---
title: "Your first keys"
description: "Lesson 3.1 of Creator Terminal's lesson films (Animating): Make your first animation: key a circle's position, move it in time, and play it."
canonical: "https://terminal.lottiefiles.com/first-keys/"
last_updated: 2026-10-27
---

# Your first keys

> Lesson 3.1 of Creator Terminal's lesson films (Animating): Make your first animation: key a circle's position, move it in time, and play it.

- The film (1:05): https://terminal.lottiefiles.com/media/3.1-first-keys/fe858079a578/3.1-first-keys.mp4
- Vertical cut: https://terminal.lottiefiles.com/media/3.1-first-keys/c3bde747ad53/3.1-first-keys-vertical.mp4
- Captions: https://terminal.lottiefiles.com/media/3.1-first-keys/41ee231bfacd/3.1-first-keys.vtt
- The page: https://terminal.lottiefiles.com/first-keys/

## In this lesson

### A still circle (0:07)

Here's a new document, with a single circle on it. Right now, nothing moves.

### Select it (0:14)

To choose what we'll animate, click the circle. Its values appear in the rail, on the right.

### Key its position (0:20)

Let's remember where the circle starts. Press P. That keys its position, recording it in the score at zero seconds.

### Move in time (0:29)

We'll give the move one second. Move the playhead there by clicking on the ruler, just above the score.

### Change it (0:37)

To set where it finishes, drag the circle somewhere new. Its position is already keyed, so Creator Terminal makes the second key for us.

### Play it (0:46)

Let's see our move. Press zero for the first frame, then space to play it. And there it is. Our circle moves from one key to the next.