You animate lights by using transforms or changing creation parameters on different keyframes while the Auto Key button is on. During animation, light transforms and parameter values are interpolated between keyframes.
Moving and Rotating Light Objects
You can use the following methods to move and rotate light objects.
- Move an omni light when it’s a "practical" light within a scene (a light that appears in the scene itself). Combine the light with a self-illuminating geometric object. If you want to move a target type of light, select both the light and its target to animate them together.
- Move a Photometric Preset light, or a Free or target light when it’s a "practical" light within a scene (a light that appears in the scene itself). Combine the light with a self-illuminating geometric object. If you want to move a target type of light, select both the light and its target to animate them together.
- Use a free spotlight when a spotlight is to move within the scene. Free spotlights are especially intended to be animated along a path, using a Path constraint. Unlike target spotlights, free spotlights can bank as they travel. Use target spotlights when the light position is fixed.
- If you do need to move a target spotlight, link both the light and its target to a dummy object, then assign the path constraint to the dummy object.
- Use a LookAt Constraint to have a spotlight track a moving object.
If the spotlight is a target spotlight, its previous target is ignored.
If the spotlight is a free spotlight, it effectively becomes a target spotlight, with the looked-at object the target.
- Change the parameters of a daylight system or sunlight system to simulate different times of day or year.
Animating Light Creation Parameters
The following techniques can be used to animate Modify panel parameters for lights.
- To dim or brighten a light over time, animate its Multiplier parameter.
- To dim or brighten a standard light over time, animate its Multiplier value or Filter Color parameter.
- To change the color of a light over time, animate its color parameters. Use a smooth tangent for color change keys unless you want the color to change abruptly.
- To make a standard light flash on and off, assign an On/Off controller to its Multiplier value, then assign a key at each frame in which the light should turn off or on.