Mastering

Motion Graphics
Terminology
Laura Smith
August 7, 2014 5:08 am
If youre new to the world of motion graphics one of the best ways to get
up and running is to become familiar with some terminology youll likely
encounter on your journey to becoming a great motion designer. Use this
list to jump-start your motion graphics vocabulary or as a []
If youre new to the world of motion graphics one of the best ways to get
up and running is to become familiar with some terminology youll likely
encounter on your journey to becoming a great motion designer. Use this
list to jump-start your motion graphics vocabulary or as a reference guide
for terms that need a quick refresh in your mind.
2D, 2.5D, & 3D
These 3 topics refer to the different types of space that an image or
object can occupy. With 2D images, there s simply a flat image with no

visible depth. With 2.5D images, there is now a 3D space available that
the image can be placed within. However, the image still appears flat, as
if on a card. Think of a diorama styled image. With a 3D image the object
has been created in 3D space with full three dimensional capabilities and
the ability to orbit the object without seeing a paper-thin edge as with
2.5D images.
Adjustment Layers

An adjustment layer is a type of layer thats used to apply effects to

multiple layers at once. Whenever you apply an effect to a layer the
effect applies only to that particular layer. With an adjustment layer the
effect created on the adjustment layer can exist independently of the
other layers. So for instance, if you create an adjustment layer, the effect
applied to the layer will affect any of the other layers below it. If the
adjustment layer is at the bottom of the layer stack then it will have no
effect on the composition.

Alpha Channel
A channel reserved for transparency data, Alpha channels are most
familiarly represented as a black and white image. Gray areas will show a
semi transparent area. The channel is used as the method for bringing
two images together and specifying how the images will overlay each
other. Learn more about about compositing from the first volume of our
Mastering VFX Terminology series.
Animation & Transformation
In motion graphics, youll mostly see transformation animations. This
refers to changes in the position, rotation, scale, anchor point or axis and
opacity properties. Traditional animation is executed in a very different
manner, where the animation isnt achieved through editing these
simplified properties above, but rather hand-drawing each frame of the
sequence. Both of these can be considered methods of animation for
motion graphics, but traditional animation requires more knowledge of
real-world movements to be convincing.
Bevel or Fillet

Bevels and Fillets are synonymous. Theyre a slanted edge between two
faces on a 3D object. Bevels help to make an object have a softer
appearance. When applied subtly, bevels can be the first step to making a
3D object appear more realistic, since objects in the real world dont truly
exist with 90 angles. You can add bevels in After Effects when using the
Ray-traced 3D renderer.
Bokeh
In video and photography, bokeh is the effect produced by a lens upon
out of focus parts of the picture. Bokeh most commonly appears as light
areas of the image that show up in the shape of the aperture opening of
the camera. Learn more about creating bokeh in Photorealistic Camera
Lens Effects in After Effects.
Camera Pan or Orbit
Camera pan and camera orbit are synonymous. They both mean that the
camera is set to a fixed position in space such as it would be on a tripod.

The camera is then rotated but remains rotating from that fixed axis.
Learn more about creating cameras in After Effects with our Introduction
to 3D in After Effects course
Camera Track

This term can mean two things. It depends on if youre referring to the
movement of the camera itself, or if youre referring to analyzing and
recording the movements of the camera for a compositing purpose.
When referring to the movement of the camera, tracking refers to
actually moving the camera, whether that be in/out, side to side or up
and down. The camera would be physically moving its position in space.
Another definition of Camera Track, is when you use software to track
the position of the camera. The track will be based on the input settings
of the camera used to shoot the video, and the motion that is visible
within the actual video. This is then used to input new imagery into the
original footage. Learn to do this with our Integrating 3D Titles into
Footage in NUKEX course.

