Create More with Photoshop! Video Timeline Animation

When animating multiple elements with frame animation, it was necessary to create motion frame by frame. As a result, the number of layers became enormous and difficult to manage.
However, with the Video Timeline feature, each element can now be converted into a Smart Object, making it much easier to check movements at a glance.

In addition, because Smart Objects preserve layer information, you can still edit images even after converting them into a Video Timeline or back into a frame animation.

First, prepare two animations created with frame animation in the GIF image file format.
Next, click “Convert to Video Timeline” located at the bottom right of the Timeline window to convert the frame animation into a Video Timeline.

Images that are shared with the PSD file you plan to merge later, such as backgrounds, do not need to be included in the Smart Object.
Select all layers animated with frame animation and convert them into a single Smart Object.
Apply the same process to the PSD file that will later be merged as well.

Drag and drop the Smart Object into the PSD file you want to merge it with.
The Smart Object will then appear in both the Layers window and the Timeline.
This completes the merging process.
Smart Objects behave just like regular layers when editing images in Photoshop—the higher a layer is placed in the layer order, the closer it appears to the front on the screen.
Therefore, make sure to place the background layer at the bottom.

In the Timeline, adjust the order in which the animations are displayed.
Slide the dragged Smart Object so that it appears immediately after the Smart Object that was originally in the PSD file.

Finally, press the play button and preview the animation to make sure the transition between animations is smooth and problem-free.

When playing the animation, you may sometimes notice blank frames appearing between transitions.
If there is unintended empty space, slide the bar labeled “1” at the bottom right toward the right to adjust it.

If you want to move the background in relation to a character, you can achieve this by applying effects to the object.
From the Timeline menu, click “Position” to configure the image movement settings.

1. Move the “Time Indicator” to the far left of the timeline and click the stopwatch icon.

2. Move the time indicator to the point in time where you want the movement to end.
Switch to the Move Tool and drag the image to the desired position.
Press Enter, and a keyframe will be added at the current position of the time indicator.

3. Play the animation to check the result. Make sure the image moves correctly within the specified time.

By creating multiple keyframes, you can move objects not only left and right, but to various positions as well.

Select File > Export > Render Video from the menu bar.
Change the settings to “Adobe Media Encoder,” set the “Range” option to “All Frames,” and then click the “Render” button.

Frame rate determines the number of frames used per second.
The higher the number of frames, the smoother the animation becomes, but the file size also increases accordingly. Generally, a setting of 25–30 fps is recommended.

Just like a frame animation GIF, you can export it using the “Save for Web” feature.
However, keep in mind that the file size can become large and the export process may take a long time.

What did you think?
By using the Video Timeline feature, you can not only greatly reduce the amount of drawing and editing work required, but also manage your layers in a much more organized and easy-to-read way.
However, when creating long animations, file sizes and Photoshop performance can become heavy, just like with traditional video editing software.

When working on longer projects, it can be more efficient to convert animations created with the Video Timeline into GIF animations and then connect the cuts together for smoother workflow management.

Also, try adjusting the frame rate mentioned in the “Export the Animation” section to achieve the best balance between smooth motion and file size.