# Key framing workflows

**WIP document.**

In practice, all the below styles are mixed and matched. Sometimes by being used at different stages of animation, and sometimes within the same stages together. So these don't necessarily represent different animator preferences (although that can also be true), but rather is a toolkit of workflows.

## Whole Pose Workflows

In this style of workflow, the animator conceptually works in whole poses. The set of things keyed are the same on all poses. Individual controls are never keyed outside of a whole pose. Retiming is done by dragging whole poses on the timeline.

This style of workflow is often used in the blocking phase of animation. But some animators use it for nearly the entire animation process.

Example 1:

* Animator keys all relevant controls and properties on the first pose.
* Animator duplicates that pose on the timeline and then adjusted to create new poses. This ensures that all the same keys are keyed on every pose.
* Auto-key + "Only Insert Available" is used to adjust poses, to ensure that unintended controls/properties don't get keyed.

Example 2:

* Animator specifies ahead of time what controls and properties they want to be involved in keying, via e.g. creating a selection set or keying set.
* New poses are created by explicitly inserting keys via that set.
* Auto-key + "Only Insert Available" is used to adjust poses, to ensure that unintended controls/properties don't get keyed.

Example 3:

* Animator specifies ahead of time what controls and properties they want to be involved in keying by binding them to a specific animation layer. That layer is configured to enforce that all bound properties get keyed together.
* Animator works both with auto-key and explicit keying as desired, with poses being created/adjusted as they go.

Example 4:

* Same layer setup as example 3.
* The animator creates new poses only via explicit insertion.
* Auto-keying is used only to adjust new poses. Manipulating controls on frames without a pose is disallowed (with appropriate feedback), to prevent accidentally creating unintended new poses.

## Key Pose Workflows

This style is essentially the same as the whole pose workflow style, except that individual controls are also keyed outside of whole poses. The animator still keeps track of and works with key poses, keying all controls relevant to the animation on those poses, but also adds individual keys to specify the animation between those key poses.

This style of workflow is often used after the initial blocking phase, to flesh out a more detailed block, and into final polish. But some animators also use it even during initial blocking.

## Layered Workflows

(**Note:** layered workflow ≠ animation layers)

In this style of workflow, the animation is built up on different parts of the rig at a time. For example, when building a walk cycle the animator might start by animating the motion of the hips first, then come back and fill in the other parts.

This style is often used for certain kinds of physical animation. It is also often used to first focus on body animation, and then later fill in facial animation and lip sync.

## Anarchy Workflows

In this style of workflow, keys are unstructured and uncoordinated among each other, with keys being set on anything at any time.

This workflow is often used during the finishing/polishing stage. But some animators use it for a substantial part of their overall workflow.

# Control Over What Gets Keyed

Different animators have different preferences for how to control what does and doesn't get keyed in their animations. Those preferences can also vary depending on the stage of animation or type of animation.

One approach is to explicitly specify the set of controls and properties that you're working with for the animation. For example, via keying sets or selection sets. This can be for various purposes: to ensure that all specified controls/properties get keyed, to ensure that *nothing other than* those specified controls/properties get keyed, or both. This can be especially useful for the Whole Pose and Key Pose style of workflows, because it can free the animator from having to remember and juggle what does/doesn't get keyed while animating.

Another approach is to just key things as you go, and whatever gets keyed gets keyed. This is a necessity for Anarchy workflows, but can also be an aspect of Key Pose and Layered workflows.