There are two different sets of tools you can use to edit your animated movies within HUE Animation: the Edit Frame screen and the Manage Timeline tab.
The Edit Frame screen
Adding text, shapes, or other drawings to frames
You can add text, drawings, or other simple shapes (lines, rectangles, and circles) to your image(s). First, choose a frame on which to draw. Then click the Edit Frame button to the left of the playback controls. (You can also double click on the frame you want to edit). A screen with a paint toolbox on the left side will appear.
You can use the tools around the edge of the screen to annotate and enhance your animation frames.
Simply select the tool of your choice and begin editing your frame!
The Colors box allows you to choose the color for your drawings or text. The large box shows which color is currently selected. You can use the Tool Properties area below to select the thickness of the lines being drawn, or the size of the text. Fill creates solid shapes rather than an outline.
The Chroma Key box allows you to select colors in your stills and insert your own background images. More information about this feature can be found at this link.
The three small buttons in the bottom left part of the Edit Frame screen allow you to flip your frame vertically and horizontally, and overlap a grid on top of the window to make it easier to line up text or drawings. The grid is only displayed while editing; it won’t appear in the finished movie.
Applying edits created on one frame to another
Once you have finished with the edits that you wish to duplicate, the Templates box allows you to create a reusable template from any existing frame. Simply click on Set to record any edits you have made to the frame. You can then apply it to other frames using the Apply button.
You can use the Switch Frame controls to move through your timeline without leaving the Edit Frame screen.
The Display Duration box allows you to alter the amount of time a frame is displayed. You can make it longer or shorter using the slider, or click on Reset to return the duration to its original setting.
Leaving the Edit Frame screen
Clicking the Undo button will remove edits you’ve made, and clicking Revert will clear all edits made on that image.
When you have finished editing, press the Done button in the bottom right corner to return to the main screen.
Your edits will appear on the frame you chose.
The Manage Timeline tab
This is the last of the four tabs above the right side of the screen. When you click on it, some additional controls will appear on the left side of the main HUE Animation screen.
Grouping frames together as a clip
To group clips together:
- Go to the Manage Timeline tab.
- Click on the first frame you wish to group, hold down the shift key, and then click on the last frame you wish to group into the clip.
- Click the icon shown above, with a an arrow pointing a film strip, to group your selected images together.
- To ungroup the clip back into individual frames, select the clip and press the button in the bottom left of the Manage Timeline panel.
Editing tips
- Explore the different functions in the Manage Timeline tab as you edit. See which ones you find most helpful.
- You can move multiple frames at a time by clicking and holding shift to select multiple frames.
- You can also group frames into a clip in order to facilitate editing and reordering.
- Use templates to add text to multiple frames.
- View your animation often as you edit to make sure you’re getting the desired result.
- Remember that you can use the Manage Timeline tab and the Edit Frame button for editing (they both have different features).
