A molecular model can contain more information than a viewer can take in at once. A moving camera, atoms changing position, and several visual effects may all be technically useful—but if they happen together, it can be hard to tell what the audience should notice. The challenge is not simply to animate a structure. It is to make each change in the scene help explain the model.
SAMSON animations can act on different kinds of objects, including cameras and nodes such as structural models, visual models, meshes, and labels. Thinking first about what the audience needs to understand helps narrow down which kind of animation to use.
Choose the effect by the job it needs to do
- Explain a structural change: Motion animations include effects such as Dock, Assemble, and Move atoms. These are useful options to consider when the point of a scene is movement or assembly.
- Help viewers keep their bearings: Camera animations include Orbit camera, Zoom camera, and Move camera. Use camera changes with a clear purpose, such as drawing attention to a different view of the model.
- Introduce or remove something from the scene: Entrance and exit effects include Appear, Show, Hide, and Disappear. These can help control when an object becomes part of the explanation.
- Draw attention without changing the whole view: Highlighting effects include Pulse and Flash. A focused highlight can make it easier to direct attention to a feature.
A simple planning method
Before adding effects, write down the main point of each scene in one sentence. For example: “Show the components,” “focus on the interaction,” or “give the audience a new view.” Then choose the animation category that supports that sentence. If an effect does not help communicate the point, consider leaving it out.
- Start with the subject. Decide which model or other scene object viewers should notice first.
- Reveal information in stages. Use entrance or exit effects when a staged introduction will make the scene easier to follow.
- Separate object motion from camera motion. Ask whether the model should move, the viewpoint should change, or both. Keeping the purpose of each action clear helps viewers interpret what they see.
- Add emphasis selectively. Use a highlighting effect when attention needs to shift to a particular part of the presentation.
- Review the sequence as a viewer. Watch for moments when several changes compete for attention. Simplify those moments so the important movement or feature remains legible.
Once you know the effect you need, the animations reference provides a list of specific options. In the current interface, access animations through the Animation panel in the Animator; presentation actions are available through the Animator’s controls. An older video tutorial shows an Animation menu that is no longer present, so use the Animator rather than looking for that menu.
For the broader workflow—creating presentations, adding animations, and exporting movies—see Presenting and animating. To compare animation effects, visit the SAMSON animations reference.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.