Cel
The term cel is actually short for celluloid. Its a transparent plastic sheet
upon which hand-drawn animations are created. The cel refers to a
single drawing in the sequence of the animation. Learn more about
drawing cels in Traditional Animation Techniques in Toon Boom
Harmony.
CINEWARE

CINEWARE is an effect inside After Effects that acts as a bridge between

CINEMA 4D and After Effects. It allows the compositing workflow to be
sped up by allowing the artist to render only once out of After Effects. It
can also be used to import and integrate assets between the two
software. CINEWARE is a completely different entity from CINEMA 4D
Lite. Learn the basics of CINEWARE with Getting Started with CINEWARE
in After Effects.
Collapse Transformations

Collapse Transformations is a switch in After Effects that applies to

composition layers. When its checked on it has the ability to allow
settings and properties within the composition layer to interact with the
elements in the main composition. This will allow things like 3D depth to
become visible, blending modes to blend with things outside of their
comp and smoothing vector layers nested within the comp. Learn more
about this switch in the article, One Switch to Rule Them All.
Composition
A composition is the basic building block of the video. A typical
composition will contain multiple layers of things like video, images and
audio. Think of a composition as a container for all the elements you
want to edit together. You can also string multiple compositions together
as well.
Compositing

Compositing is the process of combining two or more images to make

one single image. Sometimes there are layer-based setups and

sometimes there are node-based setups.
Continuously Rasterize

Vector graphics in After Effects will be treated as pixel graphics until the
continuously rasterize switch is checked. This switch will make vector
layers look clear, no matter how the layer has been scaled up or down, or
moved one way or the other in 3D space. This switch is also the same
switch as the Collapse Transformations switch. It will exercise different
functionality based on if its checked for a composition or a vector
footage layer. To learn more about this switch check out One Switch to
Rule them All.
Dependencies
Dependencies are the relationships which After Effects has with footage
sources outside of the program. There is a Dependencies button which
will allow you to perform different actions based on how much or little

footage you want to keep referenced in your project. It will also allow
you to collect all your files into one place for better organization.
Ease In, Ease Out & Easy Ease

This refers to one of the 12 animation principles which are mentioned

very often in the motion graphics world. Ease in refers to the gradual
acceleration, and ease out refers to the gradual deceleration of a
movement. Since nothing in the real world really gets up to full speed
instantly or slows down instantly the same idea can be applied to your
motion graphics animation. Easy Ease is an interpolation type that will
allow ease in and ease out of the same keyframe. The object will both
slow into the position defined by the keyframe and gradually ease out
gaining speed over time. Check out Demystifying Keyframe Interpolation
in After Effects for a comprehensive look into these keyframe types. To
learn more about the animation principles you will likely encounter as a
motion designer check out the 5 Animation Principles Every Motion
Designer Needs to Know.

Effects & Presets

The Effects & Presets section of After Effects is where youll find all sorts
of configurations of different properties you can effect for your footage.
If you want to change the color temperature of something, you can do
that with an effect. A preset is a few effects added together usually with
included keyframes that will cause a specific action to happen to your
footage. Check out this course for using assets and effects together.
Expressions

Expressions are a type of script that calculates a value for a single layer at
a specific point in time. Expressions are widely used in the motion
graphics world because expressions can be used to automate simple
animation tasks that would otherwise take much too long with traditional
keyframe animation. For instance, you could use an expression to make a
circle rotating at a set rate, for a set number of frames without having to
spend the time to hand animate the movement. You can also save an

expression as a preset so you can use them on different layers and

compositions. After Effects Expressions Made Easy is the perfect
introduction to working with this powerful tool.
Flow Chart

The flowchart exists for each project or composition, individual boxes

represent each composition, footage item, and layer. Directional arrows
show the relationships between the boxes. These are a great way to see
how your compositions are nested within each other.
Footage
After Effects footage refers to anything that has been imported to the
project panel that is not a composition.
Frames

