A molecular presentation can move through important views faster than an audience can take them in. A binding pocket, a change in conformation, or a carefully framed structure may deserve a moment of attention—but if the presentation immediately moves on, viewers can miss the point. A timed pause gives them room to look without changing the sequence of the presentation.
In SAMSON, the Pause animation holds the presentation at a chosen frame for a specified number of seconds. It is useful when you want a visual checkpoint: a place where people can inspect what is on screen before the next part of the presentation begins.
Think in checkpoints, not just transitions
When planning an animation, it is natural to focus on how the presentation moves from one view to another. It also helps to ask where the audience needs time to understand what they are seeing. A pause can mark that moment. For example, you might place one after arriving at a view you want to discuss, before moving on to another view or explanation.
The goal is not to pause everywhere. Too many pauses can make a presentation feel stop-start, while too few can make important views feel rushed. Consider the pace from the viewer’s perspective: if a moment contains information that needs to be noticed, give it enough time to register. You can then adjust the duration after reviewing the presentation.
Add a pause at the right frame
- In the Animator, open the Animation panel.
- Double-click the Pause animation effect. Its keyframe is placed at the current frame.
- If the pause should happen elsewhere, move its keyframe to the frame where you want the presentation to hold.
- Select the Pause animation node in the Document view, then inspect it to set the pause duration in the Inspector.
Because the keyframe can be moved, you do not need to get its position right on the first try. Place the pause, review where it occurs, and reposition it if the presentation’s timing or sequence changes. Then set the duration to suit the amount of time viewers need at that point.
A simple pacing check
Review the presentation from the beginning and pay attention to the moments that feel rushed. Ask yourself: does the audience have time to identify the feature I am showing? Is there a natural point to stop before the next change? If the answer is yes, a Pause animation may help. If the view already has enough time, an added hold may not be necessary.
It can also help to think of a pause as part of the explanation, not merely empty time. A brief hold can signal, “Look here before we continue.” The right duration depends on the view and the audience, so use playback to judge whether the pause feels comfortable rather than relying on a fixed rule.
Pause is one option for controlling presentation timing. The related Stop animation may also be useful when considering how an animation should end.
For the exact controls and properties, see the Pause animation documentation.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.