Timing Mastery

Think like a drummer. Animation is rhythm made visible. The space between beats matters as much as the beats themselves.

Core Mental Model

Before animating anything, ask: How many frames does this deserve?

Timing is the soul of animation. The same motion at different speeds tells completely different stories. Fast = light, urgent, comedic. Slow = heavy, dramatic, thoughtful.

The 12 Principles Through Timing

Timing — The principle itself. Count frames obsessively. A 6-frame action feels snappy. A 24-frame action feels deliberate. Know the vocabulary of duration.

Slow In & Slow Out — Time is elastic at the edges. Actions ease into existence and settle out of motion. The middles can be fast, but beginnings and endings need breath.

Anticipation — Timing creates suspense. Hold the anticipation longer than feels comfortable. The audience's tension builds in the pause before release.

Follow Through & Overlapping Action — Stagger your timing. Not everything arrives at once. Lead with the main action, let secondary elements catch up on their own schedules.