Motion User Guide
Contents Motion User Guide What’s new 10 What’s new in Motion 5.5 10 What’s new in Motion 5.4.6 10 What’s new in Motion 5.4.
Motion User Guide Play back projects 89 Intro to project playback in Motion 89 View and play back a project 90 View and adjust project timing 95 Define the play range in Motion 98 Project playback performance in Motion 99 Work in a basic project 100 Intro to basic compositing in Motion 100 Select and organize layers 101 Transform layers 118 Adjust opacity and blending 148 View and navigate in the canvas 164 Work in a 3D project 175 Intro to 3D compositing in Motion 175 3D coordi
Motion User Guide Animate with behaviors 273 Intro to behaviors in Motion 273 Behaviors versus keyframes in Motion 274 Browse and apply behaviors 275 Manage behaviors and behavior timing 288 Behaviors and keyframes 297 Adjust behaviors 300 Behavior types and parameters 301 Save and share custom behaviors 367 Animate with keyframes 369 Intro to keyframing in Motion 369 Add keyframes in Motion 370 Animate in the canvas with keyframes 373 Animate in the Inspector 377 Animate from t
Motion User Guide Build rigs 474 Intro to rigging in Motion 474 How does rigging work in Motion? 475 Build a simple rig in Motion 476 Work with widgets in Motion 478 Widget types 481 Manage parameter snapshots 485 Control rigs from Animation menus in Motion 490 How to use rigs 491 Publish rigs from Motion to Final Cut Pro 494 Create particles 495 Intro to particles in Motion 495 Add a particle system to a project 497 Adjust a particle system 503 Animate emitters and cells 529
Motion User Guide Edit text format 607 Edit text appearance 611 Edit text layout 629 Work with text glyphs 650 Convert standard text to 3D text in Motion 658 Check spelling in Motion 658 Find and replace text in Motion 658 Using filters with text in Motion 659 Build 3D text 660 Intro to 3D text in Motion 660 3D text workflow in Motion 661 Add 3D text to a project 666 Apply a preset 3D text style in Motion 669 Move and rotate 3D text in Motion 671 Modify basic 3D text attributes
Motion User Guide Edit shape control points 798 Edit fill, outline, and feathering in Motion 811 Shape controls in the Inspector 813 Shape behaviors 828 Keyframe shape control points in Motion 841 Work with masks and transparency 844 Convert between shapes and masks in Motion 861 Using filters and masks with shapes in Motion 863 Copy shape styles in Motion 864 Save custom shapes and shape styles in Motion 864 Create graphics with generators 866 Intro to using generators in Motion 866
Motion User Guide Reposition a 3D object’s anchor point in Motion 1081 Modify 3D object properties 1083 Exchange a 3D object file in Motion 1087 3D object intersection and layer order in Motion 1088 Adjust 3D object timing in Motion 1088 Using cameras and lights with 3D objects in Motion 1091 Save custom 3D objects in Motion 1092 Guidelines for working with 3D objects in Motion 1092 Working with imported 3D objects in Motion 1093 Work with 360-degree video 1094 Intro to 360° video in Mo
Motion User Guide Work with audio 1181 Intro to audio in Motion 1181 View audio files in Motion 1182 Add audio files in Motion 1184 Play audio files in Motion 1186 Edit audio 1187 Automate effects with audio behaviors 1199 Share Motion projects 1205 Intro to sharing Motion projects 1205 Export a QuickTime movie in Motion 1206 Export audio only in Motion 1210 Export a still image in Motion 1211 Export an image sequence in Motion 1213 Export to Apple devices in Motion 1215 Export
What’s new What’s new in Motion 5.5 Motion 5.5 introduces new features and enhancements, detailed below. System requirements The recommended system requirement for Motion 5.5 is macOS Big Sur. The minimum system requirement is macOS 10.15.6. For more information, go to Final Cut Pro tech specs, then click Motion at the top of the page. Apple silicon Motion now runs natively on Apple silicon and Intel-based Mac computers.
3D object import Add three-dimensional models to your projects from a collection of ready-made 3D objects in the Motion Library or by importing USDZ objects. 3D objects in Motion simulate natural lighting, shading, and textures, and can be animated to rotate, move, and scale. See Intro to 3D objects in Motion. Stroke filter Create solid or gradient color outlines that contour around the edge of an alpha channel in an image, shape, color-keyed clip, or text object. See Stroke filter in Motion.
Mac Pro support Motion is now optimized for the new Mac Pro, taking advantage of multiple GPUs, up to 28 CPU cores, and the Afterburner accelerator card. Streamlined sharing and export Exporting your finished work is easier than ever and now nearly identical to sharing in Final Cut Pro. Use destinations—sets of preconfigured export settings—to quickly publish a movie in common formats, for Apple devices, for sharing websites, and more.
Motion basics What is Motion? Motion is a behavior-driven motion graphics application used to create stunning imaging effects in real time for a wide variety of broadcast, video, and film projects. Animate anything, your way Motion User Guide • Animate graphics, images, and video clips using any of more than 200 built-in motion, simulation, and camera-move behaviors, such as Spin, Throw, Orbit, Dolly, and more. • Animate the traditional way, using keyframes to create precise timing effects.
Set your text in motion • Create polished text and then set it in motion to construct effects both simple (lower-thirds and credit rolls) and complex (animated sequences). • Build and animate 3D text with realistic texture, lighting, and shading. Blow minds, not budgets, with cinematic visual effects • Build stunning visual effects and film looks using one or more of nearly 300 filters such as Glow, Strobe, Slit Scan, and Bleach Bypass.
Export and share everywhere • Export your masterpiece (or working copy) for use in other apps, publish it to videosharing websites, or optimize it for viewing on Apple devices such as iPad, iPhone, and Apple TV. Motion workflow The basic process of working in Motion is described below. You don’t have to do every step, and you might do other tasks that aren’t listed here. Step 1: Create a project You can create a blank project, open a preset composition, or create a template for use in Final Cut Pro.
Motion interface The Motion interface is divided into several functional areas. Project Browser When you open Motion, the Project Browser appears. Use this window to create new projects or open existing projects. See Create a new project in Motion.
Motion window After you open a project via the Project Browser, the Motion window appears. Use this window to build, modify, and preview your motion graphics projects. By default, the Library and Inspector appear on the left side of the window. Choose Window > Window Layout, to set your workspace to one of two layouts: • Classic: The Library and Inspector appear on the left side of the Motion window, and the Timing pane is full-width.
Library The Library, located on the left side of the Motion window, contains effects, content, presets, behaviors, filters, and other elements available in Motion. You can expand the built-in Library content by adding fonts, music, or photos, or by saving content and effects that you create in Motion. When you select an item in the Library, a visual preview appears in the top-left corner of the Motion window.
Inspector When you select an object in your Motion project—an image, video clip, or effect—its parameter controls become available in the Inspector, located on the left side of the Motion window, ready for adjustment. There are four Inspector categories, each of which displays parameter controls for the selected object: Motion User Guide • Properties Inspector: Contains controls for setting basic attributes of the selected object, such as position, scale, and blending.
If you want the Inspector to remain locked to a specific pane for a selected object, click the pin button in the preview area (at the top of the Inspector). Then, when you select another object, the pinned Inspector does not change. Heads-up display (HUD) The most commonly used Inspector controls are also available in the heads-up display (HUD), a floating window that you can show or hide. See Transform layers in the HUD in Motion.
More than simple lists of items in a project, these panes let you organize key attributes of a motion graphics composition, including the stacking order of image layers, audio settings, and source media settings. Canvas The canvas is the visual workspace where you modify and arrange objects in your composition. What you see in the canvas is what is exported when you share your project.
Toolbar The toolbar at the top of the Motion window contains controls to import media, add effects and other objects to your project, display interface components, and export your finished project. To arrange toolbar controls to your liking, Control-click the toolbar, choose Customize Toolbar from the shortcut menu, then drag items from the window that appears to the toolbar.
Timing pane The Timing pane, located at the bottom of the Motion window, lets you view and modify the time component of a project’s contents. There are three views to control different timing aspects of a project: • Video Timeline: Provides an overview of objects in the project and how they’re laid out over time. • Audio Timeline: Provides an overview of audio components in the project and how they’re laid out over time.
• 360° environments: The basic containers used in a project to organize imported 360° video. A 360° environment can contain 360° footage and standard footage, as well as filters. See Intro to 360° video in Motion. • Motion User Guide Layers: A specific kind of object that you can see in the canvas, including: • Images or video clips: Still pictures and movies that you import into Motion. See Intro to adding and managing content in Motion.
• Effects objects: Special effects that you apply to visual layers. Effects objects are not visible in the canvas on their own; rather, they modify the visual layers you see in the canvas. Motion includes the following effects objects: • Cameras: An angle of view that you can adjust or animate to create the illusion of panning, dollying, or zooming through your composition. See Add a camera in Motion. • Lights: Simulated illumination sources that you can direct at any visible layer in the canvas.
Create and manage projects Intro to creating projects in Motion Creating a project is the first step in the Motion workflow. The easiest way to create a new project (or to open an existing project) is to use the Project Browser window. When you open Motion, the Project Browser appears.
Regardless of the project properties you choose, after you create a project, Motion lets you import nearly any kind of media file supported by QuickTime. Further, you can mix media files with different properties in the same project. For example, you can combine video clips of different frame sizes with graphics files. In the end, the file you export uses the frame size and frame rate specified by the project properties.
3. In the right column, click the Preset pop-up menu, then choose Custom. Additional properties controls appear. 4. Set the resolution (width and height), projection type, color processing, field order, aspect ratio, frame rate, and default duration for your custom project. See Project Properties Inspector controls in Motion. 5. Click Open. A new, untitled Motion project opens using the custom properties you specified. Create a 360° video-ready project 1.
Create a project prepopulated with specific media files 1. In Motion, do one of the following: • Choose File > Import As > Project (or press Shift-Command-I). • Open the Project Browser, then click Import as Project. 2. In the dialog that appears, navigate to and select one or more media files, Shift-clicking to select contiguous items or Command-clicking to select noncontiguous items. 3.
Open an existing project in Motion You can open projects and templates from the Project Browser, the Motion File menu, or the Finder. Open a project from the Project Browser 1. In Motion, open the Project Browser (press Command-N), then select a project category in the sidebar. 2. Select an item from the middle of the browser. A video preview, if available, plays in the preview area on the right. 3.
Open a recent project Do either of the following: • In Motion, choose File > Open Recent, then choose a project from the submenu. • From the Project Browser in Motion, click Recent in the sidebar, select a project from the center of the browser, then click Open. Open a project file from the Finder From the Finder, do one of the following: • Double-click a Motion project file.
