How Do I Edit Frames in After Effects?

To effectively edit frames in After Effects, you'll primarily work with keyframes and their values, as well as manipulating layer timing. Here's a breakdown:

Editing Keyframe Values

After Effects animations are controlled by keyframes, which mark specific points in time where properties (like position, scale, or rotation) change. Here's how to edit them:

• Accessing Keyframes:

  • Navigate to the layer in the timeline where the keyframe resides.
  • Click the small arrow on the left side of the layer to reveal its properties.
  • Click on the property name that holds the keyframe you wish to edit (e.g., "Position," "Scale").
  • The keyframes are represented by small diamond icons in the timeline.

• Editing Values:

  • Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (macOS) the keyframe. As the reference states, the keyframe value will appear at the beginning of the context menu that pops up.
  • Choose "Edit Value" from the menu to modify the value directly. You can also select the keyframe in the timeline, and directly enter the modified value into the program's input fields.
  • Alternatively, you can adjust a property value in the Composition panel; any keyframes will also change to maintain their value relationship if desired.
  • Note: When the pointer is placed over a keyframe in the layer bar view, the time and value of the keyframe will be displayed, according to the reference.

Other Frame Editing Techniques:

• Moving Keyframes: Simply click and drag a keyframe along the timeline to change its timing. This will alter when the associated property change happens.
• Adding Keyframes: Click the stopwatch icon to set an initial keyframe, or move the time indicator to the desired frame, change a property, and it will automatically add a keyframe at that point.
• Deleting Keyframes: Select one or more keyframes and press the Delete or Backspace key.
• Adjusting Keyframe Interpolation: You can right-click on a keyframe and select "Keyframe Interpolation" to adjust the way a property changes between keyframes. Options include linear, ease in/out, hold, and bezier.
• Frame-by-Frame Animation: If you want specific control over each frame, you can use the "Enable Time Remapping" feature, or create a composition of still images to animate with frame-by-frame methods.

Example Table of Edits

By using keyframes and manipulating their values, you can control and edit how your animations progress in After Effects.