---
title: "Shape the ease"
description: "Lesson 3.3 of Creator Terminal's lesson films (Animating): Shape how a move starts and settles: ease presets, a handle, and cubic-bezier()."
canonical: "https://terminal.lottiefiles.com/shape-the-ease/"
last_updated: 2026-10-27
---

# Shape the ease

> Lesson 3.3 of Creator Terminal's lesson films (Animating): Shape how a move starts and settles: ease presets, a handle, and cubic-bezier().

- The film (1:25): https://terminal.lottiefiles.com/media/3.3-shape-the-ease/53dd6baabf40/3.3-shape-the-ease.mp4
- Vertical cut: https://terminal.lottiefiles.com/media/3.3-shape-the-ease/428346f86e1b/3.3-shape-the-ease-vertical.mp4
- Captions: https://terminal.lottiefiles.com/media/3.3-shape-the-ease/ffef9e0334be/3.3-shape-the-ease.vtt
- The page: https://terminal.lottiefiles.com/shape-the-ease/

## In this lesson

### A steady speed (0:07)

Let's watch the speed we're starting with. Press zero, then space. It stays steady the whole way, then stops dead. That feels mechanical.

### Open its ease (0:19)

To soften that stop, we'll change its ease. Click the first key in the score. The box shows this move's curve and nine presets to try.

### Try the presets (0:29)

Let's compare a few. Rest the pointer on a preset to try it. The stage loops the move, and a dashed line shows its curve. Here's in-out, gentle at both ends. And here's back-out, which overshoots a little, and comes back.

### Keep one (0:45)

We want a quick start and a gentle finish. We'll use the out preset. Click to keep it. The move starts quickly, and settles gently into place.

### Shape it by hand (0:56)

You can shape the curve by hand, too. Drag a handle, and the readout follows. These are cubic-bezier numbers, the same ones CSS uses.

### Play it (1:06)

Let's watch our gentler stop. Press zero, then space to play it. Now our circle sets off quickly, and glides into place.