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Keyframe Transition Styles

Actually, I’ve seen this by different names. The Vegas manual calls this the “interpolation curve” between keyframes. In his Vegas Editing Workshop book, certified Vegas trainer Douglas Spotted Eagle uses the term “keyframe behavior / attribute.” The bottom line is, you can change how slowly or quickly the transition from one keyframe to the next happens. By default, the change from keyframe happens in a linear fashion — at an even pace. For example, if you use keyframes in the Pan / Crop window and set the X Center value to 300 at one keyframe and 400 at the next keyframe, the value is going to be exactly halfway between (350) when the cursor reaches the halfway point. And exactly three-quarters between (375) when the cursor reaches the three-quarters point.

But if you right-click any keyframe, you’ll see a list of other possibilities. The option you choose will affect how that keyframe transitions to the next keyframe. The options available (and the color of the resulting keyframe) are as follows

• Linear: The default as described above. The transition to the next keyframe is even. (Gray)
• Fast: Transition starts out fast and slows down as it nears the next keyframe. (Green)
• Slow: Transition starts out slow and speeds up as it nears the next keyframe. (Yellow)
• Smooth: Transition starts slow, speeds up until reaching the midpoint between the keyframes, then slows down again. (Purple)
• Sharp: Transition starts out fast, slows down until reaching the midpoint between the keyframes, then speeds up again. (Pink)
• Hold: No transition. The settings of this keyframe remain exactly as they are until the next keyframe is reached, and that keyframe’s settings are applied immediately. (Red)

Figure 2 shows a keyframe controller with several keyframes, each with a different transition style applied.

Figure 2: Transition Style Colors

Where Are Keyframes Used?

You’ll find a keyframe controller and timeline in the Media Generators, Pan / Crop, Track Motion (both 2D and 3D), Video FX, and Surround Sound Panner. Audio FX do not use keyframes, but instead provide FX automation through the use of envelopes.

For track level elements (Track Motion and Video FX applied at the track level), Vegas will display an additional keyframe timeline with the track. There you can insert, delete, and move keyframes. To adjust the settings for a keyframe, you would need to open up the relevant window, which you can do by double-clicking a keyframe for that element. To see this keyframe timeline for project level Video FX, you must enable the Video Bus Track (View > Video Bus Track).

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Tags: basics, fx, generated media, keyframes, pan/crop