How To Use

This section contains all the information you need to get up-and-running with Keyframe Toolbox.

We've prepared written and video tutorials to cover every feature in detail, and each separate feature has a separate page in the sub-menu to the left.

If you'd prefer to just watch the videos, you can see them all together here. Also, don't miss the very last page here: Sample Animations, which shows graphs for many kinds of animations.

However, if that's too much detail — read on for a Quick Start with a brief summary of each feature.

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Quick Start

• Installation

  • After running the Keyframe Toolbox app, you can apply the Keyframe Toolbox effect to any clip in FCP.

• Introducing Keyframe Toolbox

  • Keyframe graphs control Opacity, Position X & Y, Scale, Rotations, and blur. Horizontal = time, vertical = value.

• Preparing still images

  • To avoid cropping on clips smaller than your canvas, make a compound clip before applying Keyframe Toolbox — or add padding around still images with a built-in feature.

• Keyframe graph basics

  • Graphs include at least two keyframes, and changeable limits are to the right.

• Resetting and scaling the graphs

  • Reset with the button. Each graph can be zoomed horizontally and resized vertically.

• Adding and moving keyframes

  • Double-click or Command/Option-click to add a linear keyframe. Shift constrains movement and snaps to other keyframes.

• Non-linear (smooth) keyframes

  • Command/Option-drag for a non-linear keyframe. Command/Option-drag a handle to split.

• Deleting keyframes and handles

  • Control-click to remove a handle or a keyframe.

• Working with precision

  • Double-click on a keyframe or handle to edit numerically. Use up and down arrows to change values, with Shift or Option to change faster. Use left and right arrows to move to nearby keyframes.

• Selecting, moving and scaling keyframes

  • Shift-click additional keyframes or drag a selection to select multiple keyframes. Move or resize together.

• Linked keyframes New in v1.3

  • Multiple keyframes on separate properties can be linked to keep time and handles in sync.

• Using the graph menu

  • Select keyframes first or affect a whole graph. Flip times or values, copy and paste, clone nearby values.

• Presets

  • Oscillate, bounce, simple movements. Use the controls beneath a graph to tweak or flip a preset. Controls disappear when a keyframe is moved.

• Custom Presets

  • Save any graph or selected keyframe group as a named preset. Apply presets to any graph. Manage to reveal in Finder, rename, organize and share.

• Easing

  • Select multiple or single keyframes, then apply one of several common animation patterns.

• Before First Keyframe and After Last Keyframe

  • Repeat or reflect the current graph before the first and/or after the last keyframe.

• On-screen controls New in v1.3

  • On-screen controls (OSC) allow you to click on drag in the viewer to create or delete keyframes.

• Settings Updated in v1.3

  • Enable Motion Blur, select which graphs you want to see, control UI options, and set defaults.

• Sample Animations

  • Several examples of graphs you could use to create common animations.