Define one idea
Create a beat for a meaningful range and give it a clear name, such as Problem, Insight, or Next step.
StoryBeats • Narrative timing
Move the story beat, not every timeline track.
An explainer idea often spans several objects, drawing reveals, keyframes, camera moves, and a line of narration. A StoryBeat records which authored timing belongs to that idea so supported timing changes preserve its internal relationships.
Why it matters
One idea can be scattered across many timeline lanes.
Without a narrative timing layer, moving one explanation later can mean selecting and repositioning each related element manually. StoryBeats add scene-local metadata above those authoring engines; they are not physical canvas groups and do not store animation values.
How it works
Keep the authored motion; change the narrative placement
Reference related content
A beat can reference objects, Draw Steps, property keys, camera keys, and an optional narration segment while each engine remains independently editable.
Move as one narrative unit
Moving a beat translates the timing it owns while preserving durations, easing, relative key spacing, camera transitions, and intended staggering.
Resize safely
Change the available range without arbitrarily stretching motion. If authored content cannot fit, Scribe reports a pacing conflict and leaves the scene intact.
Choose timing authority
Visual authority leads from authored motion, Audio lets narration set the range through Sync to Narration, and Locked prevents timing changes until explicitly changed.
Inspect or revise membership
Select linked content, add or remove references, connect narration, and delete only the StoryBeat metadata when the organizational layer is no longer useful.
Designed-in boundaries
Conflicts are explicit; authored work is not silently distorted.
- Pacing conflicts stop a move or resize when the available range cannot contain the authored motion.
- A narration clip shared by multiple segments must be split before an audio-led timing move can own it safely.
- Complete authored camera transitions move together; partial camera ownership is rejected.
- Existing direct audio bindings remain authoritative and can block ambiguous StoryBeat timing ownership.
- Deleting a StoryBeat removes its metadata, not the objects, animation, camera keys, Draw Steps, or narration it referenced.
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