Refine with keyframes

After selecting the animation you want to use, you can either export it or transform it into keyframe-based animations.

Export the animation

To export the animation to an Animation Clip, select the animation in the Library and then select Export. Specify the location to save the animation and select Save.

Edit the animation

Muse Animate creates animations based on prompts using machine learning (ML).

To edit and convert these animations into keyframe-based animations, follow these steps:

  1. Select your animation in the Library section.

  2. Select Make Editable.

    The Edit Options menu opens. You can set how detailed the keyframe conversion will be. Higher sensitivity results in more keyframes that capture finer details of the animation, but it also makes manual editing cumbersome. In contrast, lower sensitivity results in fewer keyframes that capture only the main movements and transitions.

  3. Move the Sampling Sensitivity slider to the right to generate more keyframes and move the slider to the left to generate fewer keyframes. The default value is medium sensitivity.

  4. Select Convert.

    This converts the original animation into a series of keyframes based on the selected sensitivity. When an animation plays, the playback controls highlight the segment corresponding to the active keyframe. This shows which part of the animation is currently being played. As the playhead moves, Muse Animate highlights different keyframe sections in real time. The duration of each keyframe segment on the playback controls varies. Keyframes where the animation changes a lot last longer, while those with small changes are shorter.

  5. Select Done.

    A message confirms that a new Editable Take is available in the Library. You can identify the Editable Take by icon with concentric circles.

Edit keyframes

Each keyframe has a Key Settings section to configure and fine-tune its behavior within the animation. The Key Settings section provides the following options:

  • Transition Duration: This setting specifies the duration of the keyframe. It controls the time it takes for the animation to transition from one keyframe to the next.
  • Extrapolated pose: This setting uses ML models to determine the transition between the last existing pose and the next one. For a smooth transition in animation, instead of manually defining the pose, this setting extrapolates and generates a pose that fits well between the existing poses.
  • Loop to first pose: This setting ensures that your animation ends in the same position as its initial keyframe. It enables your character to return to the same state as the first keyframe. You can apply this option only to the last frame.

To edit the keyframes, follow these steps:

  1. Select the keyframe.

    The Key Settings menu opens.

  2. Move the Transition Duration slider control to set the duration of the keyframe. For a small keyframe (faster transition), move the slider control left, and move it right for long keyframes (slower transition).

    Note

    The last keyframe in the animation has no transition duration as it's the last pose.

  3. If you want the ML model to determine how the animation might behave beyond the current keyframe, enable Extrapolated pose.

  4. If you want your animation's end pose to be same as the initial pose, enable Loop to first pose.

Note

You can use the mouse scroll wheel to zoom in and out on an animation timeline to closely inspect and fine-tune the keyframe.

Add a keyframe

Add a keyframe between two existing keyframes to refine the animation between two poses. This helps to create a smoother transition and lets you adjust attributes, such as position or rotation.

To add a keyframe, follow these steps:

  1. Move the playhead to the frame where you want to insert a new keyframe.
  2. Select + on the playback controls to insert a new keyframe.
  3. To view the updated animation, select Play on the playback controls.

Use the context menu

When you right-click on a keyframe, the context menu provides different options to manage keyframes:

  • Copy: Copies the selected keyframe so that you can paste it elsewhere.

  • Paste and Replace: Replaces the selected keyframe with the copied keyframe. This option is disabled until you copy a keyframe.

  • Paste Left: Pastes the copied keyframe to the left of the current keyframe. This option is disabled until you copy a keyframe.

  • Paste Right: Pastes the copied keyframe to the right of the current keyframe. This option is disabled until you copy a keyframe.

  • Duplicate Left: Creates a duplicate of the selected keyframe to the left.

  • Duplicate Right: Creates a duplicate of the selected keyframe to the right.

  • Move Left: Moves the selected keyframe one position to the left.

  • Move Right: Moves the selected keyframe one position to the right.

  • Delete: Deletes the selected keyframe from the playback controls.

Additional resources