3
Table Of Contents
- Motion User Manual
- Contents
- Motion 3 Documentation and Resources
- Getting to Know Motion
- Creating and Managing Projects
- Creating New Projects
- Managing Projects
- Editing Project Properties
- Browsing Media Files in Motion
- File Types Supported by Motion
- Adding Media to Your Project
- Managing Layers in Your Project
- Deleting Objects from a Project
- Exchanging Media in a Project
- Object Media Tab Parameters
- Using Media in the Library
- Behaviors and Filters
- Third-Party Filters
- Image Units (Filters)
- Generators
- Image Units (Generators)
- Particle Emitters
- Replicators
- Shapes
- Gradients
- Fonts and LiveFonts
- Text Styles
- Shape Styles
- Music and Photos
- Content
- Favorites and the Favorites Menu
- Adding Your Own Content to the Library
- Using Custom Objects from the Library
- When Library Media Becomes Unavailable
- Organizing Groups and Layers in Motion
- Background of Your Project
- Selecting Layers and Groups in the Layers Tab
- Reorganizing in the Layers Tab
- Nesting Groups Inside Other Groups
- Grouping and Ungrouping Layers
- Showing and Hiding Groups and Layers
- Fixing the Size of a Group
- Locking Groups and Layers
- Collapsing and Uncollapsing Group Hierarchies
- Renaming Groups
- Searching for Groups and Layers
- Sorting Objects in the Media Tab
- Customizing and Creating New Templates
- Basic Compositing
- Using the Timeline
- Using Behaviors
- Behaviors Versus Keyframes
- Browsing for Behaviors
- Applying and Removing Behaviors
- Modifying Behaviors
- Working with Behaviors
- Changing the Timing of Behaviors
- Animating Behavior Parameters
- Saving and Sharing Custom Behaviors
- Behavior Descriptions
- Basic Motion Behaviors
- Examples of Using Basic Motion Behaviors
- Parameter Behaviors
- Examples of Using Parameter Behaviors
- Audio, Camera, Motion Tracking, Particles, Replicator, Shape, and Text Behaviors
- Retiming Behaviors
- Retiming Behaviors Versus Timing Controls in the Inspector
- Simulation Behaviors
- Examples of Using Simulation Behaviors
- Behavior Examples
- Keyframes and Curves
- Using Text
- Using Text in Motion
- Using Text as Particle and Replicator Source Objects
- Setting Layer Duration Preferences
- Working with Text
- About Fonts
- Using the Text Tools
- Editing Text in the Inspector
- Using Text Animation and Text Sequence Behaviors
- Using Other Behaviors With Text
- Using Behaviors to Animate Text in 3D
- Animating Text with Keyframes
- Using LiveFonts
- Using Text in Motion
- Working with Particles
- Using the Replicator
- The Difference Between a Replicator and a Particle System
- Anatomy of a Replicator
- Using the Replicator
- Using Replicators in 3D
- Applying Masks to the Replicator
- Advanced Replicator Controls
- Animating Replicator Parameters
- Using the Sequence Replicator Behavior
- Using Behaviors with Replicators
- Applying Filters to Replicators
- Saving Custom Replicators to the Library
- Using Filters
- About Filters
- Working with Filters
- An Introduction to Filters
- Working with Filters
- Enabling, Renaming, and Locking Filters
- Copying, Pasting, and Moving Filters
- Reordering Filters
- Changing Filter Timing
- About Rasterization
- Blur Filters
- Blur Filters Without the Mix Parameter
- Border Filters
- Color Correction Filters
- Distortion Filters
- Glow Filters
- Keying Filters
- Matte Filters
- Sharpen Filters
- Stylize Filters
- Tiling Filters
- Working with Third-Party Filters
- Working with Generators
- Using Shapes and Masks
- The Difference Between Shapes, Paint Strokes, and Masks
- Shape and Mask Drawing Tools
- Creating and Editing Shapes
- Illustrating Using the Shape Tools
- Shape Parameters in the Inspector
- Animating Shapes
- Saving Shapes and Shape Styles
- Masking Layers to Create Transparency
- Applying Image Masks to a Layer
- Using Masks to Aid Keying Effects
- Manipulating Alpha Channels Using Filters
- Working with Audio
- Exporting Motion Projects
- Keyboard Shortcuts
- Video and File Formats
- Supported File Formats
- Standard Definition Versus High Definition Video Formats
- Popular Video Codecs for File Exchange
- What Is Field Order?
- Using Square or Nonsquare Pixels When Creating Graphics
- Differences in Color Between Computer and Video Graphics
- Using Fonts and Creating Line Art for Video
- Scaling Imported High-Resolution Graphics
- Creating Graphics for HD Projects
- Working with FinalCutPro
- Using Motion with FinalCutPro
- Using Motion Templates in FinalCutPro
- Using Gestures
- Using Motion and After Effects
- Index
712 Chapter 8 Working with Particles
Note: Keep in mind that using a movie as the source cell for an emitter may impact
your project’s interactivity.
Create Clips That Loop
Particles created from QuickTime clips loop over and over for the duration of each
individual particle’s life. If the clip you use doesn’t loop well, there will be a jump cut at
every loop point. Another option is to use very short movies to introduce randomness
into the appearance of the particle system.
Use Video Clips with Minimal Compression
Ideally, QuickTime clips to be used as particles should be saved using a high-quality
codec, such as Animation or Uncompressed 8- and 10-bit 4:2:2. Other codecs can be
used, but they may introduce unwanted artifacts depending on the level of
compression used.
There is an option to use random start frames, which cause the clips to play out of sync
relative to one another in the Canvas. There is also an option to play or not play the
clip. For more information, see “Additional Cell Parameters for QuickTime Movies” on
page 733.
Advanced Particle System Controls
While the HUD provides a fast way to modify a particle system’s main parameters, the
particle system’s Emitter and Particle Cell tabs in the Inspector give you total control
over every aspect of that particle system. This includes individual parameters for each
cell in a system.
The Difference Between Emitter and Particle Cell Parameters
Emitter and Particle Cell parameters, though closely related, serve different purposes.
Emitter parameters control the overall shape and direction of the animated mass of
particles generated by the system. Other emitter parameters simultaneously modify
the parameters of all cells inside that emitter.
Particle Cell parameters, on the other hand, control the behavior of particles generated
from each cell that’s inside the particle emitter. For more information, see “Single-Cell
Emitter and Particle Cell Parameters” on page 725.
When only one layer is used as a particle cell source, the cell controls appear in the
Emitter tab as well as in the Particle Cell tab. Once more than one layer is added to a
Particle Emitter, all cell controls appear in the Particle Cell tab. To access this tab, the cell
must be selected in the Layers tab or Timeline.