Handles on Shape Object Path Points Breaking When Animated

[Rebecca_IDW]

Hi there - 

I am creating an animation in which some lines curve and move around.  The lines are strokes on shape layers with no fills, and I am creating the animation by keyframing the position of the points and the handles on the points.  

The issue is that the handles along the paths should be joined.  They are joined at all the keyframes.  However, in between the keyframes, at random spots, they break and make hard angles. 

Mp4 attached showing the problem.

Does anyone have any advice on how to fix this?

Thanks!

[Rick Gerard]

Cropped screenshots and movies of the comp do not tell us anything at all about your project. Paths move in straight lines, so do bezier handles. If you want to keep the curve radius fairly constant then you need to use the Create Nulls from Paths/Points Follow Nulls script and animate the position of the nulls. The other option is to use Rotobezier paths. They are a little more forgiving. 

If you need further assistance we need an embedded screenshot (use the tool bar) showing us the paths you are animating with the handles showing at either end of a move and in the middle. That's 3 screenshots. Without that we can only guess how you manipulated the mask paths. 

[Roland Kahlenberg]

Your points look like they're moving while taking the shortest path which is what I would assume most basic path animation algorithms would do. You'llhave to insert more intermediate KFs OR use the Create Null from Path script and then animate the resulting Nulls. You will want to have nice/long Bezier Handles for your points before applying the script. HTH