Bypass the Project Browser in Motion If you consistently create projects with a specific preset, template, or other starting project, you can bypass the Project Browser. This way, when you create a project, it’s opened in the Motion window with the settings you established. 1. In Motion, choose Motion > Preferences (or press Command-Comma). 2. Click Project. 3. In the For New Documents area, click Use Project.
e. Color Processing: Choose Standard or Wide Gamut HDR. f. Pixel Aspect Ratio, Field Order, and Frame Rate: Choose settings from the corresponding pop-up menus. 5. Click OK. The new preset appears in the Presets pane and in the Preset pop-up menu in the Project Browser. 6. If you’re done creating project presets, close Motion Preferences. Note: For more information on industry-standard frame sizes, pixel aspect ratios, field order, and frame rates, see Supported media formats in Motion.
Save, autosave, and revert projects in Motion It’s wise to save early and often as you work on your project. In addition to preserving your work for future use, Motion’s save commands can be used in other ways to manage the development of your project. For example, if you want to keep your current composition but create a variant version, use the Save As command. If you want to gather all media used in a Motion project into a single folder, use the Collect Media option when you save.
Important: When using the Save As command, use a name that’s different from the name of any previously saved versions of the same project. Otherwise, you run the risk of overwriting a version of the project that you want to keep. Revert a project to the last saved version The Revert to Saved command discards all changes you’ve made to a project since the last time you saved it. Note: You can also use the application’s unlimited undo feature to achieve the same purpose in incremental steps.
Use templates Intro to using templates in Motion There are two kinds of templates in Motion: composition templates and Final Cut Pro templates. This section discusses composition templates. For information on Final Cut Pro templates, see Intro to Final Cut Pro templates in Motion. Composition templates are premade, royalty-free projects that you can customize.
3. Click a composition to see its basic properties (resolution, duration, and frame rate) and an animated preview on the right. 4. To create a project from the selected composition, click Open a Copy. A new project opens in the Motion window. You can customize the project by editing the text or exchanging the graphic elements with your own. The changes you make to projects created using compositions do not overwrite the source template files.
Create stickers in Motion for the Messages app on iOS and iPadOS devices If you’re a developer, you can create animated stickers for the Messages app on iOS and iPadOS devices. To simplify the process, you can use one of the premade sticker templates available in the Project Browser (or you can create a project from scratch). 1. Open Motion, then choose File > New from Project Browser (or press OptionCommand-N). 2. In the Project Browser, click Stickers in the Compositions section in the sidebar. 3.
Replace template media using drop zones Intro to drop zones in Motion Drop zones are placeholder graphics where template users can drag images or video to customize the project. When you modify one of the built-in composition templates that come with Motion, or create a composition template from scratch, you can add drop zone layers. A drop zone layer appears (in the canvas and in the Layers list) as a rectangle with a down arrow in its center.
Resize a drop zone 1. In the Layers list or canvas in Motion, select a drop zone. 2. In the canvas toolbar, click the Select/Transform tool. 3. In the canvas, drag a transform handle to resize the drop zone. Tip: Press Shift while dragging to resize the drop zone proportionally. Convert an image layer to a drop zone 1. Add a video clip or still image to your Motion project. 2. Position or resize the image or clip where you want the drop zone to appear.
• Drag an image from the Media list to the Source Media well in the Image Inspector. • In the Image Inspector of the drop zone, click To and select a media item in the project from the pop-up menu. Scale a drop zone image in the canvas 1. In Motion, select the drop zone. 2. Do one of the following: • In the canvas, double-click the drop zone. The Adjust Item tool is automatically selected. • In the canvas, Control-click the drop zone, then select Drop Zone Pan & Scan.
Pan a drop zone image in the canvas 1. In Motion, select the drop zone. 2. Do one of the following: • In the canvas, Control-click the drop zone, then select Drop Zone Pan & Scan. • In the canvas toolbar, click and hold the transform tools pop-up menu, then select Adjust Item. The drop zone bounding box appears as a dotted line. 3. Place the pointer over the drop zone image, and when the Pan tool appears, drag within the drop zone to pan the image. The image’s bounding box appears as a solid line.
• Scale: A slider to uniformly scale the media in the drop zone. To resize the media horizontally or vertically, click the Scale disclosure triangle and adjust the X or Y parameter. Note: The Pan and Scale parameters are not available until you add media to the drop zone. • Fill Opaque: A checkbox that, when selected, fills the drop zone background with a color when the drop zone is scaled down or panned. If the Fill Opaque checkbox is not selected, the empty drop zone area remains transparent.
2. While holding down the Command key, drag the item onto the canvas. Objects in the canvas shrink and separate in an exploded view so you can see them all. Moving the pointer over an object reveals its Layers list name. Note: You cannot Command-drag non-image objects (shapes, Motion projects, particles, and so on) to the canvas. 3. Release the mouse button to drop the object onto its target. The object replaces its target, and the canvas view returns to normal.
Organize Motion templates in the Project Browser You can organize and access custom templates in the Project Browser. All templates are organized into categories. You can add, delete, and rename categories in the Project Browser. Add a category in the Project Browser 1. In Motion, choose File > New from Project Browser. 2. In the Project Browser, select a template type (Compositions, Final Cut Effects, Final Cut Generators, Final Cut Transitions, or Final Cut Titles) from the sidebar on the left. 3.
Modify project properties Intro to project properties in Motion When you create a project, you specify a set of project properties—resolution, frame rate, duration, and so on. You can change most of these properties at any time, even after you add objects to the project. The Properties Inspector lets you define the most essential attributes of a project. By choosing different parameters, you can accommodate nearly any video or film format you need to output to.
Change the project background color 1. In Motion, do one of the following: • Choose Edit > Project Properties (or press Command-J). • Select the Project object at the top of the Layers list, then open the Inspector and click Properties. The Properties Inspector opens. Two parameters in a project’s Properties Inspector affect the background color of a project and affect how a composition appears when exported out of Motion. 2.
Project Properties Inspector controls in Motion When the Project object is selected in the Layers list, the Properties Inspector is divided into several control groups: General, Rendering, Motion Blur, Reflections, and Description. General controls Use the controls in the General group to set or modify your project’s basic attributes. Motion User Guide • Preset: A pop-up menu to choose a common video format to base your preset on.
When a normal project is changed to a 360° project, existing root-level 2D groups are converted to 3D groups; you can navigate the project in 360° (the 360° Look Around and 360° Overview options are available in the Camera menu in the canvas); and the project is exported using the 360° Overview camera. When you create a new 360° project (by choosing a 360° Video option in the Preset pop-up menu in the Project Browser), 360° Monoscopic is the default Projection setting. See Intro to 360° video in Motion.
• Environment: The background color creates a solid alpha channel and interacts with 3D projects, including blend modes and reflections. In the following images of the canvas, Reflection is turned on for the elliptical shape (in the shape’s Properties Inspector). In the left image, the elliptical shape retains its original white color because Background is set to Solid. In the right image, the pink background is reflected in the elliptical shape because Background is set to Environment.
The Motion Blur section of the Properties Inspector has two settings: • Samples: A slider to set the number of subframes rendered per frame, where one frame represents 360 degrees. Higher Samples values result in a higher-quality motion-blur effect, but are more processor-intensive. The default Samples value is 8. The maximum possible value is 256. • Shutter Angle: A slider to define the size of the motion blur that appears for animated objects.
Description field At the bottom of the Properties Inspector is a field where you can enter a brief description of the project, including significant characteristics of the project preset, such as frame size and frame rate. Project frame size in Motion When you change the frame size of a project (using the Width and Height parameters in the Properties Inspector), you effectively change the size of the canvas, increasing or reducing layout space for objects in the project.
Add and manage content Intro to adding and managing content in Motion After you create a project, you add media—video clips, still images, special effects, and so on—to create a composition. Motion provides two easy ways to add this content to your project: • Import: Click the Import button (or choose File > Import) to locate external video clips, still images, and audio files on your computer or on networked storage devices, then import this media into your Motion project. See Import media in Motion.
The Library, located on the left side of the Motion window, displays all of your available content in hierarchical, searchable lists. Here you can also preview selected content before you add it to your Motion project.
Import media files If it’s your first import in Motion By default, Motion places imported media files in your project at the location of the playhead (the current frame in the Timeline). You can change that setting to have imported media always placed at the start of your project (frame 1). Set the start point of imported media 1. In Motion, choose Motion > Preferences (or press Command-Comma). 2.
If added to a group, the imported files appear as new layers in that group, placed above existing layers in the group. If added to the empty area, a new group is created containing the imported files. • Drag the file or files into a group in the Timeline layers list, or into the empty lower area of the Timeline layers list. If added to a group, the imported files appear as new layers in that group, placed above existing layers in the group.
Import image sequences Sometimes, animated sequences are delivered as a series of sequentially numbered still images. Motion lets you import these sequences as a single object, with each image used as a sequential frame in a movie. 1. In Motion, do any of the following: • Choose File > Import (or press Command-I). • In the toolbar, click the Import button. • Control-click an empty area of the Layers list or canvas (in the black area outside the project), then choose Import from the shortcut menu. 2.
Import media files and create a new Motion project at the same time You can also create a new project for files at the time of import. To do so, use the Import as Project command. 1. In Motion, choose File > Import As > Project or press Shift-Command-I. 2. In the dialog that appears, navigate to and select the one or more media files, Shiftclicking to select contiguous items or Command-clicking to select noncontiguous items. 3.
Import a layered Photoshop file into Motion using the drop menu 1. Do one of the following: • From the macOS Finder, drag a layered Photoshop file into the canvas, Layers list, or Timeline layers list. • In the Motion toolbar, click Import (or choose File > Import), then drag a layered Photoshop file from the dialog into the canvas, Layers list, or Timeline layers list. 2. Before releasing the mouse button, pause until the canvas drop menu appears and the pointer becomes curved.
Media file types Supported media formats in Motion You can import the following video, still image, and audio formats: Video formats • Animated GIFs • Apple Animation codec • Apple Intermediate codec • Apple ProRes (all versions) • Apple ProRes RAW and Apple ProRes RAW HQ • AVCHD (including AVCCAM, AVCHD Lite, and NXCAM) • AVC-ULTRA (including AVC-LongG, AVC-Intra Class 50/100/200/4:4:4, and AVC-Intra LT) • Dolby Vision Profile 8.
