Manipulating animation paths in the canvas, Animating with the hud – Apple Motion 4 User Manual

Page 543

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Manipulating Animation Paths in the Canvas

When the animation path is displayed, you can directly manipulate the keyframes to
reposition them and change the path that the object follows.

When dragging a keyframe in the Canvas, the control point number, as well as the X, Y,
and Z position values, are displayed in an info window at the pointer position.

To add keyframes to an animation path

1

Option-click the path.

A new keyframe point is added.

2

Drag the keyframe point to the new position.

You can convert a linear keyframe point into a Bezier keyframe point to create a curved
path. This can be done either as you create the keyframe, or after the keyframe has been
created.

To add a Bezier keyframe to an animation path

µ

Option-click the path, then immediately drag away from the point.

A point is added and a Bezier handle appears.

To change an existing keyframe into a Bezier point

µ

Command-click the keyframe and drag away from the point.

Handles are added to the keyframe.

Animation path control points are modified in the same manner as shape or mask Bezier
points. For more information on manipulating Bezier splines, see

Drawing Masks and

Shapes Using Bezier Splines

.

Animating with the HUD

To keyframe the parameters that appear in the HUD, you follow the same procedure as
keyframing directly in the Canvas. For example, when an object is selected in the Canvas,
the HUD gives quick access to the object’s opacity. If you want to make a custom effect
such as a temporary dip to black, you would keyframe the opacity parameter.

543

Chapter 10

Keyframes and Curves

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