There is a lot of animation that can occur right inside FCP X. You can animate opacity, scale, position, rotation, cropping, color, filters, text parameters...there’s a lot you can do. So long as you understand the concept of Keyframing and work in a methodical way, your only limitation is your imagination. Below are the steps to complete a simple project that should give you the skills you need.

Fade In/Fade Out

• Add a 7 second clip (any) to the timeline
• Show Video Animation (above)
• Hit Show Graph for Opacity (or double-click on the word)
• Set fade in and fade out (works like this for Audio, too)
• Space bar to play
• Reset to original condition (we'll do something more interesting)
• Hit Hide Graph for Opacity (or double-click on the word)
• Close Video Animation (x)

Animate Crop in the Viewer

• Click at the beginning of the clip to set the Playhead
• In the Viewer, activate Cropping and set a Keyframe
• Set Playhead at 1second (⌃-P; 1.=1:00; 1..=1:00:00 etc.)
• Add a second Keyframe in the Viewer; leave it as is. 
• Use the Previous Keyframe button to go to the first Keyframe
• Note: always use Keyframe arrows to navigate to be sure you are on a Keyframe
• Note: always add Keyframe, then change parameter
• Drag the top middle handle to the center of the Viewer
• Drag the bottom middle handle to the center of the Viewer
• Click the Preview button to play your animation
• Click Done

Add a Generator

• Set Playhead at 1second (⌃-P; 1.=1:00; 1..=1:00:00 etc.)
• Click on Generators tab
• Click on Elements > Shapes
• Drag Shapes to Playhead
• Playhead to end of main clip; -1. to go back one second (deselect first)
• Select Shapes clip at that point in time
• ⌥-] to set Shapes out point
• With Shapes selected, click Inspector button, then Generator tab
• Set shape to Arrow

Animating Roundness (Shapes clip) in the Timeline

• Show Video Animation
• Clip > Solo Animation
• Hit Show Graph button for Roundness 
• Playhead at beginning; add Roundness Keyframe (Modify > Add Keyframe; ⌥-K)
• Move forward one second (⌃-P; 2.=2:00); add second Keyframe; leave Roundness at 0
• Use Keyframe back arrow to go to first Keyframe; set Roundness to 140
• Set interpolation to Ease
• Note: always use Keyframe arrows to navigate to be sure you are on a Keyframe

Animating Transformations in the Inspector

• Place Markers (M) at 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 seconds of the Project; make sure they go on the Shapes clip (select first)
• Go to Marker 1 [Mark > Next (or previous) > Marker⌃-; or ⌃-' ] and select clip
• In the Inspector, go to Video
• Add Keyframes for Position, Rotation, and Scale; leave as is
• Go to Marker 2 [⌃-']; add Keyframes for Position Rotation, and Scale
• • Then set:
  • Position: X=-56
  • Rotation=-90°
  • Scale=50%
• Go to Marker 3 [⌃-']; add Keyframes for Position, Rotation, and Scale; leave as is so there is a 1 second pause
• Go to Marker 4 [⌃-']; add Keyframes for Position, Rotation, and Scale
• • Set:
  • Position: X=17; Y=-34 (or any point, really)
  • Rotation=-90° (same)
  • Scale=50% (same)
• Go to Marker 5 [⌃-']; add Keyframes for Position, Rotation, and Scale
• • Set:
  • Position: X=Off Screen right
  • Rotation=-270° (same)
  • Scale=50% (same)

Extra Credit: Animate Crop of Main Clip in the Viewer

• Click at the end of the clip to set the Playhead
• In the Viewer, activate Cropping and set a Keyframe
• Activate the Timeline (⌘-2)
• Set Playhead at 1second earlier (-1. > Enter); deselect clip first
• Add a second Keyframe; leave it as is
• Use the Next Keyframe button to go to the first Keyframe
• Note: always use Keyframe arrows to navigate to be sure you are on a Keyframe
• Note: always add Keyframe, then change parameter
• Drag the top middle handle to the center of the Viewer
• Drag the bottom middle handle to the center of the Viewer
• Click the Preview button to play your animation
• Click Done