Still image formats • BMP • GIF • HEIF (requires macOS High Sierra 10.13) • JPEG • PNG • PSD (merged and layered) • SGI • TIFF • TGA • OpenEXR Other image formats • PDF files Audio formats • AAC (listed in the Finder with the .m4p filename extension) • AIFF • CAF • MP3 • MP4 • WAV Important: You cannot import rights-managed AAC files. You can combine clips that are compressed with different codecs in the same project.
High-resolution still image files in Motion You can import still image files using most popular still image formats, including SGI, PSD, BMP, JPEG, TIFF, and TGA. As with video clips, you can mix still image files with differing frame sizes and pixel aspect ratios. For a full list of eligible file types, see Supported media formats in Motion. A common and effective use of still images in motion graphics work is the animation of high-resolution files.
There are two options: • Do Nothing: Imports the image at its original size. In the following example, a 1920 x 1080 image is imported into a Broadcast HD 720 project (1280 x 720) with Do Nothing selected in Preferences. The image is larger than the canvas. • Scale to Canvas Size: Imports and scales the image to fit the project size while maintaining the image’s native aspect ratio.
Image sequences in Motion Numbered image sequences store video clips as individual still image files. Each image file has a number in the filename that indicates where it fits into the sequence. In a film clip that’s been digitally scanned, each file represents a single frame. In a video clip that’s been converted to an image sequence, each file contains both fields of a single video frame, with the upper and lower lines of the image saved together.
When importing a PDF file, its size is relative to the original page size of the file. As a result, even small graphics can have a large frame size, with empty space surrounding the graphic. When exporting a graphic as a PDF file for use in Motion, you may want to scale the graphic to fit the page dimensions, or reduce the page size in the source application’s page preferences to fit the graphic’s dimensions.
Multipage PDF files You can import multipage PDF files. When you do, a parameter called Page Number appears in the Properties Inspector when the PDF object is selected. Drag the slider to set which page is displayed in the canvas. Animate this parameter to display different pages over time. Important: Multilayered PDF files are not supported. To import a multilayered illustration, export each layer as a separate PDF file and import these as a nested group of objects in Motion.
You can import audio files with sample rates up to 192 kHz and with bit depths up to 32 bits. Mono and stereo files are supported. Multichannel audio files are also supported. For more information about file formats Motion supports, see Supported media formats in Motion. For more information on using audio in Motion, see Intro to audio in Motion. A seamless way to browse for and import music from your music library is to use the Music category in the Motion Library. See Add music and photo files in Motion.
• Library stack: When you select a category and subcategory in the navigation pane, the contents of the subcategory are shown in the lower area of the Library, known as the stack. View the Library If the Library is not visible in the Motion window, you can easily display it. • Click the Library button in the top-left corner of the Motion window. • In Motion, choose Window > Library (or press Command-2).
Categories of Library content in Motion The Library navigation pane contains the following categories of content that you can add to your project: Motion User Guide • Behaviors: Sophisticated animation and simulation effects (Spin, Grow, Gravity, and so on) that you can apply to objects and images in your project. Some behaviors can be applied only to specific objects. For example, Text Animation and Text Sequence behaviors can be applied only to text objects. See Intro to applying behaviors in Motion.
• Fonts: A browser containing all the fonts available on your computer, organized into subcategories based on the categories defined in the Font Book application. Simply select a font, then apply it to text in your project. For more information about Font Book, see macOS Help (in the Finder, choose Help > macOS Help). For more information about using fonts in Motion, see Preview and apply fonts in Motion.
Add Library content to a project in Motion You can add Library content (special effects and premade graphical elements) to a project in several different ways. Add Library content to a project 1. In the Library in Motion, select a category and subcategory in the navigation pane and an item in the Library stack. For example, select the Filters category, select a filter subcategory, then select a filter in the Library stack. A preview of the selected Library item appears in the preview area. 2.
Add music and photo files in Motion You can add files from your music and photo libraries to a project via the Motion Library. Your music and photo content appear in two categories: Music and Photos. (However, you cannot import rights-protected video content from Apple Music into a Motion project.) Important: If your Mac’s operating system is macOS 10.14, the Music category in the Motion Library is labeled iTunes.
Sort and search in the Library in Motion You can display and sort content in the Library in any of several ways. You can also search for library content. View the Library in list view • In Motion, click the List View button in the lower-right corner of the Library. View the Library in icon view • In Motion, click the Icon View button in the lower-right corner of the Library.
Manage Library folders and files in Motion Although you can’t modify the effects, elements, and folders built into Motion, you can organize custom effects, elements, and folders in the Library the same way you manipulate files in the Finder. You can create folders and delete certain files or folders. You can also easily create, save, and organize files and themes in the Library.
Delete a folder or file • In the Library stack in Motion, Control-click the custom file, then choose Move to Trash from the shortcut menu. Move a file into a folder • In the Library stack in Motion, drag the file onto the folder icon. The file is moved inside that folder. When Library media is unavailable in Motion As with any other object used in a Motion project, Library media must be present and installed on your computer for that media to appear correctly in Motion.
Assign a theme to custom content • In Motion, Control-click a custom item in the Library stack (such as a shape saved to the Favorites folder), choose Theme from the shortcut menu, then choose a theme from the submenu. An item must be saved in the Library before you can assign a theme. See Save custom objects to the Library in Motion.
Save a custom object to the Library 1. In Motion, open the Library and select the Favorites or Favorites Menu category, or another category. Note: To save a custom object to a category other than the Favorites or Favorites Menu category, the object type must match the category. For example, you can save custom filters to the Filters category, but not to the Behaviors category or Generators category. 2.
Manage source media Intro to source media in Motion When you import an external media file into a Motion project, two things occur: • An instance of that media (an image or video clip) is placed in your project, and is visible in the Layers list, canvas, and Timeline. • A link to the external source media file on your computer or other connected device is shown as an item in the Media list in the Project pane.
View source media information Media list in Motion The Media list (the second list in the Project pane) itemizes all media files (audio, image, image sequence, and QuickTime movie files) in the project. Items in this list are links to source media files that remain on your computer or networked storage device. Applied effects (such as filters or behaviors) and graphics content created in Motion (such as masks, shapes, or text) do not appear in the Media list.
Display and adjust columns in the Media list In Motion, do one of the following: • To display all visible columns in the Media list, drag the scroller at the bottom of the Media list. • To show or hide a column, Control-click a column heading, then choose the item to show or hide from the shortcut menu. Items in the list with a checkmark are displayed in the Media list. Items with no checkmark are hidden. • To reorder the columns, drag a column heading left or right to a new position.
Search for specific items in the Media list • In Motion, click the Search button at the bottom of the Media list, then enter the name of items to view in the Search field. As you type in the Search field, the Media list is filtered to show items containing the text you type. To stop filtering and return to the complete list, click the Clear button on the right side of the Search field.
Adjust source media parameters Display the Media Inspector in Motion The Media Inspector displays adjustable parameters that define how an image or movie clip is displayed and composited in the project. These parameters define the source media’s essential properties, including frame rate, pixel aspect ratio, interlacing, and alpha channel parameters. There are also parameters that allow you to define source media’s end condition, reversal, cropping, and timing.
The following controls let you modify source media in the Media list. Modifying source media modifies all layers in a project linked to that media. Note: The parameters described below do not apply to Photoshop files imported as separate layers. And PDF files with transparent backgrounds do not have the Alpha Type or Invert Alpha parameters. • • Alpha Type: A pop-up menu to set how Motion deals with alpha channels in the media item.
• Pixel Aspect Ratio: A pop-up menu to set the type of pixel relevant to the project, square or nonsquare. In general, objects created for computer display, film, and highdefinition video use square pixels, while objects created for some video formats (such as DV, HDV, DVCPRO HD, and others) use nonsquare pixels. A value field to the right of this pop-up menu displays the numeric aspect ratio, in case you need a custom ratio.
• Linked Objects: A list of all objects in the Layers list that are linked to the selected source media in the Media list. The first column shows the name of the group containing an instance of the source media; the second column shows the layer name. Changing the layer name in the Layers list updates the name appearing in this list. • Replace Media File: A button to relink media in your project to a source file on disk.
Exchange media in a layer 1. Drag a media file from the Finder onto a layer in the Layers list in Motion. 2. When a curved pointer appears, release the mouse button. The layer’s original source media is replaced by the new source media. Exchange source media in the Media Inspector 1. In the Media list in Motion, select the object to replace. 2. Open the Media Inspector or HUD (heads-up display). Note: For information about opening the Media Inspector, see Display the Media Inspector in Motion.
When a layer goes offline, a question mark icon appears beside the empty preview thumbnail in the Layers list. In the Media list, a question mark icon replaces the missing preview thumbnail. When you open a project file with offline media, a dialog appears listing all files that can’t be found. If the media files were moved to another folder or disk instead of being deleted, you might be able to locate them on your computer using the offline media search feature.
Search for and reconnect offline media files If you can’t find the file manually, use the offline media search feature. 1. In the alert dialog that appears in Motion, click Search for Media. Motion attempts to find the first missing file in the list. If the search is successful, a dialog shows the missing media file. 2. Select the file, then click Open to reconnect it. If the search is unsuccessful, try the steps in Manually reconnect an offline media file.
Play back projects Intro to project playback in Motion The easiest way to play a project and see your animated sequence in real time is to use the transport controls in the timing toolbar at center of the Motion window. The transport controls let you start and stop your project’s playback, jump to the beginning or end of your project, advance your project frame by frame, and so on.
View and play back a project Play back a project in Motion You can play a project from the beginning, play it from a certain point, play a selection, and loop playback. You can also play video in full-screen view. Play back a project In Motion, do any of the following: • Start project playback: In the timing toolbar, click the Play button (or press the Space bar). After you click Play, this control becomes a Pause button.
Loop project play back The Loop button controls whether playback loops indefinitely, or whether playback stops at the end of the play range. In Motion, do one of the following: • In the timing toolbar, click the Loop button. • Choose Mark > Loop Playback (or press Shift-L). For more information on setting a play range, see Define the play range in Motion.
Interrupt the RAM preview • In Motion, click the Stop button in the RAM Preview dialog. The section that has been rendered is stored in RAM. When a section of your project is stored in RAM, a dotted line appears along the top of the Timeline ruler and the miniTimeline. Clear RAM preview You can manually delete RAM preview to make room for a new RAM preview or to free up RAM for other operations. • In Motion, choose Mark > RAM Preview > Clear RAM Preview.
