How to change a character's pose mid-slide

Powtoon Studio does not include a dedicated feature for changing a character's pose mid-slide. However, you can produce this effect using a layering workaround: paste a copy of the character exactly on top of the original, assign it a new pose, and use timeline timing and animation settings to make the switch invisible to the viewer.

This technique works for any pose change — for example, switching from a happy expression to a sad one, or from a standing position to a typing position.

Before you start

You need an existing character already placed on a slide in Powtoon Studio. The workaround uses keyboard shortcuts to paste the copied character in place, so confirm which operating system you are using before you begin.

How to change a character's pose mid-slide

To simulate a mid-slide pose change, you will create two overlapping copies of the same character — one for each pose — and time them so that the first exits and the second appears without any visible transition.

1. Select the character whose pose you want to change on the stage.
2. On the timeline, move the playhead to the exact moment where you want the pose to change.
3. With the character still selected, copy it and then paste it exactly on top of the original using the paste-in-place keyboard shortcut:
   • ► Mac: Cmd + Shift + V
   • ► PC: Ctrl + Shift + V
   The copied character is placed at the same position as the original on the stage.
4. Change the pose of the copied character to the new pose you want to display.
5. With the copied character (the new pose) still selected, set its Enter animation effect to No Effect. This prevents a visible entrance animation when the new pose appears.
6. Select the original character (the first pose) and shorten its duration on the timeline so that it ends immediately before the copied character begins. Drag the right edge of its timeline bar to trim it.
7. With the original character still selected, set its Exit animation effect to No Effect. This prevents a visible exit animation when the first pose disappears.

When you play back the slide, the character will appear to change pose at the point you set in step 2, with no visible transition between the two positions.

Notes

1. The paste-in-place shortcut (Cmd + Shift + V on Mac, Ctrl + Shift + V on PC) is essential. Using a standard paste will not place the copy at the same position as the original, and the two characters will not align correctly.
2. For the effect to look seamless, the original character's timeline bar must end at the same frame where the copied character's bar begins. Leave no gap and no overlap between the two.
3. Both the Enter effect of the new pose and the Exit effect of the original pose must be set to No Effect. Any other animation setting will make the switch visible to the viewer.
4. This workaround applies to all character style families available in Powtoon Studio, including Cosmo, Rhapsody, Duo, and Boho.