Plan shots and keyframes
A video model renders a limited length at a time. Scene Explorer splits the scene into shots that fit the chosen model, and you decide where each shot ends and how the next one begins.
The shot track
Section titled “The shot track”The track along the bottom of the editor has, from the top:
- The transport: Previous shot, Play, Next shot, the previous and next keyframe buttons, the timecode and the scene’s Length.
- The Shots row, with the render buttons.
- A Test frames lane, once the scene has test frames.
- Keyframe lanes for the camera and the selected objects.
Space plays and pauses in either view. Playback loops. The length slider moves in 1 s steps and locks while a render runs.
Shots are planned for the model
Section titled “Shots are planned for the model”With the chip reading Auto, Cask Film places the boundaries so no shot is longer than the model allows. The chip shows the cap, for example Up to 12 s each. Auto boundaries:
- are spaced evenly, give or take 1 s,
- leave every shot at least 2 s long,
- stay 0.3 s clear of camera keys,
- land on whole frames.
Change the model and the plan changes with it. A note on the right of the footer tells you what moved and what it does to the price, for example 3 shots → 2 shots · 48 → 39 credits.
Place your own boundaries
Section titled “Place your own boundaries”Your boundaries never move on their own. Auto fills in around them, and the stretch between two of your boundaries is never split.
- Move the playhead to where the cut should be.
- Press ⌘K, or click the scissors beside Shots.
⌘K within a frame of an existing boundary turns that boundary into your cut instead of adding a second one.
Drag any handle to move it. A red preview warns you while a drag would leave a shot longer than the model allows, and the shot splits when you let go. A moved boundary becomes yours, and the chip reads Custom. Reset to Auto throws away your boundaries.
Cut or continue
Section titled “Cut or continue”Each boundary is one of two kinds.
- Continue (a link disc): the next shot starts on the last frame of this one. Shots joined by Continue form a chain and render in order.
- Cut (a white bar): the next shot can start on a new framing. Shots on either side of a cut render at the same time.
Click a handle to change it. The popup offers Make cut, Make continue and Remove. Remove works only on your own boundaries. Auto boundaries follow the model’s limit.
Read a shot’s state
Section titled “Read a shot’s state”Each shot shows Shot N, its length and a status:
| The shot shows | What it means |
|---|---|
| 0:00–0:12 | Not rendered |
| A green check and film frames | Rendered and current |
| A clay ring and Scene changed | Rendered, but the scene changed since |
| Longer than 12 s, in red | Between two of your boundaries and too long for the model |
| Starts after Shot 2 and a link glyph | Waiting for the shot before it in a chain |
| Preparing scene, Uploading, AI rendering | Rendering |
Click a shot to select it for Shot Render. Right-click it for Send to Storyboard.
Animate the camera and objects
Section titled “Animate the camera and objects”A property with keys animates. A property with none holds its base value.
The inspector puts a key diamond beside each property that can animate: Position, Rotation, Scale on objects, and Position, Rotation, Focal length, Aperture and Focus distance on the camera. The diamond has three states:
| Diamond | Meaning | Click it to |
|---|---|---|
| Hollow | Not animated | Add a key at the playhead |
| Outlined, dim fill | Animated, no key at the playhead | Add a key at the playhead |
| Filled | A key sits at the playhead | Remove that key |
Once a property is animated, editing its field, dragging its gizmo or flying the Camera tool keys it at the playhead. Remove the last key and the property keeps that value instead of jumping.
The keyframe lanes show the keys:
- Camera, which expands into Position, Rotation and Focal length. The Focal length lane also holds aperture and focus keys.
- One lane per selected object.
Click a diamond in a lane to go to it, or drag it to move it. Right-click it for Delete key and Easing: Smooth, Linear, Ease in, Ease out, Ease in/out and Hold. More… adds Sine, Quad, Cubic, Quart, Quint, Expo, Circ, Back, Bounce and Elastic, each in, out or in/out.
The keyframe buttons in the transport step through the selected objects’ keys, or the camera’s keys when nothing is selected.
Result
Section titled “Result”The Shots row shows each shot within the model’s limit, with a cut or a continue at every boundary. Playing the scene shows the camera and objects moving on their keys.
If it doesn’t work
Section titled “If it doesn’t work”A shot reads “Longer than 12 s” and Full Render is blocked. Two of your boundaries are further apart than the model renders. Move one, add a cut between them, or switch to a model with a longer cap.
Remove is greyed out. The boundary is Auto. Auto boundaries go away when the plan no longer needs them. Drag it to make it yours first.
The keyframe lanes are empty. The set has no objects yet. Lanes appear once you add one.