Synchronize multiple characters so they all do the same movements

Forum|Forum|2 years ago
January 17, 2024
2 replies
2284 views

Hey!

I am doing a simple 2D animation in Animate and, in this particular video I have what amounts to backup dancers. I'd like to synchronize their movements and am wondering if there is a simple way to do this. I have animated one character, and then copied the character (all the layers that make up the character) to create a clone.

Now the clone is directly on top of the original. I tried moving clone to one side, but this only affects the frame I'm on, so once the frame passes to the next keyframe, the clone returns to its first position, beneath the original.

I tried selecting the entire timeline, and moving the clone to the side, but that didn't work either. Anyone have a good way to do this? Thanks!

This topic has been closed for replies.

Vladin M. Mitov

Inspiring

You need to turn on Edit Multiple Frames and then select the entire layers of the cloned animation
in order to move it to another position on the stage.

- Vlad: UX and graphic design, Flash user since 1998Member of Flanimate Power Tools team - extensions for character animation

kglad

Braniac

drag layers to change the layer's depth on stage.

if you use graphic symbols, not movieclips you don't need to copy and paste layers from your symbols to the main timeline.

M

Matthew3458065379f7Author

Participating Frequently

Thanks! Not sure I understand though. Each body part is a separate symbol. So, I selected all the body parts (they are in a folder) and copied them. Then I selected the clone and dragged it away from the original, but that only moves the clone for the key frame selected, not the entire timeline. Thanks again.

M

Matthew3458065379f7Author

Participating Frequently

The proper way of doing this is to put your dance animation (all the layers which define one character) inside a graphic symbol (container) and have as many instances of your character on stage as you need.

If there are differences in design you can create duplicates, but still all animation should be done inside those containers, which you can easily reposition, rescale and tint, or even offset with one-two frames to achieve a more organic-looking final result.

https://flash-powertools.com/keeping-cycles-flexible-for-easy-re-timing-by-using-service-frame-and-working-two-levels-deep/

Worked like a charm you are the best! Thank you!

Would you recommend turning the original dancer into a symbol after I animate it the whole way through, or does my order of operations not matter?

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