Finding & Deleting Motion Keyframes

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Level 3

565 points

Finding & Deleting Motion Keyframes

DVD SP 3.0 I have a clip in the Viewer which has several Motion Keyframes set some time ago. I want to delete them. The only way that I can see to do it is to move the Playhead and watch the (for example) Scale parameter move to its minimum, then reset to 100%, and so on for each keyframe. Most keyframes, such as those in the timeline for audio volume and opacity (and on other softwares) are visible and can be found and deleted quickly.

So, what is the best way to delete Motion Keyframes please? (The Manual is silent.)

G5/2.0 GHz, Mac OS X (10.3.9), 1 GB RAM, 150 GB HD, Sony DCR-HC96 mini DV, FCE HD 3.0 DVD SP 3

Posted on Dec 6, 2006 12:34 PM

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Answer 1

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,819 points

Dec 6, 2006 1:38 PM in response to SteveKir

Do you mean FCE 3.0? With snapping turned on the playhead should snap to the keyframes as you move it. The problem is there is no delete keyframe function in that version except for center keyframes. If you get to a keyframe that has no center value, simply move the image a bit in the canvas and a center keyframe will be added. You can then right-click on the center keyframe in the canvas and select delete keyframe and all the motion keyframe values at that point will be removed.

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Answer 2

SteveKir Author

Level 3

565 points

Dec 6, 2006 3:00 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

Yes, FCE 3.0 The reason why I could not detect any motion keyframe was that I had placed audio keyframes (in the timeline) at the same places as the motion Keyframe. However, by deleting those audio keyframes, snapping on found the motion keyframes. But:

What is a Centre Keyframe? How does it differ from a conventional one? How can it be created?

"Simply move the image a bit in the canvas and a centre keyframe will be added." This has no effect except to move the play head! Presumably you meant "add a motion keyframe". I did that by pressing the "add motion keyframe" button on the canvas but:

What do you mean by "right clicking" - CLICK +CTRL, +OPT, +CMND? and:

"You can then right-click on the center keyframe in the canvas". But motion keyframes are invisible (my keyframes are for Scale only, not movement etc., so there is no path to see with keyframe dots), so how can I click on it in the canvas? I have clicked everywhere and searched menus but no "delete keyframe" is available.

Thanks.

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Answer 3

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,819 points

Dec 6, 2006 3:56 PM in response to SteveKir

A center keyframe is a keyframe that animates the center parameter, the position of the image on the screen.

Moving the image in the canvas means switching the canvas to Image+Wireframe, grabbing the image and moving it. Clicking the keyframe button adds a global keyframe and will have the same effect.

Right-clicking is clicking on the right side of a three-button mouse. Everything that's done by right-clicking can also be done with the control key. It brings up a shortcut menu.

The motion keyframes appear in the canvas when the canvas is set to Image+Wireframe.

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Answer 4

SteveKir Author

Level 3

565 points

Dec 7, 2006 3:52 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

What you describe is for the centre parameter - as I drag the central spot of the image in the canvas, the image moves and, after creating keyframes, leaves a trail with nodes (which seem to represent the keyframe for each frame). I can delete and move these nodes and adjust their tangents. No problem.

However, the motion parameter that I am keyframing is the SCALE parameter. So far as I can see, this leavers no trail with nodes for me to adjust or delete. That is my problem. This seems to apply also to the Crop and Distort parameters.

(As I said in my first post, I can detect a Scale keyframe by moving the playhead with snapping on and effectively delete it by re-entering 100% - that seems to be the only way in version 3.0)

G5/2.0 GHz Mac OS X (10.3.9) 1 GB RAM, 150 GB HD, Sony DCR-HC96 mini DV, FCE HD 3.0 DVD SP 3

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Answer 5

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,819 points

Dec 7, 2006 7:12 AM in response to SteveKir

Once again, there is no way to remove these keyframes in versions earlier than v3.5 UNLESS there is a center motion keyframe there. So, go to the point where the keyframe you want to remove is, the scale keyframe, then make a center keyframe by moving the image. Once you've added the center keyframe use the remove keyframe function and it will remove ALL the keyframes at that point.

BTW, you don't have to grab the center of the image to move it, you can grab anywhere in the image and move it.

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