Keyframe

What is Keyframe?

A keyframe is a marker on a video timeline that records the value of a property, such as position, scale, or opacity, at a specific moment. The editing software automatically calculates and fills in the values between two keyframes, producing smooth animated motion or effect transitions.

When you'd use it

1. 1When you need a property, such as position, scale, or opacity, to change smoothly over time within a clip.
2. 2When animating on-screen text, logos, or graphic elements to enter or exit the frame.
3. 3When applying a speed ramp and the editing software requires speed values to be set at specific points.
4. 4When a color grade or effect needs to shift gradually across a clip.
5. 5When tracking a mask or effect to follow a moving subject through the frame.

Example

A creator animating a product name onto the screen sets one position keyframe at frame 0 (text off-screen left) and a second at frame 20 (text centered), then applies an ease-out curve so the text decelerates as it settles into place. The result reads as intentional motion design.

Use cases

1. 1Animating a logo bug to fade in at the start of a clip and fade out before the cut.
2. 2Setting scale keyframes on a product shot to create a slow push-in toward a highlighted feature.
3. 3Marking the start and end points of a speed change so the ramp between fast and slow motion stays smooth.

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