To copy and reverse keyframes in After Effects, the process is straightforward: you select the keyframes, copy them, navigate to the desired point in the timeline, and then use the 'Paste Reverse Keyframes' function. This effectively plays the animation backward from the new paste point.
Steps to Copy and Reverse Keyframes
Reversing keyframes in After Effects is a handy technique for creating seamless loops or reversing the direction of an animation. Here's a simple breakdown of the process:
- Select the Layer and Property: In your timeline panel, expand the layer containing the animation. Find the specific property (e.g., Position, Scale, Rotation, Opacity) that has the keyframes you want to reverse.
- Select the Keyframes: Click and drag a selection box around the keyframes you want to copy and reverse. You can also click on the property name itself to select all keyframes for that property, or Ctrl+Click (Windows) / Cmd+Click (Mac) on individual keyframes to select multiple non-contiguous ones.
- Copy the Keyframes: With the keyframes selected, go to the menu bar and choose Edit > Copy, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+C (Windows) / Cmd+C (Mac).
- Navigate to the Paste Point: Move your Current Time Indicator (the vertical red line) to the exact frame in the timeline where you want the reversed animation to begin.
- Paste Reverse Keyframes: Go back to the menu bar and select Edit > Paste Reverse Keyframes.
As mentioned in the reference, After Effects "Points only reversed." All you have to do is copy your key frames navigate to where you want the opposite key frames. And go to Edit > Paste Reverse Keyframes. This feature is useful for quickly creating mirrored animations without manually adjusting each keyframe's timing and value.
Practical Use Cases
- Looping Animations: Create an animation forward, then copy and paste it reversed right after the original to make a smooth back-and-forth loop.
- Mirrored Effects: If an object moves in and out, animate the 'in' movement, then reverse those keyframes for the 'out' movement.
- Undoing Actions Visually: Show an effect happening, then reverse the keyframes to show it 'undone'.
By following these steps, you can efficiently duplicate and flip the timing of your animations using After Effects' built-in functionality.
