Apple Final Cut Pro 7 - Manual (Page 1121)

Creating Curved Motion Paths Using Bezier Handles
When you add a keyframe to a motion path, it’s a Bezier point (also known as a corner
point) by default. You can change corner points into curves by using the Smooth Point
tool to add Bezier handles to these points, smoothing the motion path that the anchor
point of the clip follows. When you use Bezier handles to create curved motion paths in
the Canvas, you won’t need to use as many keyframes to define complex motion paths.
A motion path
with keyframes as
corner points Adding Bezier handles
creates a curved
motion path.
Bezier handles on motion paths in the Canvas work the same way as they do for keyframes
in the Motion tab, except that they affect the spatial motion of the clip, rather than the
velocity of the clip’s change over time. (To change the acceleration or deceleration of a
clip’s motion between two keyframes, you need to create separate Bezier handles in the
Center parameter in the Motion tab.)
To add Bezier handles to a keyframe in a motion path
µ
Select the Smooth Point tool in the Tool palette (or press the P key three times), then
click a corner point to add Bezier handles.
The velocity of these keyframes is automatically set to Linear, meaning that there is a
steady rate of speed as the clip moves from one keyframe to the next on the motion
path.
You can add Bezier handles to a keyframe on a motion path and change the acceleration
at the same time. For more information, see
“Controlling Speed Along a Motion Path.”
To change the shape of the motion path
µ
Drag the Bezier handles on a keyframe.
If you want to create more complex motion paths, you can use modifier keys to adjust
the Bezier handles on each side of a keyframe independently of the other.
To adjust curves in a motion path
µ
Drag a Bezier handle to change the shape of its curve.
1121 Chapter 67 Adjusting Parameters for Keyframed Effects