How do I add a speed keyframe in After Effects?
In Adobe After Effects, you control the speed of your animation between standard keyframes using the Graph Editor, specifically the Speed Graph. While you don't add a dedicated "speed keyframe," you modify the speed curve associated with existing keyframes to dictate the rate of change over time.
Adjusting Animation Speed with the Speed Graph
To adjust the speed of an animation controlled by keyframes, you use the Graph Editor. This allows you to fine-tune the acceleration and deceleration between key points in your animation, creating smoother and more dynamic motion.
Here are the steps to access and use the Speed Graph based on the provided reference:
- Locate Your Keyframes: In the Timeline panel, find the layer and property (like Position, Scale, Opacity, etc.) that contains the keyframes you want to adjust.
- Expand Property Outline: Expand the outline for the property to see the keyframes you've set.
- Open the Graph Editor: Select the Graph Editor button, usually located near the top of the Timeline panel. This will switch the timeline view to the Graph Editor.
- Switch to Speed Graph: Inside the Graph Editor, locate the Choose graph type and options menu (often looks like an eye or a graph icon). From this menu, select Edit Speed Graph.
Once in the Edit Speed Graph view, the graph displays the speed of the animation over time. The vertical axis represents speed (often pixels per second for spatial properties, or units per second for other properties), and the horizontal axis represents time. By manipulating the handles on the keyframes in the Speed Graph, you can control how quickly or slowly the animation property changes as it moves from one keyframe to the next.
Using the Speed Graph:
- Steeper slopes indicate faster changes (higher speed).
- Flatter slopes indicate slower changes (lower speed).
- You can add Easy Ease (F9) to a keyframe to automatically create smooth speed transitions in and out of that keyframe.
- Manipulating the handles on Easy Eased keyframes in the Speed Graph allows you to further customize the rate of acceleration and deceleration.
By utilizing the Edit Speed Graph, you gain precise control over the nuances of your animation's movement, going beyond simple linear transitions.
