities. One of its notable functions is the option to insert keyframes, enabling you to produce seamless and polished animations. This article serves as a comprehensive tutorial on how to incorporate keyframes in Adobe After Effects.

What is a Keyframe?

In essence, a keyframe in animation and filmmaking is a drawing that defines the start and end points of any smooth transition. These are used in a sequence of frames where the first and last frame is defined and the After Effect fills in the rest of the frames in between.

Adding Keyframes in Adobe After Effects

Step 1: Open Adobe After Effects

Start Adobe After Effects and open the project you want to work on. If you’re starting from scratch, select ‘New Composition’ to create one.

Step 2: Set Up Your Composition

Select your footage in the composition. Then, choose the property you wish to animate from the timeline, such as Position, Scale, or Rotation.

Step 3: Create Keyframes

Click on the stopwatch icon next to the property you chose. This will create the first keyframe. Move the playhead to the point in time where you want the animation to end and change the property value. After Effects will automatically create a new keyframe.

Step 4: Adjust Keyframes (Optional)

If required, you can adjust the position and timing of the keyframes in the timeline to alter the speed and flow of the animation.

Step 5: Preview Your Animation

Finally, preview your animation by pressing the spacebar. If you’re happy with the result, you’re done!

Code Example: Keyframing the Position Property

Let’s consider a simple example of moving an object from left to right using keyframes. We will keyframe the Position property in this case.

// Set the initial position
myObject.position.setValue([0, 360]);

// Add first keyframe at 0 seconds
myObject.property("Position").addKey(0);

// Add a keyframe at 2 seconds, moving the object to the right
myObject.property("Position").addKey(2);
myObject.property("Position").setValueAtTime(2, [720, 360]);

That’s how you add and manipulate keyframes in Adobe After Effects to create smooth and professional animations. I hope this guide was helpful! Happy animating!