How To Time Remap In After Effects - The COMPLETE Guide!

Time remapping is a popular technique used in video editing to create time-lapse videos, slow-motion effects, and other effects that manipulate time. In this guide, we will walk you through the basics of time remapping in After Effects and provide you with the necessary steps to get started.

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Time Remapping - What Is It & What Can It Be Used For?

With time remapping, you can stretch or compress the timeline of a clip, create slow motion or fast motion effects, and even create loops. You can control time remapping using keyframes, expressions, or the graph editor. Time remapping is useful for a wide range of applications, such as adjusting the pacing of a video, matching the speed of one clip to another, or creating special effects. By understanding how to use time remapping, you can add a new level of creativity and control to your After Effects projects.

Here are the 4 different options that come with the time remapping function:

Time Remapping

Instead of having a consistent time effect throughout your clip, time remapping enables you to slow down and speed up your footage as desired.

One of the most popular uses of time remapping is creating speed ramps. Speed ramps are used in action videos where the clips speed increases and decreases along with the beat of the music.

Freeze Frame

At its core, a Freeze Frame is simply a still image taken from a video clip. It can be created by either pausing a video at the desired frame or by using software to extract a frame from the clip. Once you have the image, you can then use it as a standalone visual element, either by extending the frame for a specific duration or by integrating it with other clips.

Time Reverse Layer

The Time Reverse Layer effect, as the name suggests, plays your clip in reverse. This effect can be used on individual clips or as a part of a clip to create a rewind effect. This technique is widely used in sports videos, where it can be used to emphasize a particularly impressive moment, or in comedy videos, where it can be used for comedic effect.

Time Stretch

Time Stretch allows you to adjust the length and speed of your video clips. Unlike other methods, Time Stretch uses figures and percentages to make precise adjustments, which can save you valuable time and effort.

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Adobe After Effects Time Remapping Tutorial

Video Summary:

How To Access Time Remapping In After Effects

How to open time remap in after effects? Simply right click on the layer that you wish to apply the time remapping tool to, then go to time > enable time remapping. The two start and finish keyframes will now appear along your layer.

Creating Slow Motion Effects Using Time Remapping

To slow down a clip with time remapping. Drag either the start or finish keyframe away from each other. You can also edit the timestamp of each keyframe to a lower duration to slow down the clip.

Using Time Remapping To Speed Up Footage

Speed up your footage with time remapping by bringing the start and finish keyframes closer together.

Stretching And Compressing Time With Time Remapping

To stretch the timeline of the layer, drag the starting keyframe to the right. This will cause the duration of the layer to increase, and the speed of the layer will slow down. To compress the timeline of the layer, drag the finishing keyframe to the left. This will cause the duration of the layer to decrease, and the speed of the layer will increase. You can also stretch or compress the timeline of the layer by right-clicking on the Time Remapping property and selecting "Edit Value" to access the Graph Editor. In the Graph Editor, you can use the handles on the speed graph to precisely adjust the speed of the layer over time.

Linking Time Remapping To Expressions And Layer Properties

Linking time remapping to expressions and layer properties in After Effects allows you to create dynamic and interactive animations. By linking time remapping to a layer property, such as position or scale, you can create animations that speed up or slow down based on the value of that property. By linking time remapping to an expression, you can use code to control the speed of the layer based on any number of factors, such as the current time or the value of another layer property. This can open up a wide range of creative possibilities and allow you to create complex animations with ease. To link time remapping to a layer property or expression, hold down the Alt key and click and drag the Time Remapping property onto the desired property or expression.

Creating Loops With Time Remapping

Place a keyframe with the starting timecode of the clip exactly one frame after the final keyframe of the clip to create a loop.

Using Time Remapping To Freeze Frames

Freeze frames can be created easily in After Effects by setting a time remapping keyframe to 'Hold'. Another way to do this by through time remapping is by creating two time keyframes with the same timecode, and placing them apart from each other for the duration that you would like the freeze frame to last for.

You can also just use CTRL + Shift + D to cut a layer, then select the layer before right clicking and selecting Time > Freeze Frame.

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Time Remap After Effects Shortcut

Enable time remapping on any layer by pressing CTRL + T on Windows or Command  + T on Mac.

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Tips for Time Remapping in After Effects

Easy Ease Your Keyframes

When making a 'velocity edit' or using time remapping to create any sort of transition that involves the increase and decrease of speed, edit your graph editor so that the cut between the two clips has the highest velocity. This will make the seam less noticeable, resulting in a cleaner transition.

Experiment with Different Frame Rates

Time remapping in a high frame rate (60fps - 120+ fps) results in smooth, seamless transitions and speed ramps. Once you add a little bit of motion blur, the effect is almost indistinguishable from a real-life hand-held camera.

Time remapping at lower framerates (below 24fps) will give your footage a vintage vibe, and with the right motion blur settings, can m help to enhance your video aesthetic.

We recommend trying the time remapping tool at different frame rates get a better understanding on how the effect looks for different types of videos.

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After Effects Time Remap Not Working

If the option to add time remapping to your layer is grayed out, this may be due to complex animations on the layer. to fix this, simply pre-compose the layer and move all attributes to the precomp, then try to add time remapping again in the main comp.

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Final Thought On After Effect's Time Remapping Feature

Considering it's versatility, compatibility and usage with most types of video, time remapping is a feature that you'll need to learn to use sooner or later. Once you've learned the basics of Time Remapping from this guide, you can even try different techniques to achieve your own desired look. Another thing we should mention is that time remapping works even better when combined with other effects, so let your creativity run free and discover something new!