View Full Version : First Light Keyframe tutorial


Mervin Langley
June 18th, 2011, 11:00 PM
Can anyone provide me with a link to a basic keyframing guide?

Thanks.

David Newman
June 19th, 2011, 12:36 AM
Nothing just on keyframing.

FirstLight Tutorials here Introduction to FirstLight -- Part 1 on Vimeo
3D Keyframing can be found here FijiFilm-W3 with keyframed convergence using Neo3D. on Vimeo

Mervin Langley
June 19th, 2011, 01:47 AM
Thanks that is helpful. Is there any written guide to keyframing, the manual does not address this. I am not getting it and I really need to be able to use keyframes for a project.

Thanks.

Andree Markefors
June 19th, 2011, 03:24 PM
What is your problem, exactly?

It's pretty straightforward:

By clicking the plus sign/button you assign a keyframe for that group of controls (e.g. gain/gamma/lift).

The keyframe records the settings of all the controls pertaining to the group above the plus button. You can assign as many keyframes as you like over the length of the clip.

If you have two keyframes 5 seconds apart, the settings will transition from the first keyframe to the second over those five seconds. This makes sure it's a smooth shift between settings.

If you have no keyframes, any change to the controls will be global and you can change your controls at any point of the clips timeline.

HOWEVER: once you have assigned one or more keyframes, you can only adjust controls ON the keyframes themselves.

If this is the case, don't "scrub" the timeline by dragging the playhead. Instead, jump from keyframe to keyframe by clicking the small arrows adjacent to the plus sign to make sure the playhead is exactly on a keyframe to enable the controls (they'll be grayed out if not).

To delete a keyframe, navigate to it and click the minus button that has replaced the former plus button.

Mervin Langley
June 19th, 2011, 03:40 PM
Thanks, I will give that a try later today.

Justin Lovell
June 19th, 2011, 10:34 PM
If working on a MAC - the keyframes will be shown in the scrubber timeline.
If working on a PC - keyframe positions are not shown.

Burk Wagner
June 20th, 2011, 11:42 AM
"If you have two keyframes 5 seconds apart, the settings will transition from the first keyframe to the second over those five seconds. This makes sure it's a smooth shift between settings."

David,
I am converting old 8mm movies to HD format. The light or camera aperture is changing every few seconds, and I thought CF would be the fastest, best program implementing consistent color corrections. But I need unchanging settings between keyframes. When are you going to implement a 'hold keyframe' function? (i.e., hold color settings constant until the next keyframe arrives?) I saw other users asking the same for almost as soon as you implemented keyframes...

PS Love the helmet camera for skiing...

David Newman
June 20th, 2011, 12:01 PM
Holds are easy to do, just add two keyframes, I do it all the time.

1) Set you new value (with keyframing on.)
2) Copy (Ctrl+C)
3) New location and Paste (Ctrl+V)
4) Step a frame forward
5) Set new values.

On the PC the keyframes are add automatically, hard to see it becoming that much easier with a hold function. We intend to add hold and other keyframe controls, but not before are a better visual presentation for keyframes. Many more changes/features are coming before this.

Burk Wagner
June 20th, 2011, 12:08 PM
Thanks, David. Makes sense. I think I did not use this method because I could not see what keyframe changes I had implenmented already and tended to lose overview (PC -no clear visuals)). Yes, as customer I agree with the priorities you listed. Thanks for your good response