RAM preview a selection 1. In Motion, Option-Command-drag in the Timeline to select a region to preview. A highlight appears over the selected frames. For more information on regions, see Edit a range of frames in the Motion Timeline. 2. Choose Mark > RAM Preview > Selection. The RAM Preview dialog appears. When RAM preview is completed, the dialog closes. Use full-screen player mode in Motion When you click the Maximize Canvas button below the canvas, the canvas expands to fill the Motion window.
Use a second display in Motion If you have two displays connected to your computer, you can show the canvas or Timing pane on the second display. Note: You can also drag Motion project windows to the second display, allowing you to view more than one project at a time. Show the canvas on a second display • In Motion, choose Window > Show Canvas on Second Display. The canvas and Project pane (Layers list, Media list, and Audio list) appear on the second display.
View and adjust project timing Intro to the timing display in Motion In the center of the timing toolbar, the timing display shows the current playhead position in your project or the total duration of your project. Further, you can display this information in different units—frames or timecode. The timing display also allows you to perform common timing tasks such as changing project duration, navigating to a specific frame, moving forward or backward in small or large increments, and scrubbing frames.
When set to show project duration, the timing display shows the running time or number of frames in your project (depending on the unit of measure you choose to display). When set to show the current time, the timing display shows the frame number or timecode number of the current playhead position (depending on the unit of measure you choose to display). Switch between display of frame numbers and timecode The timing display offers two ways of measuring time in your project: frames or timecode.
Move ahead or back in seconds, minutes, or hours 1. In Motion, ensure that the timing display pop-up menu is set to Show Current Time. 2. Double-click the timing display, then do one of the following: • To move forward in seconds, enter a plus sign (+), enter the number of seconds to move forward, enter a period, then press Return. For example, to move 2 seconds ahead, enter “+2.” (with a period after the numeral 2), then press Return.
Note: Click the down arrow to the right of the numbers in the timing display and choose Show Frames or Show Timecode to switch between viewing the project duration in frames or timecode. Change the default project duration • In Motion, choose Motion > Preferences (or press Command-Comma), click Project (if it’s not already selected), then enter a project length in the Project Duration field. Note: The duration of any open project is not changed.
Customize the playback Out point In Motion, do one of the following: • In the ruler, drag the Out point marker from the right edge of the ruler to the frame where you want to set the Out point. • In the ruler, move the playhead to the frame where you want to set the Out point, then choose Mark > Mark Play Range Out. • In the ruler, move the playhead to the frame where you want to set the Out point, then press Option-Command-O.
Work in a basic project Intro to basic compositing in Motion After you create a project and add content, you can begin to edit and arrange the image layers in your composition. This process is known as compositing, the art of combining at least two images to produce an integrated final result.
• Properties Inspector: You can also adjust layer properties using numeric controls— sliders, dials, value fields, and so on. These controls in the Properties Inspector let you make the same adjustments afforded by the onscreen editing tools, but with more precision. Adjustments made in the canvas are simultaneously updated in the Inspector, and vice versa.
• Project object: An icon at the top of the Layers list that, when selected, makes the Project Inspector available. The Project Inspector displays parameters for publishing a template for use in Final Cut Pro. See Publish controls to Final Cut Pro from Motion and Add multiple aspect ratios to templates in Motion. Additional icons and controls in each row of the Layers list provide information about the status of applied effects, allow you to lock layers, and let you turn applied effects on or off.
Select layers in the canvas In Motion, do one of the following: • Select a single layer: In the canvas toolbar, click and hold the transform tools pop-up menu, choose Transform (if it’s not already selected), then click an image in the canvas.
Resize the Project pane In Motion, do one of the following: • Resize horizontally: Drag the right edge of the pane left or right. • Resize vertically: Drag the top edge of the Timing pane (between the Timeline ruler and the timing display) up or down. Note: You can also choose Window > Hide Timing Pane. The Timing pane is hidden and the Project pane is expanded vertically.
3. Click a layer in the canvas. The layers move and rescale back to their original positions; the layer is selected in the canvas; and the playhead moves to the middle frame of the selected layer. Add and remove layers and groups in Motion You can add and remove layers or groups in the Layers list. You can also add or remove layers (but not groups) in the canvas.
Clone a layer When you duplicate a layer, subsequent changes made to the original (source) layer are not inherited by the duplicated layers. However, when you use the Make Clone Layer command, changes made to filters and masks in the source layer propagate to the clones. Creating clone layers improves project playback and rendering performance. Important: Behaviors don’t propagate to clone layers unless the behavior affects a filter or mask in the source layer.
Reorganize layers and groups in Motion The order in which layers and groups appear in the Layers list determines which layers appear in front of other layers in the canvas. You can change the ordering of layers in the Layers list or in the canvas. However, it’s easiest to select layers and change their stacking order in the Layers list. Additionally, you can change layer order using commands in the Object menu.
Move a layer from one group to another When you have more than one group, you can move layers back and forth between groups, changing their nested relationship in your project. 1. In Motion, select one or more layers. 2. Do one of the following: • Drag the selected layers to a position underneath another group. A position indicator appears, showing where the layer is placed when you release the mouse button.
Show, hide, solo, or lock layers in Motion In the Layers list, you can disable layers and groups to make them invisible in the canvas without removing them from your composition. For example, if a large image layer obstructs other layers you want to adjust in the canvas, you can temporarily disable the offending layer. Similarly, you can disable effects objects—filters, behaviors, masks, and so on—to temporarily remove their effect on layers and groups.
Solo a layer or group You can “solo” a layer or group to hide all other layers and groups in the project. This technique can be useful to isolate a single layer or group in the canvas to animate or manipulate it without interfering with other objects in your composition. 1. In the Layers list in Motion, select layers or groups to solo. 2. Choose Object > Solo (or press Control-S). Note: You can also Control-click an object in the Layers list, then choose Solo from the shortcut menu.
Nest layers and groups Intro to nesting layers and groups in Motion Groups and layers in the Layers list appear in a hierarchy that shows which layers are nested inside which groups. Nested layers and groups appear underneath and indented to the right of their parent group. It’s a good idea to group layers that work together as a unit. By nesting related layers you want to animate inside a group, you can save time by animating the enclosing group, instead of animating each layer.
However, If you apply the same filter to the group, all layers in that group are affected by the filter, as if they were a single layer. Many filters produce different results when applied to a group, rather than individual layers in a group, as shown in the images below. You can also nest groups inside other groups.
Ungroup nested layers You can also delete a containing group and “un-nest” its contents. 1. In the Layers list in Motion, select a group containing the nested layers or groups. 2. Choose Object > Ungroup (or press Option-Command-G). The layers or groups are moved up in the Layers list hierarchy. Note: You cannot ungroup groups that are at the root (project level) of the Layers list hierarchy. Move a group inside another group 1. In the Layers list in Motion, select one or more groups. 2.
Fix the resolution of a group 1. In the Layers list in Motion, select a group. 2. In the Group Inspector, select the Fixed Resolution checkbox. By default, the group’s resolution is set to the project size; objects in the group but outside the canvas are cropped. An “R” indicator appears to the left of the Fixed Resolution checkbox, informing you that the group is rasterized. For more information on rasterization, see Intro to rasterization in Motion. 3.
• Activation checkbox: Turns the visibility of the group, layer, or effects object on or off. When an object’s visibility is off, you can still modify the object’s parameters and manipulate its onscreen controls (in the canvas). • Preview: Displays a thumbnail of a layer or group. The group thumbnail represents the cumulative result of the composite up to that point in the project. (You can turn the display of the preview on or off in the Layers Columns section of the View menu.
Layers list shortcut menu in Motion The Layers list shortcut menu gives you access to additional commands to help organize and manipulate layers. Control-click a layer in the Layers list, then choose a command from the shortcut menu. The command is applied to the layer you Control-clicked. Note: Not all options are available for all layers. The Layers list shortcut menu contains the following commands: Motion User Guide • Cut: Removes the layer and places it on the Clipboard.
When no items are selected in the Layers list, the shortcut menu provides this set of commands: • New Group: Adds a group to the project above existing groups in the Layers list. • Import: Opens a dialog used to import files from the Finder. • Paste: Pastes any item copied to the Clipboard into the topmost group in the Layers list.
Show or hide mask, behavior, or filter objects You can hide effects objects in the Layers list to simplify your view of layers and groups in your project. • In Motion, click the Show/Hide Masks, Show/Hide Behaviors, or Show/Hide Filters button in the lower-right corner of the Layers list. When a button is dimmed, the effects object is hidden from view in the Layers list. However, the effect remains active in the canvas.
Transform layers in the canvas Intro to transforming layers in the Motion canvas You can transform image layers in the canvas using onscreen controls (transform handles) to drag, resize, rotate, and more. Although you can perform the same modifications with more precision by adjusting parameter controls in the Properties Inspector, onscreen controls give you a more hands-on method of working. Before transforming layers, you must make a selection in the Layers list or canvas.
Transform layer properties in the Motion canvas After you select a layer in the Layers list or canvas, you can choose a transform tool (from the pop-up menu in the canvas toolbar) to activate transform handles in the canvas. Drag the handles to manipulate basic image properties such as position, rotation, scale, and so on. For a list of transform tools and their functions, see Transform tools in Motion. Activate the Select/Transform tool The Select/Transform tool (the arrow) is the default transform tool.
• In the canvas: In the canvas toolbar, click the active transform tool, then Control-click any layer in the canvas and choose a tool from the shortcut menu. The options in the shortcut menu vary depending on the type of layer selected. For example, a shape layer contains shape-specific options such as Stroke, Edit Gradient, and Edit Points. • With the Tab key: In the Layers list or canvas, select a layer, then press Tab. Pressing Tab repeatedly cycles through the transform tools in order.
3. Drag an onscreen control (such as a transform handle or control point) in the canvas. If you selected a single layer, only that layer is modified. If you selected multiple layers, each is transformed. Each transformation occurs around each layer’s own anchor point. Transform a group If you select and then transform an entire group, all layers and groups nested in it are treated as a single layer. 1. In Motion, select a group in the Layers list.
Transform tools in Motion Use the transform tools to adjust and manipulate objects in the canvas. To select a tool, click and hold the transform tools pop-up menu in the canvas toolbar, then choose a different tool. When you choose a transform tool and then select a layer or group, handles appear in the canvas. Drag the handles to move or transform an object in the canvas. Tip: Press Shift-S to select the Select/Transform tool. To quickly cycle through tools, press Tab.
Icon Tool Description Crop tool Activates crop handles in the canvas for the selected object. Drag the edge or corner of the object to crop (hide) a portion of the object. See Crop a layer in Motion. Edit Points tool Activates points and Bezier handles in the canvas for complex masks, shapes, and motion paths. See Modify shape or mask points in Motion. Edit Shape tool Activates points and curvature handles in the canvas for simple shapes. See Draw simple shapes in Motion.
