posted Jan 19, 2012, 8:34 AM by fmaggi@eusd.org
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updated Jan 24, 2012, 10:14 AM
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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
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