Editing with Keyframes

As you can see from the earlier examples, actually adding a transition is relatively easy. The fun really starts when you want to alter the basic parameters of that transition to create something unique in your project. This is called editing with keyframes (I explain keyframes in more depth in the "Understanding Keyframes" sidebar).

The Transition Editor is similar in look and operation to the non-VST audio editors I introduced you to in Chapter 7, and you open them in a similar fashion.

To open a Transition Editor

Do one of the following:

• Double-click the transition in the Timeline.
  
  
• Right-click the transition in the Timeline and select Edit from the menu (Figure 8.34).
  
  

  Figure 8.34. Opening the Transition Editor via a right-click.

  

  
  Either of these methods brings up the editor for that transition. Figure 8.35 shows the Explosion Transition Editor, which has several interesting adjustable parameters.
  
  

  Figure 8.35. The Realtime Explosion Editor.

  
  
  

Tips

• Right-clicking a transition allows you to access the full range of editing options allowed for each transition.

• Clicking on the Maximum Inlay Size button on the Liquid Edition toolbar will create a bigger preview screen for you to use when adding transitions.

Understanding Keyframes

When you adjust the parameters in the transition editor, a small gray diamond appears on the editor's Source Viewer Timeline (Figure 8.36).

Figure 8.36. The keyframe control bar.

These diamond marks are keyframes and are part of the magic behind the NLE system.

A keyframe does pretty much what it says on the boxit creates a key point around which a certain action or event occurs.

When you adjust any of the parameters inside the Transition Editor, you create a keyframe. In Figure 8.36, you can see that multiple changes have been made, creating multiple gray diamonds (keyframes) on the Timeline. These control the way in which the transition behaves when it plays back.

Once you've created these keyframes, you can manipulate, move, copy, or delete them at will; this is the true power of a keyframe editing system.

Liquid Edition also uses keyframes to control audio levels. You can find details on this in Chapter 7.