Frames are the individual images that make up a moving sequence. When
these images are played back at a certain speed the movement is
created. The speed at which these images are displayed is determined by
the frame rate. The sequence can be something animated by hand,
created on the computer or even a live action shot.
Frame Rate
Frame rate is the rate at which frames are played back per second. The
smaller the amount of frames per second the choppier the animation will
look. Some common frame rates are 23.976 frames per second, 24 fps,
25fps, 29.97fps, and 30fps
Graph Editor or F Curves Editor
The Graph editor is a two dimensional representation of the interpolation
between keyframes. The points on the graph are represented by
keyframes and the curves or lines on the graph show either the speed or

change in value over time. Check out Mastering the Graph Editor in After
Effects for an in-depth look at using this great tool.
Green Screen
A green screen is used to shoot live action footage that a compositor will
later use as a tool to remove the green background from the live action
foreground. It makes the compositing process much easier because it
greatly reduces the need to rotoscope around moving objects that need a
transparent background. Keying Greenscreens in After Effects is the
perfect place to start learning how to use this compositing tool.
Interpolation
Interpolation is the process of calculating the values between two
keyframes. There are different methods of interpolation that will change
either the path an object will take to move from one keyed position to
the next, or it will effect the speed at which the object travels. Different
types of interpolation denote different types of real-world movement.
Check out the course Demystifying Keyframe Interpolation in After
Effects or the article Swift Moves and Slow Stops to learn more.
Interpret Footage
When a sequence is imported to a compositing or editing program its
nothing more than a series of frames. When its brought into the
software, its frame rate and alpha settings must be interpreted. There
will be default settings applied automatically but theyre not always the
intended settings.
Keyframes

Keyframes mark a specific point in time where a significant change

happens. In motion graphics this can be a keyframe that marks the start
and end of an effect or used to create animated movement, like text
flying into the composition or different graphical elements being
animated. Typically there will need to be two keyframes needed to create
movement. The first keyframe will mark the point in time where you
want the movement or effect to start, and a keyframe at the end which
marks the moment in time when the effect or movement should end.
Depending on the complexity of the effect or animation there can be just
two keyframes or hundreds used on a single layer.
Layers

Youre probably familiar with layers if youve ever used a program like
Photoshop or Illustrator. When youre creating motion graphics youll
most likely be working in After Effects, which handles layers basically the
same way. A single layer can hold anything from graphics, text, effects,
shapes, etc. Depending on the how the layers are stacked on one another
will determine how they appear in the composition. For example, if you
have a red background layer above a bicycle graphic layer then the
bicycle graphic would not be visible. In order to create complex motion
design you will often be working with numerous different layers to create
the finished project.
Layer Styles
Layer styles are effects that can be applied to images to create simple
changes like bevels, drop shadows, and glows.
Masking

Masking is the process of drawing a specific area that will cut away a part
of the image making it transparent.
Mograph & Motion Graphics or Motion Graphic
Motion Graphics are animated graphics or video footage designed to be
used for communication. Overtime they have evolved into not only being
communication devices but also simply an avenue to create short
animated works of art. Motion Graphics are usually shorter than an
animated movie and less character focused. However, as time goes on
the gray area between these two fields continues to broaden. Mograph is
sometimes a shorthand term for motion graphics, however, it is also a
tool set in CINEMA 4D that is used in the making of motion graphics.
Motion Blur

Motion blur is the blurring that happens to an image when it is moving so

quickly that the camera does not capture all of the information
happening between frames, therefore resulting in a streaking effect.

Motion blur can be a tool used to make quick animations more visually
appealing by making them appear less choppy and more realistic. Check
out our CG101: Compositing lesson to learn more.
Motion Graphics Artist vs. Motion Graphics Designer
A motion graphics artist and a motion graphics designer are both people
who create motion graphics. In practice theres not a very big difference
between an MGA and an MGD. You may find however that MGDs dislike
being referred to as MGAs. The reason for this is that the word design has
a more thoughtful and premeditated connotation than the word art.
Therefore some MGDs, especially formally trained ones, may be offended
when referred to as an artist rather than a designer.
Nested Composition
A nested composition is a composition that exists within another
composition. However its usually not referred to as a nested
composition until its at least 3 levels deep within the composition
structure. Check out our article, Wrap Your Brain Around Nested
Compositions in After Effects to learn more.
Null
A Null is an invisible object that doesnt show up in the final render. It
does however have all the same inherent properties and can be treated
as other layers are in a workflow. It can be used as a control or a
placeholder and is a very useful tool when creating a camera rig.
Onion Skinning

