Tutorial: Animating the Basketball Bounce
In this tutorial, we will animate a basketball to make it bounce on the ground. Follow the steps below to effectively animate your layer.
Set the Basketball Size and Visibility
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Select the Basketball
- Ensure the basketball is appropriately sized for your composition.
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Move the Ball Upwards
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Use the transformation widget to move the ball upwards, positioning it outside the format boundaries.
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Visibility Setting By default, elements outside the format are not visible. To view them:
- Uncheck the scissors icon at the bottom left of the viewer. This will allow you to see elements that extend beyond the format limits.
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Observe Position Values
- As you move the ball, check the Properties Panel on the right side, specifically in the Transform section, to see the changing position values.
Animate the Ball's Position
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Set the Initial Position Keyframe:
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Return to the beginning of the animation and position the ball upward.
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Expand the "Transform" section of the basketball layer to reveal the "Position" parameter.
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Click on the empty square button to add an ###animation key###, also known as a keyframe. Click the diamond icon to set the keyframe.
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Create a Second Keyframe
- Advance two seconds later in the timeline and move the ball downward using the transformation widget.
- A new keyframe will automatically be created in the *Dopesheet* due to the previous keyframe.
View Interpolation
- Reactivate the option to hide layers outside the format boundaries.
- Scrub through the timeline to observe the interpolation between the two keyframes.
- Hide the net layer to avoid distractions.
Play and Adjust the Animation
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Play the Animation:
- Press the play button or the ++spacebar++ to start the animation and see the interpolation created by the software.
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Adjust Keyframe Timing:
- To make the basketball move faster, bring the keyframes closer together.
Navigating the Timeline
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Zoom In and Out:
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Use the controller at the bottom of the timeline to zoom in with its two handles.
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You can also move the block left or right.
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Alternative Zooming Method: Hold the Alt key while scrolling the mouse wheel to zoom in or out.
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-Precise Zooming:
- For more precise adjustments, press ++alt++ and ++ctrl++/++cmd++ while clicking the left mouse button.
- During zooming, the playhead will serve as a reference point, similar to the mouse when zooming in the viewer.
Familiarize Yourself with Keyframe Snapping
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Understand how to use keyframes to slow down or speed up your animation.
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To position the second keyframe at 2 seconds:
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Move the playhead to 2 seconds.
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Hold the Shift key while moving the keyframe. It will snap into place as you get close to the playhead.
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Benefits of Snapping
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The Shift key helps elements snap to each other, which is useful for aligning playheads with keyframes or the start and end of layers.
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Familiarizing yourself with this snapping concept will save you time when moving various elements in your project.
Summary
We've covered the following key points:
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How to add keyframes to animate parameters.
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How to view a layer outside the format boundaries.
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How to navigate the timeline for effective animation adjustments.