Motion Graphics Essentials with Keyframes

Clean motion is less about fancy presets and more about timing and intent. A well-placed ease communicates hierarchy, personality, and polish. If you’ve avoided the graph editor until now, this is your invitation to open it—your typography and UI will thank you.

1) Temporal vs. spatial interpolation

Temporal interpolation controls how fast a property changes over time. Spatial interpolation controls the path an element travels. You can have smooth temporal curves (eases) while keeping a straight spatial path, or vice versa. When animations feel “off,” check both timelines: are you easing speed but still moving on a stiff path, or the other way around?

2) The easing trinity

• Ease-in: Starts slow, ends fast. Feels like weight being released.
• Ease-out: Starts fast, ends slow. Feels like arrival and intention.
• Ease-in-out: Slow at both ends, fastest mid-flight. Feels elegant and friendly.

As a default, UI elements tend to ease-out on entrance (they settle into place) and ease-in on exit (they accelerate away). Typography benefits from ease-in-out to feel sophisticated. Avoid perfectly linear moves unless you want mechanical character.

3) Curves with character: overshoot and anticipation

Two tiny flourishes add life: anticipation and overshoot. Anticipation nudges the object a few pixels opposite the main direction before moving; overshoot goes slightly past the target, then returns. Use modest amounts (2–6 pixels, 2–3 frames) for UI or text, more for playful brand motion. These cues imply physicality without cartoonish exaggeration.

4) Timing systems that scale

Create a small timing scale for your brand or project: 1, 2, 4, 8 units (frames or 1/10th seconds). Assign categories: micro (1–2), small (4), medium (8), large (12–16). Use these consistently across animations. The viewer subconsciously recognizes patterns, making the interface feel coherent even when elements differ.

5) Typographic animation that reads first, dazzles second

When animating titles, readability wins. Animate by lines, not letters, for clarity in editorial. If you prefer a letter-by-letter look, group letters into syllables or words to avoid jitter. Keep motion perpendicular to reading direction (vertical moves for left-to-right scripts) to prevent chasing. A classic combo: fade + slight Y position + scale from 98% to 100% with an ease-out—crisp and modern.

6) UI motion: purpose over spectacle

UI motion explains cause and effect. Buttons depress quickly (ease-in-out, 100–150 ms); drawers slide with a short deceleration (ease-out, 200–300 ms); modals scale slightly with opacity for context (ease-out, 180–220 ms). Keep z-depth moves (scale/blur) subtle—too much and it feels like a pop-up ad.

7) Layer order and masking for clean composites

Avoid revealing text as it crosses the edge of a box with a raw position keyframe; use a track matte or mask to clip the layer so it appears to “come from inside.” This trick sells realism in lower thirds, menus, and ticker elements. Feather the mask 1–2 pixels to soften edges on UHD footage.

8) Motion blur and shutter angle

Enable motion blur on moving elements to hide stepping and add cohesion with live action plates. A shutter angle of 180 degrees feels natural. Increase blur for playful or energetic sequences, decrease for crisp, techy vibes. Keep it consistent across elements in a single scene.

9) The 12 principles, adapted

You don’t need cartoon physics to borrow wisdom:

• Squash and stretch: Use scale subtly on logos or icons to imply elasticity (98–102% range).
• Staging: Animate one focal element at a time; stagger the rest.
• Follow-through: Secondary elements finish slightly after the parent (20–40 ms delay).
• Timing: Shorter for utility actions, longer for brand moments.

10) Build components, not one-offs

Convert frequently used elements (lower thirds, title cards, bumpers) into templates with exposed controls for timing and easing. Save presets for curve shapes—naming them “SnappyOut_220ms” or “SoftInOut_400ms” helps your team choose intentionally. Consistency scales quality across episodes and series.

11) A minimal, reliable process

1. Block motion with linear keys to verify timing and order.
2. Refine timing using your scale (1/2/4/8 units).
3. Add easing with the graph editor; check both temporal and spatial curves.
4. Introduce subtle anticipation/overshoot where appropriate.
5. Enable motion blur and check edges with masks/mattes.
6. Stagger secondary elements for follow-through.

Debugging your motion

• Looks floaty: Increase contrast between fast and slow segments; shorten tails.
• Feels janky: Smooth spatial curves; avoid sharp path corners unless intentional.
• Hard to read: Reduce simultaneous motions; stagger by 2–4 frames.
• Too bouncy: Reduce overshoot to under 5% and shorten settle time.

Great motion is editorial: it clarifies structure, emphasizes meaning, and aligns with tone. Keep your curves intentional, your timing consistent, and your embellishments subtle. The more your motion disappears into clarity, the more professional your work will feel.