Timeline tool for producing computer-generated animations

1. A method of creating a computer-generated animation using a graphical user interface including a two-dimensional array of cells, the array having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, wherein the rows are associated with computer-generated elements and the columns are associated with frames of the animation, and wherein the array includes a first cell associated with a first computer-generated element in a first frame of the computer-generated animation, the method comprising:

displaying a first view of the array including the first cell, the first cell having a first width in the first view;

displaying, in the first view, a key frame indicator in the first cell, wherein the key frame indicator indicates that a designated value is associated with the first computer-generated element in the first frame of the computer-generated animation; and

zooming the two-dimensional array of cells, wherein zooming the two-dimensional array of cells includes:

displaying a second view of the array including the first cell, the first cell having a second width in the second view, wherein the second width is greater than the first width; and

displaying, in the second view, an element value indicator in the first cell, wherein the element value indicator represents the designated value associated with the first computer-generated element in the first frame of the computer-generated animation, and wherein the designated value represented by the element value indicator defines a shape of a portion of the computer-generated element in the first frame of the computer-generated animation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the designated value associated with the first computer-generated element represents a position of a control point, wherein the control point is a point on a curve that defines the shape of the portion of the computer-generated element.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the element value indicator is displayed in response to the second width being greater than a predetermined threshold.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the element value indicator is displayed in response to the second width being larger than a width of the element value indicator.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

after displaying the second view of the array and the element value indicator:

zooming the two-dimensional array of cells to display a third view of the array including the first cell, the first cell having a third width in the third view, wherein the third width is greater than the second width; and

modifying the appearance of the element value indicator.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

after displaying the second view of the array and the element value indicator:

zooming out the two-dimensional array of cells to display a fourth view of the array including the first cell, the first cell having a fourth width in the fourth view, wherein the fourth width is less than the second width; and

removing the element value indicator.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the element value indicator is removed in response to the fourth width being less than a predetermined threshold.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the element value indicator is removed in response to the fourth width being less than a width of the element value indicator.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein zooming the two-dimensional array of cells further includes maintaining a frame that is in the center of the display of the two-dimensional array of cells at the center of the display.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein zooming the two-dimensional array of cells further includes maintaining the height of the cells in the two-dimensional array.

11. A system for creating a computer-generated animation, the system comprising:

a display; and

a processing unit configured to:

display, at the display:

a graphical user interface including a two-dimensional array of cells, the array having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, wherein the rows are associated with computer-generated elements and the columns are associated with frames of the animation, and wherein the array includes a first cell associated with a first computer-generated element in a first frame of the computer-generated animation;

a first view of the array including the first cell, the first cell having a first width in the first view; and

in the first view, a key frame indicator in the first cell, wherein the key frame indicator indicates that a designated value is associated with the first computer-generated element in the first frame of the computer-generated animation; and

zoom the two-dimensional array of cells, wherein zooming the two-dimensional array of cells includes:

displaying a second view of the array including the first cell, the first cell having a second width in the second view, wherein the second width is greater than the first width; and

displaying, in the second view, an element value indicator in the first cell, wherein the element value indicator represents the designated value associated with the first computer-generated element in the first frame of the computer-generated animation, and wherein the designated value represented by the element value indicator defines a shape of a portion of the computer-generated element in the first frame of the computer-generated animation.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the designated value associated with the first computer-generated element represents a position of a control point, wherein the control point is a point on a curve that defines the shape of the portion of the computer-generated element.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the element value indicator is displayed in response to the second width being greater than a predetermined threshold.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the element value indicator is displayed in response to the second width being larger than a width of the element value indicator.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

after displaying the second view of the array and the element value indicator:

zoom the two-dimensional array of cells to display a third view of the array including the first cell, the first cell having a third width in the third view, wherein the third width is greater than the second width; and

modify the appearance of the element value indicator.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

after displaying the second view of the array and the element value indicator:

zoom out the two-dimensional array of cells to display a fourth view of the array including the first cell, the first cell having a fourth width in the fourth view, wherein the fourth width is less than the second width; and

remove the element value indicator.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the element value indicator is removed in response to the fourth width being less than a predetermined threshold.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the element value indicator is removed in response to the fourth width being less than a width of the element value indicator.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein zooming the two-dimensional array of cells further includes maintaining a frame that is in the center of the display of the two-dimensional array of cells at the center of the display.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein zooming the two-dimensional array of cells further includes maintaining the height of the cells in the two-dimensional array.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions for creating a computer-generated animation, the computer-executable instructions comprising instructions for:

displaying a graphical user interface including a two-dimensional array of cells, the array having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, wherein the rows are associated with computer-generated elements and the columns are associated with frames of the animation, and wherein the array includes a first cell associated with a first computer-generated element in a first frame of the computer-generated animation;

displaying a first view of the array including the first cell, the first cell having a first width in the first view;

displaying, in the first view, a key frame indicator in the first cell, wherein the key frame indicator indicates that a designated value is associated with the first computer-generated element in the first frame of the computer-generated animation; and

zooming the two-dimensional array of cells, wherein zooming the two-dimensional array of cells includes:

displaying a second view of the array including the first cell, the first cell having a second width in the second view, wherein the second width is greater than the first width; and

displaying, in the second view, an element value indicator in the first cell, wherein the element value indicator represents the designated value associated with the first computer-generated element in the first frame of the computer-generated animation, and wherein the designated value represented by the element value indicator defines a shape of a portion of the computer-generated element in the first frame of the computer-generated animation.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein the designated value associated with the first computer-generated element represents a position of a control point, wherein the control point is a point on a curve that defines the shape of the portion of the computer-generated element.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein the element value indicator is displayed in response to the second width being greater than a predetermined threshold.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein the element value indicator is displayed in response to the second width being larger than a width of the element value indicator.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , further comprising instructions for:

after displaying the second view of the array and the element value indicator:

zooming the two-dimensional array of cells to display a third view of the array including the first cell, the first cell having a third width in the third view, wherein the third width is greater than the second width; and

modifying the appearance of the element value indicator.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , further comprising instructions for:

after displaying the second view of the array and the element value indicator:

zooming out the two-dimensional array of cells to display a fourth view of the array including the first cell, the first cell having a fourth width in the fourth view, wherein the fourth width is less than the second width; and

removing the element value indicator.

27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 26 , wherein the element value indicator is removed in response to the fourth width being less than a predetermined threshold.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 26 , wherein the element value indicator is removed in response to the fourth width being less than a width of the element value indicator.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein zooming the two-dimensional array of cells further includes maintaining a frame that is in the center of the display of the two-dimensional array of cells at the center of the display.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein zooming the two-dimensional array of cells further includes maintaining the height of the cells in the two-dimensional array.