After Effects for Absolute Beginners: Smooth Motion with Easing and the Graph Editor

Why Easing Matters (and What “Robotic” Motion Really Is)

When an object moves with the same speed from start to finish, it feels mechanical. Real-world motion usually has acceleration (it speeds up) and deceleration (it slows down). In After Effects, easing is how you shape that acceleration and deceleration so motion feels intentional and smooth.

Think of easing as answering two questions:

• How quickly do we leave the starting pose? (ease out of the start)
• How gently do we arrive at the end pose? (ease into the end)

Most beginner animations feel “robotic” because they start and stop instantly. Easing fixes that by adding a ramp up and ramp down in speed.

Easy Ease vs. Ease In vs. Ease Out

Easy Ease (the safe default)

Easy Ease applies easing on both sides of a keyframe: it slows into the keyframe and slows out of it. It’s a great first step for making motion feel less linear.

• Shortcut: select keyframes and press F9
• Menu: Animation > Keyframe Assistant > Easy Ease

Ease Out (fast start, gentle departure)

Ease Out affects the motion leaving a keyframe. Use it when you want the object to start moving quickly after a pose, then settle later.

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• Menu: Animation > Keyframe Assistant > Easy Ease Out

Ease In (gentle arrival)

Ease In affects the motion arriving at a keyframe. Use it when you want the object to glide into its final position rather than slam into it.

• Menu: Animation > Keyframe Assistant > Easy Ease In

Quick decision guide

Adjusting Influence (How Strong the Easing Feels)

Applying easing is step one. Step two is controlling how much easing you get. In After Effects, this is commonly adjusted through Keyframe Velocity (influence) or by shaping curves in the Graph Editor.

Keyframe Velocity: the beginner-friendly control panel

To adjust influence numerically:

1. Select the keyframe(s) you want to refine.
2. Right-click a selected keyframe and choose Keyframe Velocity…
3. In the dialog, focus on Influence (Incoming and Outgoing).

What influence does: higher influence generally means a more pronounced ease (more time spent accelerating/decelerating), while lower influence feels closer to linear.

Practical starting points (not rules):

• Subtle UI/logo move: 33%–60% influence on both ends
• More “designed” glide: 60%–85% influence (use carefully; too high can feel floaty)

If your motion feels like it “hangs” too long at the start or end, reduce influence. If it feels too abrupt, increase influence.

The Graph Editor Without the Overwhelm

The Graph Editor is where you see easing. You do not need to master every handle and curve to get professional results. You only need two ideas:

• Value Graph: shows the property’s value over time (where it is).
• Speed Graph: shows how fast the value changes over time (how quickly it moves).

Speed Graph: easiest for “feels smooth” motion

For position moves, the Speed Graph is often the most intuitive because it directly shows acceleration and deceleration.

Common speed shapes you should recognize:

• Linear move: a flat line (constant speed) → tends to feel robotic.
• Easy Ease move: a rounded “hill” (speed rises, peaks, then falls) → natural start/stop.
• Too floaty: a very wide, low hill → takes too long to get going and too long to settle.
• Too snappy: a tall, narrow spike → abrupt acceleration/deceleration.

Beginner goal: aim for a single smooth hill for a simple move (no bumps, no extra peaks).

Value Graph: helpful for overshoot and “weird bumps”

The Value Graph is useful when you suspect the path is doing something unexpected (like drifting or overshooting). For a simple A-to-B move on one axis, you want a clean curve from start value to end value.

Beginner warning sign: if the value curve goes past the final value and comes back, that’s an overshoot. Overshoot can be a style choice, but in this chapter you’ll polish the move to be overshoot-free.

Switching graph types

In the Graph Editor, use the graph type menu (often labeled Choose Graph Type and Options) to switch between Edit Speed Graph and Edit Value Graph. If you’re unsure, start with Speed Graph for timing feel, then check Value Graph if something looks off.

Practice: Polish Your Logo Move (Smooth, Readable, No Overshoot)

This practice assumes you already have a simple logo animation from the previous chapter (for example: the logo moves into place and maybe scales slightly). Your goal now is to make the motion feel designed: smooth acceleration, smooth deceleration, and clean timing.

Target outcome (what you’re aiming for)

• Overshoot-free: the logo does not pass the final position and bounce back.
• Readable timing: you can clearly feel a start, a move, and a settle (not all at once).
• Smooth speed: the Speed Graph shows one clean hill for the move (no extra bumps).
• Optional enhancement: motion blur supports the move without making it smeary.

Step 1: Identify the “main move” you are polishing

1. Select the logo layer.
2. Reveal the animated property you want to polish (commonly Position; sometimes Scale).
3. Focus on one property at a time. Start with Position.

