Limelight
Keyframe (Animation)
A keyframe defines a property's value at a moment in time, and software smoothly interpolates the values between keyframes.
In animation and video editing, a keyframe is a marker that pins a property, such as position, scale, opacity, or zoom level, to a specific value at a specific time. The software then interpolates the values between two keyframes to generate smooth motion, so you set the important moments and the computer fills the frames in between. The term comes from traditional animation, where lead artists drew the key poses.
Zoom keyframes are a common example: you place one keyframe at a wide view and another zoomed into a detail, and the editor animates a smooth push-in. Done manually, this is precise but tedious, requiring you to time and tune every marker across the timeline to keep the movement natural.
Limelight removes that busywork by automatically zooming into every click, generating smooth, well-timed camera moves without any manual keyframing. You get the polished look of hand-animated zoom keyframes, while the app handles the timing, easing, and framing for you.
Why Limelight
- ▸A marker that sets a property's value at a point in time.
- ▸Software interpolates between keyframes to create smooth motion.
- ▸Zoom keyframes animate push-ins but are tedious to place by hand.
- ▸Limelight auto-zooms into every click, removing manual keyframing.
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FAQ
- What does a keyframe do?
- It fixes a property such as scale or position to a value at a specific time; the editor interpolates the frames between keyframes to animate the change.
- What are zoom keyframes?
- They are keyframes that set zoom level over time, letting an editor animate a smooth push-in or pull-out between wide and close views.
- Do I need to set keyframes in Limelight?
- No. Limelight automatically zooms into every click with smooth timing, so you get animated zooms without placing keyframes manually.