How to lock time/timeline position of keyframing?

[rvrkids]

I've searched for something about this subject but can't find it. When working with multiple tracks and keyframing, how do you lock the timing(position on timeline) of the keyframes?

I have set a bunch of keyframes on multiple tracks but have now discovered I need my clips/photos to be timestretched because I have more keyframing to do. When I timestretch the clips, the keyframes are being stretched too....I don't want that...I want them to stay exactly where they are set so I can do more with the remainder of the clip.

I'm sure it's something simple I am missing and appreciate help.

[Bobby]

Interesting question. I can see why the program does what it does - the position of the keyframe is usually related to some event within the clip and hence it would be appropriate to move or spread it when time stretching as that event moves.

You might try doing a COPY before you stretch and then a PASTE ATTRIBUTES after, but I can't think of anything else right now.

[Steve Grisetti]

Yours is a great solution, Bobby! I'm not sure of any other way to do it!

[rvrkids]

Thanks gentlemen...I will try it.

I understand why it does what it does too but in my case, I really don't know how long my bottom layer clips need to be until I see how long the effects will take for the clips on the upper tracks. I've tried to work from the top down but it is hard to see what's going on if I don't manage all the effects together.

[Bobby]

One thing I have found is that it is important to develop the sequence of things you do, setting up your workflow.

For example, I have learned never, ever, to add background music until the video part of the project is completely done. If you don't do this, and then go back and change something in the video, the audio track sometimes gets split and moved around. The fix for this is to just delete that background audio and re-do it again. Much easier to wait until the very end.

I know this doesn't solve your problem; I am just pointing out that planning your steps can reduce future headaches!

[momoffduty]

Bobby makes a very good point about workflow. An option: After your clip has been keyframed and you want the end to be longer, split the clip after the last keyframe and timestretch the 2nd part of the clip.

This is somewhat related: If your sound track gets chopped up with unwanted cuts, delete all the pieces except the first one. Then drag the first one to the right for the full length.

[Bobby]

...Then drag the first one to the right for the full length...

Yes, that is the way to do it. When a clip gets split the rest of the data is really still there and can be accesses just by dragging the right boundary. I think we often forget that...

[momoffduty]

Yes, that is the way to do it. When a clip gets split the rest of the data is really still there and can be accesses just by dragging the right boundary. I think we often forget that...

It took me over a year to realize that. Before I would keep replacing the sound track.

[Dave McElderry]

If your sound track gets chopped up with unwanted cuts, delete all the pieces except the first one. Then drag the first one to the right for the full length.

Been there done that. But often I have many music clips in place, using only small bits of each. That's when things start to get interesting. Bobby's suggestion about waiting until the end to add the music is great except that I'm often matching audio to video as I go. I loved the idea about the Copy>Paste Attributes to keep the keyframes intact. This is a little program quirk that I've dealt with for a long time.

A similar keyframing problem crops up when you keyframe and then add a transition at the beginning or end of the clip. I like to start motion or zooms (Ken Burns Effect) from the beginning of the clip so that as the clip fades in the video is already in motion. The transition pushes the keyframes in a half second and then I have to move them back. You learn to do things in a particular order.

[momoffduty]

A similar keyframing problem crops up when you keyframe and then add a transition at the beginning or end of the clip. I like to start motion or zooms (Ken Burns Effect) from the beginning of the clip so that as the clip fades in the video is already in motion. The transition pushes the keyframes in a half second and then I have to move them back. You learn to do things in a particular order.

That drives me crazy! I add my Ken Burns effect for photos, add the transitions, adjust timing, and lastly move all the keyframes to adjust for the transition. Very last things are motion backgrounds, drop shadows, & anti flicker. Usually use this process per segment that way I am not spending an hour straight moving keyframes for the entire slideshow. It is well worth adjusting the keyframes for a smooth continuous movement. My early work didn't do this and I see a big difference.

[Dave McElderry]

It's nice to know we'll all go crazy together. Glad I'm not the only one who appeciates a smooth keyframe entry. It does bug me when the transition ends and THEN the KBE begins. It just looks unprofessional.