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Time-remap a layer



You can time-remap all or part of a layer to create many different results, such as freeze-frame or slow-motion results. (See About time-remapping.)

Freeze the first frame without changing the speed

  1. In a Composition or Timeline panel, select the layer that you want to remap.
  2. Choose Layer > Time > Enable Time Remapping.

    This command adds two Time Remap keyframes by default, one at the beginning of the layer and one at the end.

  3. Move the current-time indicator to where you want the movie to begin.
  4. Click the Time Remap property name to select the start and end keyframes.
  5. Drag the first keyframe to the current-time indicator, which moves the start and end keyframes. (If you are working in the Graph Editor, drag the bounding box—not the keyframe or a handle—so that both keyframes move.)

Freeze a frame in the middle of the duration of a layer

  1. In a Composition or Timeline panel, select the layer that you want to remap.
  2. Choose Layer > Time > Enable Time Remapping.

    This command adds two Time Remap keyframes by default, one at the beginning of the layer and one at the end.

  3. Move the current-time indicator to the frame that you want to freeze, and set a Time Remap keyframe at the current time by clicking the keyframe navigator diamond for the Time Remap property.
  4. Select the last two Time Remap keyframes (the second and third keyframes) and drag them to the right.
  5. Press F2 to deselect the keyframes, and then click the second (middle) keyframe to select it.
  6. Press Ctrl+C (Windows) or Command+C (Mac OS) to copy the keyframe.
  7. Press Ctrl+V (Windows) or Command+V (Mac OS) to paste the keyframe at the current time. You should not have moved the current-time indicator since step 3.
  8. (Optional) To extend the layer so that its duration is increased to accommodate the time added by the freeze-frame operation, press the K key twice to move the current-time indicator to the last Time Remap keyframe, and press Alt+] (Windows) or Option+] (Mac OS).

The portion of the layer between the first and second keyframes plays at an unaltered rate (the same as for the non-time-remapped layer), as does the portion of the layer between the third and fourth keyframes. The second and third keyframes are identical, so a single frozen frame plays during the time between those two keyframes.

Remap time using the Graph Editor

To switch between Graph Editor mode and layer bar mode, press Shift+F3.
  1. In a Composition or Timeline panel, select the layer you want to remap.
  2. Choose Layer > Time > Enable Time Remapping.
  3. In the Timeline panel, click the name of the Time Remap property to select it.
  4. Move the current-time indicator to the time at which to add a keyframe, and click the keyframe button in the keyframe navigator to add a keyframe.
  5. In the Graph Editor, drag the keyframe marker up or down, watching the Time Remap value as you drag. To snap to other keyframes, Shift-drag.
    Dragging the keyframe down slows down the layer.

    • To slow the layer down, drag the keyframe down. (If the layer is playing in reverse, drag up.)

    • To speed the layer up, drag the keyframe up. (If the layer is playing in reverse, drag down.)

    • To play frames backward, drag the keyframe down to a value below the previous keyframe value.

    • To play frames forward, drag the keyframe up to a value above the previous keyframe value.

    • To freeze the previous keyframe, drag the current keyframe marker to a value equal to the previous keyframe value so that the graph line is flat. Another method is to select the keyframe and choose Animation > Toggle Hold Keyframe, and then add another keyframe where you want the motion to start again.

Before you move a time-remap keyframe, it’s a good idea to select all subsequent time-remap keyframes in the layer first. This selection will preserve the timing of the rest of the layer when you remap time for the current keyframe.

Remap time in a Layer panel

  1. Open the Layer panel for the layer you want to remap.
  2. Choose Layer > Time > Enable Time Remapping. A second time ruler appears in the Layer panel above the default time ruler and the navigator bar.
  3. On the lower time ruler, move the current-time indicator to the first frame where you want the change to occur.
  4. On the upper time ruler, the remap-time marker indicates the frame currently mapped to the time indicated on the lower time ruler. To display a different frame at the time indicated on the lower time ruler, move the remap-time marker accordingly.
    Drag the remap-time marker to replace the frame at the current time marker.

  5. Move the current-time indicator on the lower time ruler to the last frame where you want change to occur.
  6. Move the remap-time marker on the upper time ruler to the frame you want to display at the time indicated on the lower time ruler:

    • To move the preceding portion of the layer forward, set the remap-time marker to a later time than the current-time indicator.

    • To move the preceding portion of the layer backward, set the remap-time marker to an earlier time than the current-time indicator.

    • To freeze a frame, set the remap-time marker to the frame you want frozen. Then, move the current-time indicator (lower ruler) to the last point in time where the frame will appear frozen and move the remap-time marker again to the frame you want frozen.