The QUICKEST WAY to Animate Multiple Objects in Blender!

In this video, learn how to animate multiple objects at once quickly in Blender with a single step!
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TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - Introduction
0:39 - Model Credit
0:49 - Placing objects in a collection
2:06 - Finding the central point of our crane for rotation
3:20 - Parenting objects to a single object
4:24 - How to create an animation with this object
4:56 - Animating the hook movement with local transformations

[@TheCGEssentials]

Hi everyone! Let me know if you have questions in the comments below! :)

[@TheAbRaMaX]

I think blender have a button that automatically create an empty and parent the selected objects (parent to empty), I have it in my quick favorites!

[@nickname0ff]

Hi! But how I can control rotation group of objects with transform menu. In this case objects rotates individually again. So I can only use rotation tool that gives me approximate value

[@r2artCH]

How bout if I want to animate multiple object to rotate each object on each individual own axis ?
For example I want to have 100 spotlight that swing on local Z axis 45 degree then -90 degree on the next 25 frame.
What I did is I selected all 100 spotlight then rotate them in indivdual origins transform pivot point then rotate 45 degree on frame 1 then rotate them -90 on frame 25 on z axis.
What happen is only the active slected object that created keyframe but not the other 99 object. So this basically mean I only animating one object instead all 100 that I've selected.
Sorry for this basic question, I was a user of 3ds Max and Maya, in these software they don't have active selection system like in blender. So when you selected multiple object and turn on auto keyframe, it mean you will create keyframes for all selected object everytime you move/scale/rotate or object data. So you are animating all multiple object selected at the same time. I don't know how to do this in blender

[@LaynaStambaugh]

You sound like a nerd from a late 2000's CG movie... I love it!

[@hope4animals263]

Thank you so much. Simple and effective. I looked at so many documents and videos to do just this and all had these unnecessary, complicated steps that did not work on my model. So your video was a blessing. Thanks

[@TheRealLink]

Thank you SO much for this! I was handling a client's scene where I had to do some topographical adjustment and it is so complex that if I leave the scene objects turned on, my viewport is incredibly sluggish. This method for at least the parenting of objects to the empty helps solve animating the entire collection issue I was in since it seems like that is not doable yet.

[@maha1147]

Thank you very much, that was so helpful, I was trying in this problem couple of hours, but now its solved

[@shortfilmstudios4715]

I'm glad you made this video, please make more on animating Thanks👍

[@WingofTech]

This is really a crucial skill to learn. Understanding the median point between points is very valuable! :]
Thanks TCGE

[@rypiyx]

Thank u so much for this video it helped a lot

[@cioccolata12]

very helpful tutorial. Thanks.

[@tomasmojzes8702]

Amazing video, thanks it helped a lot 🎉

[@tomaszwiatr781]

You are the best :) Problem, solution and explanation.

[@metasamsara]

one of the best tutorials on animations.

[@splashmummy]

You sir, are a hero. You have ended 48 hours of pain! 👏

[@theNEWTful]

Excellent, thanks. I'd like to know how to have the chain and hook move as a result of the arm moving.....swinging as it's indirectly moved along.

[@nelson3d867]

Thank you for the knowledge you spread. One more time.

[@akongas]

"A-Whoo-Whatz-up guys!! Justin here with... Deeeeeee CG Essentials...." Feel like ive been shot everytime lol Thanks for the tutorials, keep up the great work!!

[@rahvin4242]

Also if you want objects in multiple collections, you can link to different collections with (shift m), vs new collection(m)

[@Avarice51]

Just saved me so much stress key framing a million things!

[@Picks_Productions]

Another great video 👏. Does every animation need to be exported as an individual animation. ie turn vs sliding?

[@SparkTechUK]

Thanks a lot!

[@Interloper_32388]

Any suggestions on how to go about animating the cables attached to the crane. If I want the hook to retract up words, how would you reduce the cable length. Im deleting the extra length but then if it retracts back out, im back to square one....thanks for this tutorial, very helpful just looking for that extra tip bit ;p

[@stephen285]

Thanks! So once you keyframed multiple objects moving at one time is there an easy to bundle that up into a single recallable/reusable thing? something like a nla action that can be reused? I know reusable actions are for a single objects- but what about compound bundles? help me obi jan you're my only hope

[@jlr3636]

Can a part be added to more than one collection?
Example - a cat model with collection #1 (head, tail), collection #2 (head, tail, legs), collection #3 (legs, tail, body).
Thanks for your videos, you are my go to for learning Blender.

[@Abbas_Ali01]

Can you make a video about size things like giant character and normal human character size for full project in blender.

[@lennywayes4245]

Thanks for the tutorial! Coming from blockbench I expected the folders to act like groups for the purposes of animation, but it seems like blender handles this a different way. This has made animating complex objects made of multiple meshes easy to achieve. Are there any common reasons/use-cases I would want to look for alternative methods?

[@The_Fellow]

Thank you

[@karstdeviz3858]

holy moly, this is so useful

[@TheCGEssentials]

:)

[@vectorr6651]

Hey Justin, great video, I always struggle with animation. What is the best way to contact you? Thanks!

[@youdjparents]

why can't you keyframe a collection? (coming from maya/c4d where you can keyframe groups)

[@mzrendy8120]

uff thank you man

[@1NightInParisOfficial]

shape keys seem to not work using this setup, when sliding vrom value 0 to 1 the mesh deforms. How can you repeat this setup but without being so conclusive with the main final keyframes? Would you need to rig the crane?

[@pmhixson]

It COULD be good to do a part2 for this tutorial. Set up ANOTHER empty for that dolly on the crane boom and parent the boom dolly and all the attached/hanging gear to that dolly empty. I'm trying to do this and I'm hitting problems with parenting; the dolly won't parent to the new dolly empty.

[@PhilipDenys]

it should have turned on the circle part of the upper crane, not the base fyi :p

[@EROSNERdesign]

why does the gizmo disappear after the parent?

[@kidzQuizz]

I have something to talk about, can you give me a minute.

[@codnx]

mark zuckerburg

[@TheCGEssentials]

No

[@jeanallien]

Who what's up guys

[@asmith7812]

Just copy maya ui please