Change a layer’s position in the canvas 1. In Motion, select a layer in the Layers list or canvas. A bounding box appears around the selected layer in the canvas. 2. In the canvas toolbar, click and hold the transform tools pop-up menu, then choose Select/Transform (if it’s not already selected). By default, the Select/Transform tool is the active tool. If you have another tool selected, such as a Mask or Shape tool, pressing S returns you to the Transform tools. 3.
As you drag the scale handles, the new width and height percentages appear in the status bar above the canvas and are updated in the Scale parameter of the Properties Inspector. See View dynamic canvas feedback in Motion. Note: Scaling the width or height of a layer by a negative value reverses the image, flipping its direction. Rotate a layer in the canvas The Select/Transform tool also activates a handle used to rotate the image around its anchor point.
As you drag the rotation handle, the original angle of the layer is indicated by a small circle that appears on a larger circle surrounding the layer’s anchor point. The value of the Rotation parameter is updated in the Properties Inspector. Additionally, the status bar shows you the new angle of rotation. See View dynamic canvas feedback in Motion.
Layers rotate around the anchor point. The anchor point also affects resizing operations. For example, the default anchor point for any layer is the center of the bounding box that defines the layer’s edges. If you rotate a layer, it spins around this central anchor point. If you offset the anchor point, however, the layer no longer rotates around its own center, but instead rotates around the new anchor point.
Change the anchor point of a layer in the canvas 1. In Motion, select a layer in the Layers list or canvas. A bounding box appears around the selected layer in the canvas. 2. In the canvas toolbar, click and hold the transform tools pop-up menu, then choose Anchor Point. In the canvas, the selected layerʼs anchor point appears as a round target surrounded with three color arrows representing the X, Y, and Z coordinate axes.
Add a drop shadow to a layer in Motion Selecting the Drop Shadow tool enables canvas controls to create a drop shadow and modify its blur, angle, and distance from a layer. Note: The Drop Shadow onscreen controls are not available for layers within a 360° environment. A drop shadow, by default, is a dark, translucent, offset shape that falls behind a layer, as if a light were shining on the layer.
3. Do any of the following: • Set the distance and angle of the shadow: Drag inside the bounding box. • Adjust the blur of the drop shadow: Drag a corner handle on the bounding box. The Drop Shadow parameters are updated in the Properties Inspector. Alternatively, you can add a drop shadow by selecting a layer, then selecting the Drop Shadow activation checkbox in the Properties Inspector. See Properties Inspector controls in Motion.
3. Do any of the following: • Stretch the layer into an irregular shape: Drag any of the four corner handles. • Shear (slant) the layer: Drag any of the side handles or top and bottom handles. The top and bottom handles shear the layer horizontally. The left and right handles shear the layer vertically. Note: Shearing a layer using the Distort tool does not affect the Shear parameter in the Transform area of the Properties Inspector.
Crop a layer in Motion Selecting the Crop tool activates canvas controls to resize the borders of a layer. Note: The Crop tool is not available for layers within a 360° environment. Cropping lets you chop off any of the four edges of a layer to eliminate parts you don’t want to see in your composition. Common examples of layers you’d want to crop are video clips with a black line or unwanted vignetting around the edges. The crop operation can remove these undesirable artifacts.
Crop a layer in the canvas 1. In Motion, select a layer in the Layers list or canvas. A bounding box appears around the selected layer in the canvas. 2. In the canvas toolbar, click and hold the transform tools pop-up menu, then choose Crop. In the canvas, a bounding box with eight crop handles appears around the selected layer. 3. Do any of the following: • Crop one edge: Drag the top, left, right, or bottom handle. • Crop two adjacent edges: Drag a corner handle.
Modify shape or mask points in Motion Selecting the Edit Shape tool activates canvas controls for adjusting simple shapes and masks. Selecting the Edit Points tool activates control points in the canvas for adjusting complex shapes and masks. Note: Onscreen control points are not available for layers within a 360° environment. (You cannot add shapes or masks to a 360° environment). Modify a simple shape in the canvas 1.
Modify a complex shape’s control points in the canvas 1. In Motion, after you create the complex shape or mask, click and hold the transform tools pop-up menu in the canvas toolbar, then choose Edit Points. Note: You can also double-click the shape or Control-click the layer, then choose Edit Points from the shortcut menu. The layer’s control points become active. 2. In the canvas, drag the control points (or the tangent handles attached to each control point) to modify the shape.
Align layers in the Motion canvas The Alignment submenu in the Object menu contains commands that let you reposition any number of simultaneously selected layers to align with one another in various ways. These commands make it easy to organize a jumble of layers into an even layout. In each operation, the left, right, top, and bottom of the selected layers are defined by the bounding box that surrounds each layer. The position of the anchor point is ignored.
• Distribute Tops: Layers are moved vertically so the tops of all layers are evenly distributed, from top to bottom, between the topmost and bottommost layers in the selection. • Distribute Bottoms: Layers are moved vertically so the bottoms of all layers are evenly distributed, from top to bottom, between the topmost and bottommost layers in the selection.
Transform layers in the Inspector Transform layers in the Properties Inspector in Motion You can adjust layer properties using numeric controls in the Properties Inspector. These controls let you make the same adjustments afforded by the transform tools, but with more precision. Adjustments made in the canvas are simultaneously updated in the Inspector, and vice versa. The available controls vary depending on the type of layer you select in the Layers list or canvas.
Collapse or expand the pane containing the Properties Inspector In Motion, do one of the following: • Choose Window > Inspector (or press F1). • In the toolbar, click the Inspector button, then in the Inspector, click Properties. Show or hide a group of controls in the Properties Inspector In Motion, do one of the following: • Position the pointer over a row that contains a section name (Transform or Blending, for example), then click Show or Hide.
For more information on how to use the parameter controls, see Intro to using color controls in Motion. For a description of the controls in the Properties Inspector, see Properties Inspector controls in Motion. Properties Inspector controls in Motion The Properties Inspector displays the adjustable parameters for most layers and groups. Important: The Transform, Cast Reflections, Four Corner, Crop, Lighting, Shadow, and Reflection parameters are not available for layers within 360° environments.
• Animate: A pop-up menu that sets the interpolation for animated 3D rotation channels to one of two options: • Use Rotation: The default interpolation method. Layer rotates from its start angle to its final angle. Depending on the animation, the layer might twist before reaching its final orientation (the last keyframed value). For example, if the X, Y, and Z Angle parameters are animated from 0 degrees to 180 degrees in a project, the layer rotates on all axes before reaching its final orientation.
Drop Shadow parameters An activation checkbox that turns the drop shadow of a layer on and off. When selected, additional controls become available: • Color: Color controls that set the drop shadow’s color. The default color is black. • Opacity: A slider that sets the drop shadow’s transparency. • Blur: A slider that specifies the drop shadow’s softness. • Distance: A slider that sets how close or far a layer’s drop shadow is to the layer.
• Highlights: A checkbox that, when selected, causes lit layers to show highlights. This parameter has no effect if Shading is set to Off. Click the disclosure triangle to reveal an additional Shininess parameter. • Shininess: A slider that sets the strength of a layer’s highlights. Higher values create a glossier appearance. This parameter is disabled when the Highlights checkbox is deselected. See Add lights in Motion.
Transform layers in the HUD in Motion Like the Inspector, the HUD (heads-up display) is contextual and changes its controls based on the selected object. For example, when you select an image layer, its HUD contains opacity, blend mode, and drop shadow controls. When you select a shape layer, its HUD contains additional controls for adjusting fill, outline, width, feathering, and so on.
• Press D to cycle through all HUDs for the selected object. To cycle the HUDs in reverse, press Shift-D. The HUDs are cycled in the order in which the effects were applied. When you select multiple objects of the same type, a combined HUD appears (with “Multiple Selection” displayed in its title bar). You can adjust the parameters common to the selected objects.
Tip: If the blue handle is facing forward, drag left or right to move the object forward or backward. • Rotate the object around its X axis: Move the pointer over the top rotation handle until a red rotation ring appears, then drag the ring. • Rotate the object around its Y axis: Move the pointer over the left rotation handle until a green rotation ring appears, then drag the ring.
Adjust opacity and blending Modify layer opacity in Motion The opacity and blending controls for each layer appear in the Properties Inspector and in the default HUD for any selected layer. By stacking layers with varying opacities, you can merge images together in ways not otherwise possible. For example, if you have two full-screen background images you want to use together, you can set the opacity of the layer in front to 50%, allowing the layer in back to show through.
• In Motion, with a layer (the dolphin image in this example) selected in the canvas or Layers list, select the Preserve Opacity checkbox in the Properties Inspector. The only area of the layer visible is the area that overlaps the layer behind it.
Important: The transparency created by most of the available blend modes affects how a layer combines with overlapping layers underneath. These blend modes do nothing to affect a layer’s alpha channel. For information about blend modes that do affect a layer’s alpha channel, see Alpha channel blend modes in Motion. Each blend mode combines layers in different ways.
How do blend modes work in Motion? Each blend mode presents a different method of combining (compositing) two or more images. Blend modes work in addition to a layer’s alpha channel and opacity parameter. To understand the descriptions of each blend mode in this chapter, it’s important to understand that blend modes mix colors from overlapping images based on the brightness values in each color channel in an image.
Types of blend modes in Motion The following section describes how blend modes cause layers to combine to create different results. The blend modes are presented in the order in which they appear in the Blend Mode pop-up menu, arranged into groups of modes that create similar results. Most of the examples in this section are created by combining the following two reference images: The resulting image illustrates how differently the color values from each image interact under each blend mode.
Darkening blend modes The following blend modes tend to create a result darker than either of the original images: • Subtract: Darkens all overlapping colors. Whites in the foreground image go black, while whites in the background image invert overlapping color values in the foreground image, creating a negative effect. Blacks in the foreground image become transparent, while blacks in the background image are preserved.
• Multiply: Like Darken, Multiply emphasizes the darkest parts of each overlapping image, except that midrange color values from both images are mixed together more evenly. Progressively lighter regions of overlapping images become increasingly translucent, allowing whichever image is darker to show through. Whites in either image allow the overlapping image to show through completely. Blacks from both images are preserved in the resulting image.
• Linear Burn: Similar to Multiply, except that darker overlapping midrange color values are intensified, as with Color Burn. Progressively lighter color values in overlapping images become increasingly translucent, allowing darker colors to show through. Whites in either image allow the overlapping image to show through completely. The order of two layers affected by the Linear Burn blend mode does not matter.