Onion skinning is a tool in 2D-traditional animation to create animated

drawings in a sequence. This tool will allow you to see multiple frames at
once which will make drawing the next pose easier to interpret. Learn
more about the whole process and how onion skinning is a vital player in
Traditional Animation Techniques in Toon Boom Harmony.
Pen Tool
The pen tool allows you to create points which have curves connecting
them to make a shape. The shape created can then be used to do many
different things like select certain areas, isolate areas or just draw a
shape to be used as an animated object.
Parallax
Parallax is the phenomenon which occurs when viewing a scene that has
images close to the viewer and far from the viewer. Parallax will cause
the images that are closer to the view to move more quickly than those

that are far away. Even the most simple parallax is one of the first steps
to creating depth in an animated scene.
Parenting
Parenting is the action of linking one layer to another. Whichever layer is
parented will become the child and copy the movements of the
parent.
Paths

A path consists of segments and vertices. The segments refer to the

linear curve, and the vertices refer to the individual points the curves
connect to. These paths can be used to create different shapes, and can
be animated. For instance, you can use an animated path to make the
curve appear as if its being drawn directly onto the video.
Path of action

The path of action of an object is the path which an object travels along
to get from one keyframed space to another.
Playhead or Current Time Indicator
The Playhead of Current Time Indicator is a line which represents which
point in time on the timeline one is currently viewing. You can scrub the
playhead to quickly see the animation without having to render or
preview the scene.
Precomposing
Precomposing is the process of combining multiple layers to be placed
into a new composition.
Puppet Tool
The puppet tool is used to create animations by a series of pins and
keyframes. Its a simple way to create an easy rig for a 2D image.
Real-Time Preview

A real-time preview allows you to play back the entire composition,

including all the effects directly in the program without having to render
out the sequence. In After Effects this is called a RAM preview. While its
definitely faster than rendering, depending on the length of the video,
and the quality of the real-time preview it can take anywhere from a few
seconds, to a few minutes.
Rendering
Rendering is the process of getting an image out of the original software
it was created in, so that the frames are processed and can be either
edited or played back at any time. Check out the Quick Start to After
Effects Volume 5 for more rendering information.
Rotoscoping

Rotoscoping is the process of drawing over the frames of an image to

follow along with a moving image. Its used in VFX to cut images away
from their background to create a transparent background that can be
filled in with the new composite.
Sequence
A sequence is a series of images called frames that flow together to
create an animation. When looking at a sequence it appears to be a long
list of files, but when brought into an editing software and properly
interpreted it will play back like video footage.
Sprite
A sprite is frames of an animation all captured into one consolidated
container. The sprite can then be used and reused in various areas of a
whole composition.
Timecode

The timecode is a type of display in After Effects showing the exact time
in a composition in hours, minutes, seconds and frames. For example, the
timecode in the screenshot above that says 0:00:26:13 is 0 hours, 00
minutes, 26 seconds, and 13 frames. This is great for being able to see
the exact moment an effect occurs or where exactly a layers effect ends.
Timeline or Dope Sheet

The timeline is an interactive interface found in a program like After

Effects that displays all of the important information like the frames in
the sequence, the layers within the composition, as well as audio and
video information, and where the layers can be trimmed, and effects can
be added. This is also the area where you will create and edit the
keyframes for an effect or animation on a specific layer. The dope sheet is
now another name for the timeline (in other programs besides After
Effects) but it was originally a way for animators to view where their
animations were located in time before computers were used to manage
this information.
Trim

Trimming refers to the process of cutting out segments of a layer by

removing frames from the beginning or end. This is a process which is
used very often when a layers effect or animation is no longer important.
For example, a layer may be needed for a few seconds of the sequence,
but after those few seconds it doesnt serve a purpose. So instead of
having the layer be calculated the entire time, you can trim the frames
back to the point where the layers effect ends.
Title/Action Safe
The title/action safe area can be most easily visualized by gridlines
demarcating areas of a screen. They show that on certain types of
televisions some areas may be cut off so to make sure that the text and
graphics show up the readable parts need to be inside of the Title Safe
Area. The Action Safe area is a larger area which acts as more of a margin
for the television. Picture elements should be kept within this area.
Motion Tracking

