Photoshop animation tweening problem

[texanskater]

I have a project due for class and I have to make a digital animation over an actual video. To do this, I decided to just make the animation in photoshop with a transparent background so that I could then overlay the two videos on top of one another. However, after I put all my key frames down, I tried to use the tween tool and ran into the problem of the tool not working unless I check opacity as part of what is being changed between frames.
This is what I mean by having to use opacity if I explained it weird:

So with the opacity checked, I get the tween that I want to blend the frames, but it fades my robot character thing to transition. That's what I don't want.


But if I uncheck opacity, then there is no blending or use of the tween. It just inserts 5 duplicate frames of the first frame I wanted to tween between.

After looking around, I think this is happening because my background is transparent, but I need that transparency to put my animation over the live action video I recorded. Is there any way to fix this? The frames I am trying to blend are frames 2 and 8 in the pictures, by the way. Thank you for any help that can be given!

 

[MrToM]

You could try ditching making a gif animation altogether and make another 'Video' layer of your 'robot'.

Doing this should then allow you to key frame its opacity as with any other real 'Video' layer.

I'm a little busy to test this right now but from what I remember this should work....you cannot animate the 'Layer' opacity direct but I think you can with a 'Video' layer and key frames.

Regards.
MrToM.

 

[IamSam]

MrT......you beat me this time! That's what I would have suggested.

 

[MrToM]

Sorry mate...

I may have read it wrong though......could be the 'Dispose' option that's causing the problem...

...in which case select ALL the frames of the gif and right click one....choose 'Automatic'..if it isn't already...that should remove the overlaying of the frames.



Regards.
MrToM.

 

[texanskater]

Thank you for answering! All my frames are on automatic though. The problem is after I use the tweening, the frames that are created to make the motion smoother acts as if I am changing the opacity between key frames. Like in my first picture of the timeline, what I have would be great except for the slight fade of the character. Thank you again!

 

[MrToM]

Right....I think I see what you are trying to do but I'm confused a little as to where the opacity is coming from?

Do you just want the 'robot' to move up and down without changing its opacity whatsoever?

Or is it fading as it moves up and then back again when it moves down?

The only way you would get opacity from a 'tween' is if one of the frames chosen already has 'some' opacity'....otherwise you should just get 'solid' frames that just change their location.

Can you post a screenshot of your 'Layers' panel....seeing 'how' you made this would help.

And / Or...upload the PSD file of the 'robot' with CLEAR instructions on what you want it to do regards animation and we can have a play with it.

Regards.
MrToM.


EDIT:
AH........I see whats happening now.....give me a min to have to play...BBS.

 

[MrToM]

Right....

I don't think you'll be able to use 'tween' as it always introduces opacity into the frames.....so.....

01. Duplicate your 'robot' layer for as many 'frames' as you need.
02. Turn all of them OFF except the bottom one....(the original).
03. Open the 'Timeline' if it isn't already.
04. Duplicate the only frame you should have the same number of times as 'Layers' that you have....so 1 layer, 1 frame.
05. Select the first FRAME and just make sure that the only layer visible is the bottom one...the original.
06. Select the next FRAME and turn OFF the bottom layer and turn ON the layer above it.
07. With the 'Move' tool selected 'nudge' the layer as if making an animation in the usual 'stop frame' manner.
08. Select the next FRAME.....turn OFF the visible layer, turn ON the next one up, and nudge.
09. Rinse, Spin and repeat the above for all the frames....making sure that for each frame only ONE layer is visible and that its in the right place.

If you feel confident about doing that you can halve your workload by just doing half the layers and duplicating them....but you'll still have select each frame in turn and make the associated layer visble whilst keeping all the others turned off.

Long way round but in this case 'tween' is not going to help much.....but its only a short animation anyway so it shouldn't take long.

Hopefully that's what you wanted.

Regards.
MrToM.

 

[texanskater]

That sounds like what I need! I was hoping there was some way to avoid the longer way, but I guess that's how I'll have to do it Thank you so much for your help!

 

[MrToM]

No worries.

Tweening has its uses but as you said before with the transparent background its just not the way to go.

Let us know how it goes.

Regards.
MrToM.