• Lighten: Emphasizes the lightest parts of each overlapping image. Every pixel in each image is compared, and the lightest pixel from either image is preserved, so the final image consists of a dithered combination of the lightest pixels from each image. Whites in both images show through in the resulting image. The order of two layers affected by the Lighten blend mode does not matter.
Motion User Guide • Color Dodge: Preserves whites in either the foreground or background image. Blacks in the background image replace the foreground image, while blacks in the foreground image become transparent. Midrange color values in the background image allow midrange color values in the foreground image to show through. Darker values in the background image allow more of the foreground image to show through.
Complex blend modes The following blend modes create results by applying a combination of effects, based on the original images. Each mode can create a variety of results depending on the specific values of the images being mixed together. Some of these modes are designed to simulate the effect of shining a light through the top layer, effectively projecting upon the layers beneath it.
The Soft Light blend mode is useful for softly tinting a background image by mixing it with the colors in a foreground image. Motion User Guide • Hard Light: Causes whites and blacks in the foreground image to block the background image. Whites and blacks in the background image interact with overlapping midrange color values in the foreground image. Overlapping midrange color values are mixed together differently depending on the brightness of the background color values.
• Linear Light: Similar to the Hard Light blend mode, except that overlapping midrange color values are mixed together with higher contrast. Whites and blacks in the foreground image block the background image. Whites and blacks in the background image interact with overlapping midrange color values in the foreground image. Overlapping midrange color values are mixed together. Lighter background colors brighten the foreground image, while darker colors darken it.
• Hard Mix: Similar to the Hard Light blend mode, except that the saturation of overlapping midrange color values is intensified, resulting in extremely high-contrast images. Whites and blacks are preserved. Although the order of two layers doesn’t affect the overall look of two images blended using the Hard Mix blend mode, there might be subtle differences.
Alpha channel blend modes in Motion The Stencil and Silhouette blend modes let you use a single layer’s alpha channel or luma values to isolate regions of background layers and groups. (Similar effects can be accomplished using shape and image masks. In addition, masks might provide you with a greater degree of control, depending on your needs. See Intro to shapes, masks, and paint strokes in Motion.) Stencil modes crop out all non-overlapping parts of layers underneath the layer used as the stencil.
The following blend modes modify the alpha channel of the layer to which the blend mode is applied: • Stencil Alpha: Uses the alpha channel of the affected layer to crop out all nonoverlapping parts of layers and groups underneath it in the Layers list. • Stencil Luma: Does the same thing as the Stencil Alpha blend mode, but uses the affected layer’s luma value to define transparency. Stencil Luma is useful if the layer you want to use for cropping has no alpha channel of its own.
View and navigate in the canvas Zoom or pan the canvas in Motion You can zoom in on the canvas to allow precision alignment and placement of objects, and you can zoom out to get a sense of the big picture or to see the path of a moving object. You can also pan the canvas to modify your view of a composition. Zooming and panning does not change the size or layout of the images in your project. It only changes your working view of the entire composition. Zoom using the Zoom tool 1.
Zoom a specific area of the canvas In Motion, do one of the following: • Zoom in: Pressing and holding the Space bar and the Command key (in that order), drag the pointer over an area in the canvas; while still pressing and holding the keys, click in the canvas to zoom in 50 percent increments of the current zoom level. • Zoom out: Pressing and holding the Space bar, Command key, and Option key (in that order), click in the canvas to zoom out in 50 percent increments of the current zoom level.
View dynamic canvas feedback in Motion The status bar at the top-left side of the canvas shows information about layer transforms, color, coordinates, and playback frame rate—dynamically, as you modify layers. Turn display of the status bar on or off 1. In Motion, press Command-Comma to open Motion Preferences. 2. In the Appearance pane of Motion Preferences, select or deselect the Dynamic Tool Info checkbox.
Display playback frame rate Part of the way Motion plays back a project in real time is by lowering the frame rate when a sequence is too complex to render at full speed. You can monitor the current frame rate— in frames per second (fps)—in the status bar. Note: The frame rate appears in the status bar only while a project is playing. • In the Appearance pane of Motion Preferences, select the “Frame rate (only during playback)” checkbox. When you play the project, the frame rate appears in the status bar.
• RGB Only: Displays the normal mix of red, green, and blue channels but displays transparent areas (including semitransparent areas) as opaque. • Red: Displays only the red channel as a range of black to white. • Green: Displays only the green channel as a range of black to white. • Blue: Displays only the blue channel as a range of black to white. • Alpha: Displays the alpha (transparency) channel of the layers in the canvas.
• Motion Blur: Enables/disables the preview of motion blur in the canvas. Disabling motion blur may improve performance. Note: When creating an effect, title, transition, or generator template for use in Final Cut Pro, the Motion Blur item in the View pop-up menu controls whether motion blur is turned on when the project is applied in Final Cut Pro. See Intro to Final Cut Pro templates in Motion. • Field Rendering: Enables/disables field rendering.
• Dynamic Guides: Turns display of automatic dynamic guides on and off. These guides appear when you drag a layer past edges of other layers when snapping is enabled (choose View > Snap). You can change the color of dynamic guides in the Canvas pane (Alignment section) of Motion Preferences. Note: You can also press Shift-Command-Colon (:). • Safe Zones: Turns display of the title safe and action safe guides on and off. By default, these guides are set at 80% and 90%.
• 3D Scene Icons: Turns the display of cameras and lights in the canvas on or off. Scene icons appear in the canvas as wireframe icons. Lights appear with red (X), green (Y), and blue (Z) adjust 3D handles that let you transform and rotate them. The handles are still displayed when the 3D scene icons command is turned off. See Display 3D scene icons in Motion. • Correct for Aspect Ratio: Applies an artificial distortion of the canvas in projects with nonsquare pixels.
• Three-up, large window below: Displays three windows, two next to each other on top and a larger window below. • Three-up, large window right: Displays three windows, two stacked on the left side and a larger window spanning the right side. • Four-up, large window right: Displays four windows, three stacked on the left side and one larger window on the right side. • Four-up: Displays four windows, all the same size.
Use rulers and guides in Motion Using rulers and guides (line overlays) in the canvas can help you compose or align elements of your project, as well as snap objects to rulers. Note: In 360° projects, rulers are not always available. See Intro to 360° video in Motion. Turn on rulers • In Motion, click the View pop-up menu at the top-right side of the canvas, then choose Rulers (or press Shift-Command-R). When canvas rulers are enabled, a checkmark appears next to the item in the pop-up menu.
Simultaneously add a horizontal and vertical guide to the canvas 1. Drag from the corner where the rulers meet, then continue dragging into the Motion canvas. 2. When the guides are in the location you want, release the mouse button. Remove a guide from the canvas • Drag the guide off the Motion canvas. To delete the guide, drag into the Project pane or Timing pane areas of the Motion window, then release the mouse button. Change the color of the guides 1. In Motion, choose Motion > Preferences. 2.
Work in a 3D project Intro to 3D compositing in Motion Motion includes a robust set of tools for creating three-dimensional layers that intersect and interact with one another. The 3D features in Motion are powerful, yet flexible, allowing to you combine 2D elements and 3D elements to create different effects.
• Enable realistic shadow effects so that objects in your project cast and receive shadows • Enable realistic reflections to give your objects surface shine and other real-world reflective properties Tip: Before you begin creating 3D environments, learn the basics of the 3D coordinate system in Motion. See Intro to 3D coordinates in Motion. You can also create 3D text in a Motion project or add cameras to a 360° Motion project.
Relative coordinates in Motion In Motion, the coordinates of an object are relative to the coordinates of the group that the object resides in. For example, if you position an empty group at X, Y, and Z coordinates of 100, 100, 100, and then add an image layer to the group, the layer’s coordinates are shown in the Properties Inspector as 0, 0, 0. However, in the canvas the image layer appears offset (100 pixels right of center, 100 pixels above center, and 100 pixels “closer” to you).
Transform layers in 3D space in Motion In Motion, 2D layers and groups can exist in the same project as 3D layers and groups. You can manipulate any 2D layer in 3D space by using the 3D Transform tool. Move a layer in 3D space 1. In the Motion canvas toolbar, select the 3D Transform tool (or press Q). 2. Select a layer or group in the Layers list or canvas. A bounding box with 3D handles appears on the selected object in the canvas. 3.
Rotate a layer in 3D space 1. In the Motion canvas toolbar, select the 3D Transform tool (or press Q). 2. Select a layer or group in the Layers list or canvas. A bounding box with 3D handles appears on the selected object in the canvas. 3. Move the pointer over one of the rotation handles (small circles surrounding the arrows) until a color rotation ring appears, then drag the ring. • The red ring rotates the object around its X axis. • The green ring rotates the object around its Y axis.
Rotate a layer around all axes simultaneously 1. In the Motion canvas toolbar, select the 3D Transform tool (or press Q). 2. Select a layer or group in the Layers list or canvas. 3D handles appear on the selected object in the canvas. 3. Pressing and holding the Command key, move the pointer over one of the rotation handles (small circles surrounding the arrows) until all three rotation rings appear, then drag within the rings (but not over the rotation handle).
Transform a layer in 3D space using the HUD As an alternative to dragging in the canvas, you can transform layers and groups in 3D space using graphic controls in the HUD. 1. In the Motion canvas toolbar, select the 3D Transform tool (or press Q). 2. Select a layer or group in the Layers list or canvas. 3. Choose Window > Show HUD or press D. 4.
3D intersection Create 3D intersection in Motion By default in Motion, the order of layers in the Layers list determines the stacking order of layers in the canvas. In other words, layers higher up in the Layers list appear in the canvas on top of layers that are lower in the Layers list. This hierarchy of layer organization is called layer order.
To summarize: • Groups and layers nested in 2D groups are composited in layer order. • Groups and layers nested in 3D groups are composited in depth order. A Motion project can contain both 2D and 3D groups, and both groups can be parents or nested children of one another. And you can convert a group from 2D to 3D, and vice versa, at any time.
2D and 3D group properties in Motion 2D groups and 3D groups behave in different ways. And in the Group Inspector, 2D groups and 3D groups have different parameters. The Group Inspector for 3D groups contains Flatten and Layer Order parameters. Selecting the Flatten checkbox places layers and groups inside the 3D group into a two-dimensional plane.
• Filters are applied to a 2D group in local space—that is, flat to the image. • When lights are used, the group is lit as a single object; nested layers and groups are not lit individually. Note: 2D groups not nested inside 3D groups are not affected by lights. • Because it is flat, a 2D group has Drop Shadow, Four Corner, and Crop parameters in the Properties Inspector. • 2D groups can have a fixed resolution.
