Google Earth Studio is a powerhouse tool for creating sweeping satellite animations, but its capabilities extend far beyond simple flyovers. One of the most effective ways to add drama and realism to your projects is by manipulating the sun’s position to create a timelapse effect.

In this tutorial, we are going to turn a static shot of the iconic Hollywood Sign into a dynamic, sun-drenched timelapse. Here is how you can master the “Time of Day” attribute to bring your location to life.

Setting the Scene

The first step is to establish your canvas. Start by opening a Blank Project in Google Earth Studio. For this example, we are heading to Los Angeles.

1. Search for your subject: Type “Hollywood Sign” into the search bar.
2. Frame your shot: Once the camera locates the sign, you need to find the perfect angle. By holding down the Alt key on your keyboard and dragging with your left mouse button, you can orbit around the subject.
3. Positioning: Aim for a frontal view, hovering just above the sign to capture the text against the backdrop of the hills.

Mastering the ‘Time of Day’ Attribute

This is where the magic happens. By default, your project might look dark or flat depending on the default time settings. To create a timelapse, we need to tell the software to animate the sun.

1. Go to the attributes menu and select Add Attributes.
2. Tick the box for Time of Day. You will now see a new track appear in your timeline.

Note: Navigating time zones in Google Earth Studio can sometimes be a process of trial and error to match local sunrise and sunset times. Don’t be afraid to scrub through the hours until you find a lighting setup that looks right for your scene.

Animating the Sunlight

To create the timelapse effect, we need to set a start time and an end time using keyframes.

1. Set the Start Point: Move your playhead to the beginning of the timeline. Adjust the time settings until you have a bright, daylight shot (in the video, we used the 25th at 23:45 to get the right lighting angle). Click the diamond icon to Add a Keyframe.
2. Set the End Point: Move your playhead to the end of your clip. Change the time to later in the day or the following day (e.g., the 26th at 16:34). Add your second Keyframe.

Adding a Dynamic Zoom

A timelapse looks best when the camera is also in motion—this is known as the “Parallax Effect.”

While your time lapse is running, simply add a subtle camera movement. Go to the end of your timeline and zoom the camera in slightly closer to the sign. Ensure you keyframe the Camera Position and Camera Rotation at both the start and end of the clip.

When you play this back, you won’t just have a zoom; you will have shadows lengthening and the sun moving across the sky, creating a professional, high-end result.