Keyframe Animation for Beginners and Pros

Keyframing is a fundamental editing technique and a pivotal element for most modern animations, video effects, and motion graphics. Learn what keyframes are and what you can do with them, and master the art of keyframing in Filmora.

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Keyframe Basics
What Is Keyframing

Keyframing is a technique used in animation and video editing, in which certain points or "frames" within the animation or video are designated as key points. These key points define the beginning and end of a specific action, movement, or transformation. Video editing software, such as Filmora, automatically generates the in-between frames, creating a smooth transition from one keyframe to another. Keyframing can be applied to various properties, including position, scale, rotation, and opacity.

Keyframe Example

Suppose you've recorded a video of river transport and want to focus on a specific ship. In that case, creating a slow Zoom-in effect with keyframes is the perfect way to go about it. You can start by placing a keyframe at a point in a clip where you want the zoom effect to begin. Then, place another point where you want the zoom effect to end. From there, all you need to do is adjust the scale to change the zoom level of the second keyframe, and Filmora will automatically create a smooth zoom-in transition between these two points in the clip.

Changes You Can Make With Filmora Keyframes

While keyframing's primary purpose involves motion graphics and animation, it's not strictly related to these types of videos. It also has a significant role in numerous video editing tasks, allowing you to adjust various aspects of your footage. These aspects are called parameters, and in Filmora, they include the following elements:

Video: Position, Scale, Rotation, Opacity, Mask, Color, etc.
Audio: Volume, Fade in/out, Pitch, Equalizer, etc.
Others: Text & Titles, Effects, Stickers, Split-screen, etc.

Keyframe Interpolation
Both Temporal and Spatial Interpolations
Are Supported in Filmora Keyframe

In video editing and animation, spatial and temporal interpolation define an object's movement between two keyframes. While both control different aspects of motion, depending on what you're trying to do, Filmora can calculate values between two points and determine whether you want to create a spatial or a temporal interpolation.

Spatial Interpolation (Beta) Temporal Interpolation

Spatial Interpolation

At its core, spatial interpolation handles an object's movement, focusing on where it moves between keyframes. In Filmora, you can visualize and change this motion by adding different types of keyframes with the Path Curve tool to shape the movement path and create a straight line, a curve, or a complex motion. The line itself represents an object's spatial movement.

Temporal Interpolation

Temporal interpolation focuses on the timing or speed of animation. It deals with how slowly or quickly an object's properties will change, including its movement between frames. In Filmora, the Keyframe panel handles all temporal interpolation adjustments, allowing you to visualize and change specific object values over time, like adding a linear curve to create a uniform-pace linear change or setting the value graph curve to easy ease to make the change more gradual and natural-looking.

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Keyframe Types
Understanding the Five Keyframe Types in Filmora

Now that we have a clear (or at least semi-clear) understanding of keyframe interpolation, let's look at the different types of keyframes available in Filmora.

Linear Curve Continuous Curve Freeze Ease in/out

Linear Keyframes

A linear keyframe is the most basic type of animation you can learn. It adds a uniform movement that interpolates at a constant rate between two anchor points. Such a keyframe can, for example, help you change the object's position, like moving a ball from one side of the frame to another. However, most editors prefer other keyframe types since linear ones create a mechanical and abrupt movement.

Curve Keyframes

Unlike their linear counterparts, curve keyframes create a gradual transition between different points of animations or effects, where the editor has complete manual control over the motion path or the value graph. To adjust curve keyframes in Filmora, you'll need to access the motion path in the Player or change things with the graph editor in the Timeline panel.

Continuous Curve Keyframes

Often called continuous Bezier curves, these keyframes represent a series of curves that are connected end-to-end. Their tangents at these connecting points are aligned perfectly, ensuring a smooth transition and maintaining continuity between multiple curves, hence the name.

Freeze Keyframes

A freeze keyframe, often called a hold or stop motion keyframe, pauses a video frame in a particular position, like a still image. After a set time, it returns the frame to its standard playback speed. As their name implies, freeze keyframes create a freeze-frame effect, making them excellent for adding a pause for narration, ending a scene, or creating a teleportation effect.

Ease-in and Ease-out Keyframes

As their names suggest, ease-in and ease-out keyframes start the animation slowly, then pick up speed in the middle, maxing out at a constant pace, and finally slow it back down smoothly near the end. They're experts at creating smooth movements and natural-looking accelerations or decelerations between two points, making these keyframes perfect for real-world physics and lifelike transitions.

How To Use Keyframes in Filmora

Keyframing in Filmora is seamless, thanks to the video editing app's remarkable ease of use. You can follow the steps below to try spatial interpolation in Filmora or find detailed instructions by checking the full Keyframing in Filmora guide.

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Why Choose Filmora for Keyframing

Visual Keyframe Editing

Adjusting keyframes can often feel challenging when you're doing it with pixels, percentages, and degrees. Yet, Filmora isn't limited to these adjustments. The video editing software also includes a Value Graph Editor and a Path Curve, allowing you to visually and intuitively adjust your keyframe parameters.

adjust keyframing with graph editor and path curve

Multiple Parameter Adjustments

Different animations require different adjustments, and Filmora is perfect at this as it supports multiple parameter adjustments, including size, position, rotation, opacity, and other video or audio effects.

