A molecular presentation can move too quickly even when every frame is correct. A structure may rotate past an important interaction, a conformational change may be easy to miss, or viewers may need a moment to take in a newly revealed detail. Adding a pause at the right point can make the sequence easier to follow without changing the molecular model itself.
In SAMSON, the Pause animation holds a presentation at a chosen frame for a specified number of seconds. Think of it as a deliberate beat in your visual explanation: the motion reaches a meaningful moment, stops long enough for the audience to inspect it, and then the presentation can continue.
Choose the moment before choosing the duration
Start by identifying the frame where a viewer should stop and look. This might be the point at which a particular arrangement becomes visible or the end of a movement you want the audience to compare with what came before. The most useful pause is tied to a clear viewing purpose—not simply added wherever the animation happens to slow down.
Once you have chosen the moment, add the Pause effect from the Animator’s Animation panel. Double-click Pause; its keyframe is placed at the current frame. If that is not the frame you intended, move the keyframe to the appropriate position. You do not have to restart the process just because the playhead was a little early or late.
Set the hold time in the Inspector
The pause duration is specified in the Inspector. In the Document view, select the Pause animation node, then inspect it to access its properties. Adjust the duration to suit the role of that moment in your presentation.
There is no universally correct pause length. A brief hold can create separation between two movements; a longer one can give viewers more time to study a visually dense scene. Preview the sequence and ask a simple question: can someone unfamiliar with the model recognize what they are meant to notice before the presentation moves on? If not, consider extending the pause or choosing a clearer frame.
Use pauses as part of the story
Pauses are most effective when they support the structure of the explanation. For example, you might let a movement finish, hold on the resulting arrangement, and then continue to the next part of the presentation. This gives the audience a visual transition from “what changed” to “what should I examine now.”
Keep the viewing experience in mind as you place each keyframe. A pause immediately before the important frame may stop too soon; one placed after it may give viewers a chance to see the moment arrive before it is held. Since keyframes can be moved, you can refine their placement as you review the timing.
Also consider whether a pause is doing a distinct job. If several holds occur close together, the presentation may feel choppy. If important moments pass without a hold, viewers may have difficulty keeping up. A useful workflow is to review the whole sequence, mark the few moments that deserve extra attention, and add pauses only at those points.
Check the result in context
After setting the duration, play the presentation from before the pause through the following section. This helps you judge the hold as part of the complete sequence rather than in isolation. Check that the keyframe falls where intended, that the duration gives enough time for the intended observation, and that the following movement still feels connected.
A Pause animation is a small timing adjustment, but it addresses a common communication problem: viewers need time to understand what they are seeing. To learn more about adding and configuring this animation, see the Pause animation documentation.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.