Add cameras to create 3D environments Intro to 3D cameras in Motion By default, newly created Motion projects are 2D, planar environments. When you add a scene camera and convert your project to a 3D environment, the following occurs: • A third dimension (depth) is activated in the canvas, represented by the Z axis. • A camera object is added to the Layers list and to the canvas (as a wireframe icon that you can drag like any other object in Motion).
2. Do one of the following: • To add a camera without converting 2D groups in your project to 3D groups, click Keep as 2D. • To add a camera and convert 2D groups in your project to 3D groups, click Switch to 3D. The following happens: • A camera object is added to the Layers list and canvas (represented there by a wireframe icon). • The 3D Transform tool in the canvas toolbar is selected. • The Camera HUD becomes available (if it isn’t visible, press F7).
Cameras and views in Motion In a 3D workspace, everything is seen from the viewpoint of a camera. If you want to export your project specifically from a camera view, you must add a scene camera. When you add a scene camera to a project, additional reference cameras become available to help you see your composition from various angles, such as top, bottom, left, and right.
Reference cameras There are two types of views provided by the reference cameras: • Orthogonal: Views the scene by looking straight down one of the world axes: X, Y, or Z. The Front and Back cameras look straight down the Z axis. The Top and Bottom cameras look straight down the Y axis. The Left and Right cameras look straight down the X axis. Orthogonal views do not show perspective. • Perspective: Views the scene with perspective distortion, the way a real-world camera would.
• 3D scene icons: Display onscreen representations of cameras, lights, and edge-on lines. Show or hide 3D overlays In Motion, do one of the following: • Choose View > 3D Overlays, then choose an overlay type. • Click the View pop-up menu above the canvas, then choose an overlay type. A checkmark next to an overlay type in the pop-up menu indicates that the overlay is enabled in the canvas.
The Camera pop-up menu is divided into three sections: • The top section lets you select the active scene camera as well as any other scene cameras you’ve added to your project. For more information on scene cameras, see Cameras and views in Motion. • Active Camera/Camera: When you choose Active Camera from the pop-up menu, the topmost camera in the Layers list at the current playhead position (in the Timeline) becomes the active camera.
• Right: This orthogonal camera looks straight down the X axis and shows a perpendicular view from the right of the scene. • Top: This orthogonal camera looks straight down the Y axis and shows a perpendicular view from the top of the scene. • Bottom: This orthogonal camera looks straight down the Y axis and shows a perpendicular view from the bottom of the scene. Note: The orthogonal camera views (Front, Back, Left, Right, Top, and Bottom) ignore perspective.
Use 3D view tools in Motion The 3D view tools in the upper-right corner of the canvas become available after you add a camera to your project. Use these tools to modify the position and orientation of reference and scene cameras, thereby changing your view of objects in 3D space. A scene camera indicator (a gray camera icon) appears to the left of the 3D view tools when a scene camera is the active camera.
Reset your camera In Motion, do one of the following: • Double-click the Pan, Orbit, or Dolly tool. • Click the Camera pop-up menu (in the upper-left corner of the canvas), then choose Reset View. • In the Properties Inspector for the camera, click the Animation menu in a parameter row (the down arrow that appears when you move the pointer over the right side of the row), then choose Reset Parameter.
Select a reference camera view using the 3D compass 1. In Motion, position the pointer over the 3D compass. The 3D compass changes to its active state, displaying a labeled icon for each reference camera view. 2. Click the icon representing the camera to activate. The view in the canvas updates to the selected reference camera view. Select a camera view using the 3D compass 1. In Motion, position the pointer over the 3D compass. The 3D compass changes to its active state. 2.
Display a 3D grid in Motion The 3D grid shows the ground plane of the 3D world. The ground plane is, as the name states, a plane attached to the ground of the scene, where Y equals 0. The ground plane represents the dividing line between up and down, that is, between positive Y values and negative Y values. It is centered on 0, 0, 0. Show the 3D grid • In Motion, click the View pop-up menu above the canvas, then choose Show 3D Overlays and 3D Grid.
Note: No 3D scene icons appear in exported images or movie clips. Tip: Double-click a camera scene icon to select it and change the current view to that camera. Show the 3D scene icons • In Motion, click the View pop-up menu above the canvas, then choose Show 3D Overlays and 3D Scene Icons. A checkmark next to an overlay type in the pop-up menu indicates that the overlay is enabled in the canvas.
• Three-up, large window right: Displays three viewport windows, two stacked on the left side and a larger window spanning the right side. • Four-up, large window right: Displays four viewport windows, three stacked on the left side and one larger window on the right side. • Four-up: Displays four viewport windows, all the same size. When working with multiple viewports, the most recent view clicked in is the active view. The active viewport is highlighted with a yellow border.
Note: Dragging and dropping an object onto the canvas adds the object to the scene at the focal plane of the current camera. Dragging an object into the Layers list or importing a file positions the object at 0, 0, 0 in the canvas. Make a camera active based on its layer order • In the Motion canvas, click the Camera pop-up menu, then choose Active Camera. The topmost camera in the Layers list at the current frame becomes the active camera (Camera 2 in the example above).
Scale, position, and animate cameras in Motion Motion gives you various ways to scale, position, “walk,” and animate cameras. After you position cameras in a project, you can select a single camera view using the Isolate command. See Isolate an object in the canvas in Motion. Scale a camera Use the Scale parameter in the Properties pane of the Inspector to scale what a scene camera sees. For example, when the camera “shrinks,” the scene it views seems to become larger. 1.
2. Use the Up Arrow, Down Arrow, Right Arrow, and Left Arrow keys to move the camera in 3D space; press and hold the Option key while using the arrow keys to move the camera more slowly. You can also drag in the canvas to orient the camera. If you’re using a scene camera, you can also record the movement you create using the Walk 3D View tool, by creating keyframes. For more information on keyframing, see Add keyframes in Motion.
Isolate an object 1. In Motion, select the object to isolate in the canvas, Layers list, or Timeline. 2. Do one of the following: • Choose Object > Isolate (or press Control-I). • In the Layers list or Timeline, click the Isolate button (the small white rectangle next to the object’s name). The current view changes to align itself with the selected object, and all other objects in the scene are hidden. When an object is isolated, a temporary camera is created and listed in the Camera pop-up menu.
• • Viewpoint: Sets the camera origin at the center of projection, “inside” the virtual camera. Angle of View: A slider to set the number of degrees in which the camera sees. Values range from 0 to 180 degrees. Note: When you animate the Angle of View parameter on a Framing camera, the result is an opposing dolly effect. An opposing dolly zooms in the opposite direction that the camera moves. When you animate the Angle of View parameter on a Viewpoint camera, the result is a regular camera zoom.
Depth of field Intro to depth of field in Motion In the real world, cameras have a limited range of focus. Objects within that range appear sharp, and the farther outside that range an object is, the blurrier it appears. This effect is used by camera operators to help limit which part of a scene the viewer pays attention to. Motion lets you simulate that phenomenon, thereby increasing the sense of depth in a 3D scene.
Turn depth of field on or off in Motion When depth of field is employed, playback performance may be significantly impacted. To alleviate this issue, you can disable the effects of depth of field settings while working on other aspects of your project. Enable or disable depth of field effects • In Motion, click the Render pop-up menu in the upper-right corner of the canvas, then choose Depth of Field (or press Control-Option-D). When a check mark is visible next to the menu item, the effects are rendered.
• Far Focus: A slider to set the farthest point of focus, measured in pixels as an offset from the focal distance. • Infinite Focus: A checkbox that sets the far focus to infinity, overriding the setting chosen in the Far Focus slider. • Filter: A pop-up menu to set the type of blur algorithm used to render the out-of-focus areas. Choices include Gaussian or Defocus. The Defocus setting renders a more realistic effect, but may impact performance.
Dolly behavior in Motion The Dolly behavior moves the camera a specified distance along the camera’s Z axis. After you apply this behavior, the Dolly section of the Behaviors Inspector contains the following parameter controls: • Distance: A slider to set the distance of the dolly movement. • Speed: A pop-up menu to set the type of interpolation used for the movement. The value can be set to Constant, Ease In, Ease Out, Ease Both, Accelerate, or Decelerate.
After you apply this behavior, the Framing section of the Behaviors Inspector contains the following parameter controls: • Target: An image well to specify the object upon which the camera is framed. Drag an object from the Layers list into the well. • Target Face: A pop-up menu to specify which side (face) of the target layer the camera points to at the end of the framing behavior.
• Framing Offset: Three value sliders (X, Y, and, when expanded, Z) to offset (in pixels) the point on the target that is centered, relative to the camera. By adjusting Framing Offset, you can target a point other than the center of the object. The Z slider moves the camera nearer to or farther from the target. • Offset Path Apex: A slider to set the position along the path (from the original position to the framing position) where the bend (if any) occurs if the user chooses to offset the path.
• Drag inside the white rectangle to adjust the X or Y values. Set the location of the camera motion path apex If the Framing behavior settings create a curved camera motion path, you can adjust the vertex (the highest point of the curve) using the Offset Path Apex parameter’s onscreen control. 1. In Motion, click the Camera pop-up menu in the upper-left corner of the canvas, then choose Perspective. 2.
Sweep behavior in Motion The Sweep behavior pivots the camera across a specified arc. After you apply this behavior, the Sweep section of the Behaviors Inspector contains the following parameter controls: • Start: A dial to set the camera’s starting angle relative to its current orientation. A nonzero value causes the camera to jump to this value at the start of the behavior. • End: A dial to set the camera’s final angle relative to its Start parameter value.
If Transition is set to 50% in a Zoom Layer behavior that has a length of 300 frames, the camera move takes 150 frames to arrive at the position of the target object and then stops moving for the duration of the behavior, and the camera’s Angle of View parameter animates over the rest of the duration. If Transition is set to 100%, the camera move takes the full 300 frames to arrive at the position of the target object, and the camera’s angle of view does not animate.
You can manipulate any of the following light properties: type of light, intensity, and color. A light bulb, the sun, and lighting in a dance club have different appearances. You can use lighting properties to simulate these differences. You can use multiple lights to mix color. If one red and one blue spot light are pointed at a white object, they mix to make magenta. Each type of light has its own attributes. It may take a combination of light types to achieve a specific effect.
2. If a dialog appears stating that you have no 3D groups in the project, click Switch to 3D. A new group containing lights is added to the project. The number and types of lights varies depending on the preset style you chose. 3. Make any adjustments to the newly added lights to customize them for your scene. Note: Choosing a new light setup does not remove or replace any lights that are already in the project.
