Add another animal

To add more variety to our animation, we’ll place a bird in the middle of the track that gets disturbed by the race. So that it’s easy to see, we can add the largest bird in the library: a Rhinoceros Hornbill.

• Place a Rhinoceros Hornbill in the middle of the racetrack, as shown in the following image. On the timeline, adjust the hornbill's container to match the length of the other animals.

Rhinoceros Hornbill added in the middle of the racetrack

Set a first frame for the animation

1. Move the playhead along the timeline until the racing animals seem close enough to disturb the hornbill.

2. On the timeline, select the hornbill.

3. Select the create key icon ().

Positions for first frame of the hornbill's animation

Set the final frame for the animation

The final frame is the place where the hornbill will land after its escape.

1. Move the playhead forward several seconds.

2. Select the transform tool (), and then move the hornbill off to the side of the track in the direction that its facing.
3. Select the create key icon ().

Create a midpoint key

1. Select the hornbill, and then select the dope sheet view.

2. Position the playhead between the keys in your animation. Ignore the auto-generated keys at 0:00.

3. Select the translate tool (), and then move the hornbill vertically into the air.
4. Select the create key icon ().

Test your animation. If the hornbill moves too early or too late, adjust the timing of the keys. The flight path doesn’t look natural, but we will correct that next.