Glossary

Motion & video, defined

A plain-language reference for the terms you'll meet while making animated video.

A

Aspect Ratio

The proportional relationship between a video's width and height, such as 16:9 or 9:16.

E

Easing

A curve that controls the rate of change of an animation, making motion feel natural rather than mechanical.

F

Frame

A single still image in a sequence; the smallest unit of time in a video.

Frame Rate (FPS)

The number of individual frames shown per second of video, measured in frames per second.

I

Interpolation

Calculating intermediate values between two known points to create smooth transitions.

K

Keyframe

A defined point that sets a property's value at a specific time, between which the software interpolates.

R

Render

The process of turning a composition into final output frames and encoding them into a video file.

S

Spring

A physics-based animation model that produces natural, bouncy motion based on stiffness and damping.

T

Timecode

A standardized way of labeling a precise position in a video, usually as hours:minutes:seconds:frames.

Frequently asked questions

A plain-language reference defining the motion and video terms you'll meet while making animated video — from frame rate and easing to timecode and aspect ratio.

Anyone learning motion design or video production, whether you're brand new or just want a quick, jargon-free refresher.

Not at all — you can describe a video in plain language and let the agent handle the details. The glossary is here for when you want to understand what's happening under the hood.