8. Animating Video and Audio

Every Timeline clip has several parameters describing how its contents play back, and there are even more once you add effects. These parameters may be adjusted and keyframed in the Viewer, inspectors, and Timeline.

In the Viewer

The Viewer displays onscreen controls for the Transform, Crop, and Distort effects. In addition, some effects and transitions have onscreen controls.

Transform, Crop, and Distort

Although these three functions create separate effects, their animation controls and process are the same.

1. Select a Timeline clip, and cue the playhead to the desired animation point.

2. Choose an effect from the lower-left corner of the Viewer, and adjust the effect as desired.

3. Create a keyframe by clicking the Add Keyframe button in the upper-left corner of the Viewer.

4. To create the next keyframe, change the playhead location and then click the Add Keyframe button.

5. Adjust the effect as desired. Repeat from step 4 for additional animation points. Click Done when finished.

Ken Burns

The Ken Burns effect, found under the Crop button, creates zooming and panning animation without the use of keyframes. Position and size the green overlay for the animation start, and position the red overlay for the end framing. Click Done when finished.

In the Inspectors

Keyframeable inspector parameters display a keyframe diamond as you move over the parameter. Whether you are keyframing a video effect, as shown, or a clip’s Volume parameter, the steps for creating keyframes are the same:

1. Select a Timeline clip, and cue the playhead to the desired animation point.

2. Adjust the effect as desired.

3. Create a keyframe by clicking the Add Keyframe button to the right of the parameter.

4. To create the next keyframe, change the playhead location and then click the Add Keyframe button.

5. Adjust the parameter as desired. Repeat from step 4 for additional animation points.

In the Timeline

Some parameters can also be keyframed in the Video and Audio Animation Editors that are displayed in the Timeline. Show or hide the Video Animation Editor by pressing Control-V. Show or hide the Audio Animation Editor by pressing Control-A.

Video Animation Editor

The Video Animation Editor brings some of the Video inspector parameters to the Timeline. Keyframing and value adjustments may be available, depending on the parameter.