Use animation layers to modify existing animation

Animation layers make it easy to exaggerate, lessen, or otherwise edit existing animation, without the risk of losing your original work.

For example, if your production pipeline requires that you have rough animation sequences signed off before you complete detail work, you can use animation layers to keep your approved animation separate and locked from editing as you continue to add detail on another layer.

The following steps describe a general workflow using animation layers to modify existing animation.

To modify existing animation

1. Load your existing animation.
2. Select an object whose animation you want to modify and click the Create Layer From Selected icon . See Create an animation layer.

   This creates an animation layer for the selected object. By default, all of the object’s attributes are added to the layer.

   Note

   You can organize your animation on layers however you choose. You can create one layer for all objects in your scene, one layer per object, or even one layer per attribute you want to animate. This example describes modifying the animation for a single object on a layer, but you can add attributes from multiple objects on one layer.

3. Use the Channel Box or Relationship Editor to add and remove the object’s attributes from the animation layer. See Add and remove attributes from animation layers.

   For example, if you plan to modify only the object’s translateZ and translateY values, you can keep only those values on the layer and remove all other attributes.

4. Manipulate the object and set keys on its translateZ and translateY values. As you keyframe, the new keys are set on the animation layer. See Keyframe objects in animation layers.
5. Play the result animation in your scene, viewing the effect of your modified animation from the layer.
6. Use the animation layer tools to compare the result with and without your modified animation:
   • Turn on ghosts for the animated objects. See Display ghosts for layered animation.
   • Toggle the layer’s Mute button . See Mute, Lock, and Solo animation layers.
7. (Optional) Do one of the following:
   • If you are satisfied with the modified animation, you can merge or bake your layered animation with the original animation and save the result. See Merge animation layers and Bake animation layers.
   • If you prefer to leave your original animation unchanged, you can delete the animation layer to discard the modified animation. See Delete animation layers.