Motion tracking is the process of recording the position, rotation, and/or

scale data of a moving object in video. By tracking the motion of an
object, new objects or effects can be added to the composite. Motion
tracking can also be used to create a stabilization in footage that is shaky.
Tween
In Flash, the area between the two keyframes where the data is being
interpolated is called a tween. Its derived from the word between.
Typography
Typography is the technique for arranging type. Sometimes typography is
well done and easy to read which is the goal, but sometimes
typographers explore less perfect forms of arranging to communicate
other ideas with the type.
Vector vs. Raster Graphics

Vector Graphics
A vector graphic is the most common graphic type found in motion
graphics and typically come from Illustrator. A vector graphic is based on
paths or stokes which lead to different control points which make up the
graphic. Each one of these points has a definitive position on the work
plane. Vector graphics are popular because you can scale it up or down
and it never loses quality.

Raster Graphics
Pixel-based raster graphics will typically come from a program like
Photoshop. These graphics are made up of individual colored squares
(pixels) which are all assigned a specific location and color value. The

amount of pixels that make up a graphic is determined by the resolution.

So this means if a bitmap graphic is scaled up or down it can lose quality.
With motion graphics vector based images are typically used more often,
but there are still times when a bitmap graphic is very useful.
Work Area
The work area is the bar in the timeline area that allows one to focus on
different parts of their video. This may be for rendering or previewing a
specific part of the video or just wanting to focus on a particular area for
editing without the distractions of other elements at other points on the
timeline.
Thats a Wrap
Now that you have a basic understanding of the terminology youll likely
come into contact with, you should have more confidence as you start
creating your own motion graphics work. To learn more about motion
design check out the After Effects motion graphics tutorials.

Motion Graphics
Terminology You Need to
Know | Beginners and
More
Mark Masters
April 1, 2014 4:55 am
If youre new to the world of motion graphics one of the best ways to get
up and running is to become familiar with some of the different terms
youll likely encounter on your journey to becoming a great motion
designer. This article will teach you some of the most []
If youre new to the world of motion graphics one of the best ways to get
up and running is to become familiar with some of the different terms
youll likely encounter on your journey to becoming a great motion
designer. This article will teach you some of the most common motion
graphics terminology so you can have a better understanding of each one
and what they mean.

Vector Graphics
A vector graphic is the most common graphic type found in motion
graphics and typically come from Illustrator. A vector graphic is based on
paths or stokes which lead to different control points which make up the
graphic. Each one of these points has a definitive position on the work
plane.
Vector graphics are popular because you can scale it up or down and it
never loses quality.

Raster Graphics
Pixel-based raster graphics will typically come from a program like
Photoshop. These graphics are made up of individual colored squares

(pixels) which are all assigned a specific location and color value. The
amount of pixels that make up a graphic is determined by the resolution.
So this means if a bitmap graphic is scaled up or down it can lose quality.
With motion graphics vector based images are typically used more often,
but there are still times when a bitmap graphic is very useful.
Frames

Frames are the individual images that make up a moving sequence. When
these images are played back at a certain speed the movement is
created. The speed at which these images are displayed is determined by
the frame rate. The most common frame rate is 24 frames-per-second,
meaning 24 individual images are displayed over one second. However,
depending on the output the frames-per-second may vary.
Trim

Trimming refers to the process of cutting out segments of a layer by

removing frames from the beginning or end. This is a process which is
used very often when a layers effect or animation is no longer important.
For example, a layer may be needed for a few seconds of the sequence,
but after those few seconds it doesnt serve a purpose. So instead of
having the layer be calculated the entire time, you can trim the frames
back to the point where the layers effect ends.
Real-Time Preview

