Storyboard Pro Timeline Cookbook

Animating a transformation on a layer

• Click figure icon to the right of layer thumbnail in Stage View
• Change the icon to "running man" icon
• With the layer selected, now a channel is displayed in the Timeline for its keyframes.
• Insert a keyframe on the layer to maintain the current size & location at that frame.
• Select the Transform tool (a square with 9 control points).
• Move to a new frame and transform the layer to create a new keyframe. The values will transition smoothly between the two keyframes by default.

As of SBP 6 there is no support for animating transparency.

Ease in, ease out

• Select the Transform tool selected and a layer with keyframes selected in Stage View.
• 'Tool Properties tab > Keyframes group > Function Editor button (S-shaped bezier curve with two dots at its ends)

Creating a stop-motion keyframe

A "stop-motion," or "hold," keyframe is one where there is no transition in values between two keyframes. The translation, rotation, or scale value stays remains at what it was at the first keyframe until the 2nd keyframe is reached, then the value shifts abruptly to the new value.

• Apply two keyframes in the Timeline.
• With the Transform tool selected (square with 9 control points), Tool Properties tab > Keyframes panel > Open Function Editor button (an S-shaped bezier)
• Make sure the desired transform is selected under Functions, e.g. Angle_z if working on a rotation.
• Select the first keyframe in the transform.
• Click the Stop-motion keyframe button (red flat horizontal line with two dots at its ends)

Looping keyframes

For looping keyframes within one panel, the quickest thing is probably to copy and paste two keyframes in the Timeline.

To loop keyframes across multiple panels, use Spread Layer Motion

Using a video track as a BG layer

Any external image or video can be used as a video track, but also a BG vector layer in a panel can be converted to a BG in a video track.

New video track

• Timeline tab
• Storyboard > New > New Video Track
  • Video tracks are added above the Storyboard track by default.
  • Move the new video track below the Storyboard track: right click on the video track > Move Track Down'

Make BG into template

• On the right, put the Library tag in focus.
  • Select the Global Library folder if the BG should be available to other projects.
  • Select Templates > Sets folder if the BG is only available in the current project.
• Stage/Camera View > Select the BG layer in the panel that will serve as the BG art.
• Drag the BG layer into the main Library window.
  • This creates a .tpl file. .tpl files cannot be placed in video tracks. What is needed is the underlying .tvg file.
  • Right click' the .tpl template in the Template window > Open as Folder
  • In the folders pane, expand the .tpl template > elements > Draw
  • Click on the Draw folder to show its contents in the Library window. This will reveal a .tvg file.
  • Drag the .tvg file up to the same folder where the .tpl template is located.
  • Delete the .tpl template.

Add template as video track

• Drag the .tvg template into the video track. Adjust in and out points as necessary. The BG can span multiple panels in the Timeline.
• Use the Transform tool (square with 9 control points) to scale or move the BG in the video track as necessary.

Spread layer motion

Spread layer motion is the mechanism for animating a transformation on a layer over multiple panels.

• In the Camera View select a layer in the first panel of the sequence.
• In the Timeline select the first frame in the sequence.
• Add a keyframe to the panel in the timeline.
• Go to the last frame of the panel.
• Transform the layer, and another keyframe will be added in the Timeline.
• Layer > Spread Layer Motion...
  • Choose the number of panels to spread the transformation over.
  • The keyframe will remain where it was, but the transform will take plane over multiple panels.
  • The layer being transformed shouldn't be visible in any panels beyond the first panel.

Transitions

• Storyboard > Add Transition (or hourglass icon in toolbar)
• Go to scene where the transition will start.
• Click transition to change the transition type.

Hiding content outside the frame

To hide visual elements that fall outside the frame while playing back in the timeline, click the Camera Mask button at the bottom left of the Stage/Camera View pane.

Walk cycles

The rule of thumb for walk cycles is to give 8 frames to each step in the cycle.

Notes

See also

• Storyboarding For Animation Class Notes