Tip: If your Position has multiple keyframes, decide which two keyframes represent the main travel (start and end). Extra keyframes can create bumps in the graph.

Step 2: Apply the right easing (simple and intentional)

1. Select the start and end keyframes of the main move.
2. Apply F9 (Easy Ease) as a baseline.
3. If you want a slightly snappier start but still a gentle landing: apply Ease Out to the first keyframe and Ease In to the last keyframe (instead of Easy Ease on both).

Keep it simple: for a beginner polish pass, two keyframes with clean easing usually beats many keyframes with messy timing.

Step 3: Adjust influence using Keyframe Velocity (controlled refinement)

1. Select the first keyframe (start).
2. Right-click → Keyframe Velocity…
3. Increase Outgoing Influence to make the start ease stronger (try 50%–70%).
4. Select the last keyframe (end).
5. Right-click → Keyframe Velocity…
6. Increase Incoming Influence to make the landing smoother (try 60%–80%).

Adjust in small steps. If the move feels like it hesitates too long before moving, reduce the start influence. If it feels like it hits the end too hard, increase the end influence.

Step 4: Verify in the Speed Graph (one smooth hill)

1. Open the Graph Editor.
2. Switch to Edit Speed Graph.
3. Click the Position property so its graph is visible.
4. Look for a single smooth “hill” between the two keyframes.

What to fix if it doesn’t look right:

• Multiple bumps/peaks: you likely have extra keyframes or uneven easing. Consider simplifying to two keyframes for the main move, or re-ease the middle keyframe(s).
• Very sharp spike: easing is too aggressive or keyframes are too close together. Reduce influence or spread keyframes farther apart.
• Very flat/wide hill: motion may feel floaty. Reduce influence or shorten the duration slightly.

Step 5: Check for overshoot (Value Graph + spatial path sanity check)

1. Switch to Edit Value Graph.
2. If you animated Position on separate dimensions, check each axis curve (X and Y) for going past the final value and returning.
3. If you see overshoot but don’t want it: reduce influence near the end keyframe, or remove/adjust any extra keyframe that pushes past the final value.

Also check the motion path in the Comp panel: if the path curves unexpectedly, you may have Bezier handles on spatial interpolation. For an overshoot-free polish pass, keep the path clean and intentional.

Step 6: Make the timing “readable” (spacing keyframes, not adding more)

Often the smoothest improvement is simply changing duration:

• Too fast: the viewer can’t register the move. Move the last keyframe later.
• Too slow: it feels sluggish. Move the last keyframe earlier.

Practical timing targets for a simple logo settle (starting points):

• Small move (subtle slide): ~10–16 frames
• Medium move (noticeable travel): ~16–24 frames
• Large move (big entrance): ~20–30 frames

These ranges depend on your design, but they help you avoid extremes.

Step 7 (Optional): Add motion blur for a more natural feel

Motion blur can make movement feel smoother because it mimics camera exposure. It should support the easing, not hide problems.

1. Enable Motion Blur for the logo layer (the motion blur switch).
2. Enable Motion Blur for the composition (the master switch).
3. Preview: if it looks too smeary, reduce speed (longer duration) or reduce the amount of movement; if it looks crisp but still smooth, you’re in a good range.

“Feels Smooth” Checklist (Use This While Previewing)

• No sudden start: the logo doesn’t jump into motion on the first frame after the keyframe.
• No sudden stop: it doesn’t snap into the final position.
• Single intention: it moves once and settles (no accidental second move).
• Clean speed shape: Speed Graph shows one smooth hill (no extra peaks).
• Landing is gentle: the last 10–20% of the move visibly slows down.
• Overshoot-free: value does not pass the final target unless you deliberately designed it.

Troubleshooting: Common Beginner Issues and Fast Fixes

Problem: “It still feels robotic even with Easy Ease.”

• Increase influence on the end keyframe (Incoming) so it settles more.
• Make sure you’re previewing at real-time (dropped frames can make easing feel choppy).
• Check the Speed Graph: if it’s nearly flat, your easing is too subtle.

Problem: “It feels floaty and slow.”

• Reduce influence (especially at the start).
• Shorten the duration slightly (bring keyframes closer).
• In the Speed Graph, avoid a very wide, low hill.

Problem: “It jerks in the middle.”

• Look for an extra keyframe you forgot about.
• In the Speed Graph, a bump usually means uneven easing or an unintended change in direction.
• Simplify: temporarily keep only the start and end keyframes for the main move, then re-add complexity only if needed.

Problem: “It overshoots even though I didn’t animate a bounce.”

• Check Value Graph for curves crossing past the final value.
• Lower the end keyframe’s Incoming Influence.
• Check spatial path handles in the Comp panel; a curved path can create a feeling of overshoot even if values don’t exceed.