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Key frame
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<p>In <a href="/facts/Animation/093f9nUg">animation</a> and <a href="/facts/Filmmaking/GL8DJm3W">filmmaking</a>, a key frame (or keyframe) is a drawing or shot that defines the starting and ending points of a <a href="/facts/Inbetweening/srIry6xL">smooth transition</a>. These are called <i>frames</i> because their position in time is measured in <a href="/facts/Film_frame/27Uqo8WN">frames</a> on a strip of <a href="/facts/Film/wM3b9Kk3">film</a> or on a <a href="/facts/Digital_video_editing/xN4H6gw4">digital video editing</a> timeline. A sequence of key frames defines which movement the viewer will see, whereas the position of the key frames on the film, video, or animation defines the <a href="/facts/Comic_timing/3qNQw9gg">timing</a> of the movement. Because only two or three key frames over the span of a second do not create the illusion of movement, the remaining frames are filled with "<a href="/facts/Inbetweening/srIry6xL">inbetweens</a>". </p>