A real-time preview allows you to play back the entire composition,

including all the effects directly in the program without having to render
out the sequence. In After Effects this is called a RAM preview. While its
definitely faster than rendering, depending on the length of the video,
and the quality of the real-time preview it can take anywhere from a few
seconds, to a few minutes.
Timecode

The timecode is a type of display in After Effects showing the exact time
in a composition in hours, minutes, seconds and frames. For example, the
timecode in the screenshot above that says 0:00:26:13 is 0 hours, 00
minutes, 26 seconds, and 13 frames. This is great for being able to see
the exact moment an effect occurs or where exactly a layers effect ends.
Layers

Youre probably familiar with layers if youve ever used a program like
Photoshop or Illustrator. When youre creating motion graphics you will
most likely be working in After Effects, and After Effects handles layers
basically the same way. A single layer can hold anything from graphics,
text, effects, shapes, etc. Depending on the how the layers are stacked on
one another will determine how they appear in the composition.
For example, if you have a red background layer above a bicycle graphic
layer then the bicycle graphic would not be visible. In order to create
complex motion design you will often be working with numerous
different layers to create the finished project.
Adjustment Layers

An adjustment layer is a type of layer that is used to apply effects to

multiple layers at once. Whenever you apply an effect to a layer the
effect applies only to that particular layer. With an adjustment layer the
effect created on the adjustment layer can exist independently of the
other layers.
So for instance, if you create an adjustment layer, the effect applied to
the layer will affect any of the other layers below it. If the adjustment
layer is at the bottom of the layer stack then it will have no effect on the
composition.
3D Layers

When creating motion graphics in a program like After Effects the basic
graphics you manipulate are flat two-dimensional layers. With a 3D layer
the layer itself remains flat, but it gains additional properties like
position, anchor point, scale, and rotation. Any layer can be a 3D layer,
creating the illusion something is 3D when its actually 2D.
Keyframes

Keyframes mark a specific point in time where a significant change

happens. In motion graphics this can be a keyframe that marks the start
and end of an effect or used to create animated movement, like text
flying into the composition or different graphical elements being
animated.
Typically there will need to be two keyframes needed to create
movement. The first keyframe will mark the point in time where you
want the movement or effect to start, and a keyframe at the end which
marks the moment in time when the effect or movement should end.
Depending on the complexity of the effect or animation there can be just
two keyframes or hundreds used on a single layer.
Timeline

The timeline is an interactive interface found in a program like After

Effects that displays all the important information like the frames in the
sequence, the layers within the composition, as well as audio and video
information, and where the layers can be trimmed, and effects can be
added. This is also the area where you will create and edit the keyframes
for an effect or animation on a specific layer.
Expressions

Expressions are a type of script that calculates a value for a single layer at
a specific point in time. Expressions are widely used in the motion
graphics world because expressions can be used to automate simple
animation tasks that would otherwise take much too long with traditional
keyframe animation.
For instance, you could use an expression to make a circle rotating at a
set rate, for a set number of frames without having to spend the time to
hand animate the movement. You can also save an expression as a preset
so you can use them on different layers and compositions.
Ease In and Ease Out

This refers to one of the 12 animation principles which are mentioned

very often in the motion graphics world. Ease in refers to the gradual
acceleration, and ease out refers to the gradual deceleration of a
movement. Since nothing in the real world really gets up to full speed
instantly or slows down instantly the same idea can be applied to your
motion graphics animation. In After Effects this can be quickly achieved
with an Easy Ease keyframe.
To learn more about the animation principles you will likely encounter as
a motion designer check out the 5 Animation Principles Every Motion
Designer Needs to Know.
Paths

A path consists of segments and vertices. The segments refer to the

linear curve, and the vertices refer to the individual points the curves
connect to. These paths can be used to create different shapes, and can
be animated. For instance, you can use an animated path to make the
curve appear as if its being drawn directly onto the video.
Now that you have a basic understanding of the key terms you will likely
come into contact with you will have more confidence as you start
creating your own motion graphics work. To learn more about motion
design check out the After Effects motion graphics tutorials.