ALL TWEENABLE EFFECTS

Understanding Effects in WATCHOUT 7

WATCHOUT 7's effect system provides tools to transform and animate your media. Using the tween editor, you can create sophisticated effects that bring your presentations to life with professional-quality animations, transitions, and visual enhancements.

Getting Started with Effects

Accessing Effects

  1. Select a cue in the timeline editor
  2. Open the tween editor at the bottom of the timeline window
  3. Add keyframes by clicking in the tween editor

Basic Animation Workflow

  1. Choose a property to animate (Position, Scale, Opacity, etc.)
  2. Set keyframes at different points in time
  3. Adjust property values at each keyframe
  4. Choose interpolation method (Linear, Ease In/Out, Bezier)
  5. Preview the animation using the timeline playback controls

Position and Transformation Effects

Position Effects

Usage: Create entrance/exit animations, motion paths, or dynamic layouts

  • Create flying elements by animating objects across the screen
  • Simulate camera movements by moving background content
  • Create parallax effects by moving layers at different speeds
  • Build reveal animations by combining with other effects

Scale Effects

Usage: Emphasize content, create dynamic sizing, or simulate 3D perspective

  • Draw attention to content by growing it at key moments
  • Create pulse effects with repeated scale animations
  • Simulate approaching/receding objects with coordinated scale changes
  • Create "Ken Burns" effects on still images by combining with position tweens

Rotation Effects

Usage: Create spinning elements, dynamic transitions, or orientation changes

  • Build spinning text intros by animating Z-rotation
  • Create page-turn effects with Y-axis rotation
  • Design 3D-like transitions by combining X and Y rotations
  • Add subtle movement to static elements with gentle rotation animation

Corners Effects

Usage: Create perspective distortions, surface mapping, or custom shapes

  • Map content precisely onto perspective surfaces
  • Create page-curl effects by manipulating individual corners
  • Design dynamic transitions by animating corner positions
  • Simulate 3D space without full 3D transformation

Visual Effects

Opacity Effects

Usage: Create fades, transparency effects, or layered compositing

  • Design fade in/out transitions at the beginning/end of content
  • Create ghost-like overlays with partial transparency
  • Build cross-dissolves between different media elements
  • Add subtle visual hierarchy through varied opacity levels

Blur Effects

Usage: Create focus effects, stylistic blurs, or dreamy transitions

  • Draw attention by blurring background elements
  • Create depth-of-field effects by selectively blurring content
  • Design dream sequences or flashbacks with animated blur
  • Build focus transitions by animating blur levels

Crop Effects

Usage: Create reveal effects, masking, or dynamic framing

  • Design wipe transitions by animating crop edges
  • Create split-screen effects with precisely cropped content
  • Build peekaboo animations that gradually reveal content
  • Design picture-in-picture effects with cropped content

Color Effects

Brightness Effects

Usage: Create lighting changes, highlights, or mood transitions

  • Simulate day-to-night transitions with brightness animation
  • Create flash effects with quick brightness pulses
  • Design spotlight effects by combining with other properties
  • Enhance the visual hierarchy by highlighting important elements

Contrast Effects

Usage: Enhance visibility, create mood, or stylistic effects

  • Improve readability of text against changing backgrounds
  • Create dramatic moments with increased contrast
  • Design flashback sequences with period-appropriate contrast
  • Build mood transitions through subtle contrast changes

Gamma Effects

Usage: Adjust midtone brightness while preserving highlights and shadows

  • Fine-tune the appearance of footage with exposure challenges
  • Create smooth transitions between lighting conditions
  • Correct underexposed or overexposed content
  • Design stylistic effects that maintain detail in highlights and shadows

Hue Effects

Usage: Create color shifts, mood changes, or psychedelic effects

  • Design color cycling effects for dynamic backgrounds
  • Create mood transitions through subtle hue shifts
  • Build stylized looks by shifting specific color ranges
  • Create "through the decades" effects with period-appropriate color grading

Saturation Effects

Usage: Control color intensity for mood or emphasis

  • Design transitions from color to black and white
  • Create emphasis by saturating important elements
  • Build nostalgic looks with reduced saturation
  • Design psychedelic effects with hyper-saturation

Invert Effects

Usage: Create negative image effects or dramatic transitions

  • Design X-ray-like visual effects with full inversion
  • Create dramatic transitions with animated invert values
  • Build horror or thriller effects with momentary inversions
  • Design artistic effects with selective inversion

Channel-Specific Color Effects

RGB Offset Effects

Usage: Fine-tune color balance or create color cast effects

  • Correct color temperature issues in footage
  • Create day-for-night effects by adjusting RGB balance
  • Design period-appropriate color looks (sepia, technicolor, etc.)
  • Build mood-enhancing color grading

RGB Gain Effects

Usage: Control color channel intensity for dramatic color effects

  • Create high-contrast stylized looks
  • Design color temperature shifts for time-of-day changes
  • Build dramatic mood lighting effects
  • Create unique artistic color grading

Audio Effects

Volume Effects

Usage: Create fades, dynamic volume changes, or emphasis

  • Design smooth audio fades at content boundaries
  • Create ducking effects when voice-over begins
  • Build tension with gradual volume increases
  • Design environmental transitions with coordinated audio changes

Creative Applications

Entrance and Exit Effects

Combine Position, Scale, Opacity, and Rotation to create:

  • Flying entrances from off-screen
  • Dramatic scale-up reveals from center
  • Spinning introductions with fade-in
  • Graceful exits that maintain viewer attention

Transitions Between Content

Coordinate multiple effects to create:

  • Smooth cross-dissolves between scenes
  • Dynamic wipe transitions with animated crop edges
  • Page-turn effects using rotation and corner manipulation
  • Push/pull transitions with coordinated position animation

Emphasis Effects

Use timed effects to draw attention:

  • Momentary brightness/contrast increases
  • Gentle scale pulsing of important elements
  • Brief saturation boosts for key information
  • Focus effects with selective blurring of surrounding elements

Environmental and Mood Changes

Animate multiple properties to transition between environments:

  • Day-to-night transitions with coordinated brightness, contrast, and hue
  • Weather changes using brightness, contrast, and blur
  • Time period shifts with appropriate color grading
  • Mood transitions through subtle color and brightness adjustments

Advanced Techniques

Multi-Property Animation

Animate multiple properties simultaneously for sophisticated effects:

  • Coordinate scale, position, and rotation for complex 3D-like movement
  • Combine color effects for comprehensive atmosphere changes
  • Link opacity with blur for ethereal transition effects

Curve Editing

Shape the pace and feel of animations:

  • Use ease-in/out curves for natural movement
  • Apply linear curves for mechanical or technical effects
  • Create custom bezier curves for precise motion control

By mastering WATCHOUT 7's effect system, you can create professional-quality animations that enhance your presentations and create memorable visual experiences for your audience.