Preset Animation Effects

One of the primary advantages of Filmora is the massive library of effects, transitions, and filters. This library also includes preset animation effects for keyframing, allowing you to quickly add standard animations like Fade-in, Fade-out, Slide up or down, Zoom-in, Zoom-out, and other widely used ones.

Tap Into the Massive Potential of Keyframe Effects

Not only are keyframes a fundamental aspect of the video editing experience, but they're also exceptionally robust and have a vast potential for creating unique and exciting audio and video effects. Here are a few video tutorials that can serve as inspiration for your next editing project.

Master 3 Amazing Keyframing Tips

From mastering the iconic Dolly zoom effect to maintaining complete focus on your face regardless of movement to making photos come to life, these three great keyframing techniques are perfect for beginners and experienced video editors.

Create Transitions With Keyframes

Filmora's master class on keyframing will teach you everything you need to know about making creative transitions with keyframes and help you create stunning content that'll captivate your audience.

Add VFX Effects with Keyframes

In this Filmora master class lesson, you'll learn how to utilize keyframes to add VFX to your videos. Try it today and master the art of anamorphic flares and cool, moody, storm vibes.

Using the Keyframe Panel in Filmora

Get started with the Keyframe panel (Value Graphic Editor) in Filmora and learn how to utilize its power to take your keyframing effects to another level.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Are Filmora keyframes free to use?

Yes, Filmora users can utilize keyframes for free, with new users getting three days of using keyframes without a watermark, after which there'll be one when exporting keyframe footage. You can subscribe to a paid plan at any point to remove the watermark.

How do I add keyframes in Filmora?

Adding keyframes in Filmora is seamless and looks like this:
1. Launch Filmora and import media files.
2. Add the clip to the Timeline and find a spot to add a keyframe.
3. Place the play head at the spot. Then, tap the Keyframe button or hit ALT + Left Click.

How do I delete keyframes in Filmora?

Deleting keyframes is even easier than adding them:
1. Locate the keyframe you want to remove.
2. Once you see the blue Diamond button, click on it to delete a keyframe.
3. You can also choose the Delete Keyframe option by right-clicking on a keyframe in the Timeline.

Can I copy and paste keyframes in Filmora?

Yes, you can, and here’s how:
1. Right-click on the keyframe in the Timeline that you want to copy.
2. Select the Copy Keyframe option.
3. Move the Playhead, right-click the Timeline > Key Frame > Paste Keyframe.
4. You can paste the keyframe as many times as you like.

Can I use keyframes to animate text and effects in Filmora?

Of course! Keyframing isn't restricted to video and audio tracks only. You can also apply it to other elements, including texts and titles, effects, stickers, split screens, and more.

How do I adjust the speed of keyframe animations in Filmora?

Using the Curves (actually something called value graph curves) in the Filmora keyframe panel, you can make precise adjustments to the temporal property keyframes you've created for your animation. The value graph curve visualizes the changes in certain values over time. For example, when the value graph curve is set to be linear, the object will move at a constant speed. When the value graph is set to be easy ease, the object will move at a variable speed. The steeper the curve, the faster the speed.

Are keyframes available in all versions of Filmora?

Keyframes have been available since Filmora X, with Filmora 13 being the first version to receive temporal interpolation keyframes. Similarly, spatial interpolation keyframes are available with Filmora 14 and newer versions.

What is the difference between a video frame and a keyframe?

A video frame is a single still image from a sequence of many. At the same time, a keyframe marks the first and last video frames during which a particular object property change will be present, such as its position, scale, or other animation effect.

Why are keyframes important in video editing?

Keyframing plays a pivotal role in video editing. It lets users create dynamic and natural-looking transitions and animations while giving them precise control over an object's movement and timing.

Do all video editing software support keyframes?

As a motion graphics artist or an editor, you'll likely need full access to keyframes and their different types, which you can find in Wondershare Filmora, Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, CapCut, and various other editors. However, not all keyframe types are available in all video editing programs, with most software solutions focusing only on linear, freeze, and curve keyframes.

What Our Customers Say

Tom

Marketer

I needed a tool to create a cool-looking zoom-in effect for a product I was making an ad for. Filmora’s keyframing presets were great and the easiest way to make this video ad exactly how I wanted.

Kevin

YouTuber

So, I was making a Star Wars-themed intro for a video, and I wanted to add some cool new effects to my text. One Google search later, I found a Filmora keyframe guide, and I haven’t gone back to any other video editor since! My videos are getting so many views these days. I love it!

Lily

TikToker

I've always struggled with transitions for my TikTok content. However, that hasn’t been the case since I started using Filmora. My transitions look so good right now, and I love how quickly I can create them.

Anya

Animator

I animate cartoon characters for a living, which always took up so much of my time. That is until I found Filmora, which was so intuitive to use. I really appreciate how much faster my animations are with keyframe editing! 10/10

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Keyframe Animation for Beginners and Pros

Keyframe Basics What Is Keyframing

Keyframe Example

Changes You Can Make With Filmora Keyframes

Keyframe Interpolation Both Temporal and Spatial Interpolations Are Supported in Filmora Keyframe

Spatial Interpolation

Temporal Interpolation

Keyframe Types Understanding the Five Keyframe Types in Filmora

Linear Keyframes

Curve Keyframes

Continuous Curve Keyframes

Freeze Keyframes

Ease-in and Ease-out Keyframes

How To Use Keyframes in Filmora