• Point: Emits light outward from a single point in 3D space in all directions. Optionally, you can add falloff based on an object’s proximity to the light. This is the default light in Motion, and it produces results similar to that of an incandescent light bulb. • Spot: Emits light from a conical light source and casts an elliptical pattern on objects hit by the light. Using a spot light allows for a high degree of accuracy when you need to limit the area affected by the light.
In the example below, a light is positioned slightly above the origin of the scene. There are three rings of cards at a distance of 200, 500, and 1000 units from the light. (In this example, a visible light source—the bulb at the center of the rings of cards—is simulated for illustrative purposes.) The light’s Intensity is set to 100% and Falloff is set to 10%. When Falloff Start is set to 0 (left, below), the light begins to fall off by the time it hits the innermost ring.
• Falloff: A slider to control the rate of falloff for a point or spot light based on the Falloff Start setting. At low values, light falls off over a long distance from the light source; therefore, the light travels farther in the image. At high values, the falloff occurs more rapidly. • Diameter: A slider that becomes available when Light Type is set to Directional, Point, or Spot. Diameter affects how lights are reflected as highlights in 3D text objects.
Shadows Intro to 3D shadows in Motion Motion projects that include point lights or spot lights can create more natural, realistic effects by casting shadows. Shadows are created when an opaque or semi-opaque object (a layer or group) blocks light from hitting another object. To see a shadow in Motion, you need at least three things: A shadow-casting light source, an object to cast a shadow, and another object upon which the shadow is cast.
Drop shadows are commonly used to simulate depth and separate foreground objects from the background in 2D projects. The classic drop shadow effect is used on light-color titles so the text is legible against dark and light backgrounds. In a drop shadow effect, the imaginary light source does not create any shading effect on the surface of the object, and the shadowʼs position is set at a fixed direction.
Shadows controls in the Light Inspector • Shadows: A checkbox to turn on Shadows controls. The Shadows checkbox lets you set some lights to cast shadows, and others not to cast shadows. Selecting this checkbox causes the light to cast shadows on objects in front of it if the objects also have shadow controls enabled. Deselecting it prevents the light from generating shadows, regardless of settings of individual objects. • Opacity: A slider to control the apparent opacity of the shadow.
Note: Intersecting objects reveal an unnatural effect of using uniform softness. Because an equal amount of blur is applied to the entire shadow, the blur appears to spill out in front of the intersecting object, creating a strange appearance. This effect can be eliminated in either of two ways: by deselecting the Uniform Softness checkbox or by setting the object to not receive shadows (by deselecting the Receive Shadows checkbox in the Properties Inspector).
Shadows controls in the Properties Inspector Every layer in a 3D group has Shadows controls in its Properties Inspector. This includes shapes, video clips, particles, and so on. Lights, Cameras, and 2D groups at the root level of the project (not nested in another group) do not have Shadows controls. • Cast Shadows: A checkbox to set whether a layer casts a shadow if it lies between a light source and another layer.
How shadows interact with 3D layers in Motion When using shadows with layers such as particle systems, text objects, or replicators that are set to 3D, shadows are cast from one part of the object onto another part. This is called self-shadowing. Modifying the object in a way that causes rasterization prevents shadows from displaying. In some cases you may be able to find another way to perform the effect that does not require rasterization.
Shadows without lights in Motion Lighting and shadows can each be disabled independently. You can keep shadows visible, even when lighting is disabled, allowing you to keep the original unshaded look of the scene. Turning off lighting also changes the way shadows are rendered. When shading (the visible effect of lighting) is disabled, shadows behave differently.
With spot lights, enabling shadows but disabling shading can create a seemingly strange result where the shadow is suddenly cut off because it has exceeded the scope of the light cone. Because the shading effect of the light cone is turned off, the shadow edge looks unnatural. To correct such an occurrence, increase the Cone Angle parameter in the Light Inspector.
Reflection controls in Motion Reflections are controlled by adjusting settings in the Reflection section and Blending section of Properties Inspector: Reflection section controls • Reflection: An activation checkbox that enables reflections based on the settings of the parameters in the object (a layer or group). • Reflectivity: A slider that controls how shiny the object’s surface appears. 0% indicates no reflectivity, while 100% is perfectly reflective, like a mirror.
Blending section controls • Casts Reflection: The Properties Inspector of every layer or group also contains a Casts Reflection pop-up menu (in the Blending section) that controls whether an object is reflective. There are three options: • Yes: The object is reflected in nearby reflective objects. • No: The object is ignored by reflective surfaces. • Reflection Only: The object becomes invisible, but appears in reflective surfaces around it.
Limit recursive reflections in Motion When a reflective object (layer or group) is reflected in another object, the first object can be seen in the reflection, potentially causing an endless repetition of reflections. Motion limits the number of reflective bounces that can occur in a scene, preserving performance and preventing the viewer from getting lost in infinity. The number of allowed reflections is set per project. Limit the number of recursive reflections in a project 1.
Manage timing Intro to the Timeline in Motion The Timeline is where you control all timing aspects of a project. You can set the frames where objects begin and end, align multiple effects so they occur simultaneously, control object duration, and even perform common trim operations to edit the objects as you would in a nonlinear video-editing application. The Timeline is located under the timing toolbar, in the Timing pane.
Display of the Timing pane is controlled by three buttons in timing toolbar: the Show/Hide Timeline button, Show/Hide Audio Timeline button, and Show/Hide Keyframe Editor button. A mini-Timeline, located at the bottom of the canvas, provides controls to perform quick edits such as moving, trimming, and slipping without opening the Timing pane. See Edit in the mini-Timeline in Motion. Tip: You can show the Timeline on a second display, providing a larger workspace for manipulating the timing of objects.
Add objects to the Timeline Intro to adding objects to the Motion Timeline Just as you can drag objects (media and effects) to the Layers list or canvas, you can drag objects to the Timeline. There are two ways to do this: • Add media to the Timeline layers list. This method is identical to the workflow for dragging media to the Layers list in Project pane. • Add media and effects objects to the Timeline track area.
Add a layer to a new group between existing groups 1. In Motion, do one of the following: • In the toolbar, click Import, then drag a media file from the dialog that appears to the Timeline layers list between two existing groups. • Drag a media item from the Library or Media list to the Timeline layers list to the Timeline layers list between two existing groups. 2. When the position indicator appears, release the mouse button.
Add a layer to a new Timeline track To add a layer to a new Timeline track without modifying any other layer in your project, use the Composite edit. The Composite edit places the layer in the track above the one you drag to. 1. In Motion, do one of the following: • In the toolbar, click Import, then drag a media file from the dialog that appears to the Timeline track area. • Drag a media item from the Library or Media list to the Timeline layers list to the Timeline track area.
Insert a layer, splitting an existing layer To insert a layer into a new Timeline track and split an existing layer at the insertion point, moving it forward in time to make room for the new layer, use the Insert command. For example, if you insert a 100-frame movie into a group containing an existing layer, the new movie is added to the Timeline at the frame where you drop it, pushing the remaining frames of the original movie out 100 frames.
Replace an existing layer with a new layer To replace an existing layer with a new layer in the Timeline, use the Overwrite command. If the new layer is shorter than the one currently in the group, the Overwrite option splits the duration of the existing layer and deletes only the frames where the new layer appears. 1. In Motion, do one of the following: • In the toolbar, click Import, then drag a media file from the dialog that appears onto a bar in the Timeline track area.
Note: You cannot use the Exchange command with audio files. 1. In Motion, do one of the following: • In the toolbar, click Import, then drag a media file from the dialog that appears onto a bar in the Timeline track area. • Drag a media item from the Library or Media list onto a bar in the Timeline track area. As you drag, a tooltip appears at the pointer, indicating the current frame number. 2.
1. In Motion, do one of the following: • In the toolbar, click Import, then in the dialog that appears, Shift-click or CommandClick to select multiple items, and drag them to the Timeline track area. • In the Library or Media list, Shift-click or Command-click to select multiple items, then drag them to the Timeline track area. 2. Drag to the frame where you want the new layers to start, holding down the mouse button until the drop menu appears. 3.
Manage Timeline layers and tracks Intro to managing Timeline layers and tracks in Motion The Timeline layers list (on the left side of the Timing pane) mirrors the Layers list in the Project pane and displays your project objects (groups, layers, filters, behaviors, masks, and so on) and their stacking order. When you reorder in the Timeline Layers list, the change is immediately reflected in the Layers list in the Project pane.
• Behavior or Filter: A thin purple bar. • Keyframe: A red diamond beneath the keyframed object (selected keyframes appear white). • Audio: A green bar displaying the audio waveform. Audio tracks are not displayed by default. See Adjust audio in Motion. Select and organize Timeline layers in Motion The Timeline layers list, on the left side of the Timing pane, mirrors the Layers list in the Project pane.
Objects that are linked are always edited together in the Timeline. Operations such as cut, copy, paste, and split affect both audio and video. However, if you want to break that relationship so you can move or edit the audio or video without the other tagging along, you can disable that link and move either object freely. Beware that this might result in your audio and video playing out of sync. Manipulate audio and video elements separately 1.
Modify the track display You can display your timebars in the Timeline track area in any of several different ways to suit your preferred working style. 1. In Motion, choose Motion > Preferences (or press Command-Comma), then click Appearance. 2. In the Timeline section of the Appearance pane, choose an item from the Timebar Display pop-up menu: • Name: Displays the name of the object on the timebar. • Name Plus Thumbnail: Displays the name of the object and a single thumbnail on the timebar.
Zoom the track area In Motion, do one of the following: • Drag the handle at either end of the scroller, inward to zoom in, or outward to zoom out. To zoom from the center of the visible area, press and hold the Shift key while you drag a handle. • Drag the zoom slider left to zoom out or right to zoom in at the position of the playhead. • Press Option-Command-Equal Sign (=) to zoom in. • Press Option-Command-Minus Sign (–) to zoom out.
• Slip: Changes the content of an object in the Timeline without affecting its location or duration. See Slip video layers in the Timeline in Motion. • Split: Divides an object into multiple objects that you can manipulate in separate tracks. See Split objects in the Timeline in Motion. As you can with objects in the Layers list, you can delete objects in the Timeline, as well as cut, copy, or paste them. You can also modify all timebars in a group by editing the group timebar.
Move an object to the playhead position You can move a timebar to a new location in its track by using the Move Selected In Point or Move Selected Out Point command. This command shifts the position of the selected object to the current playhead position. You can also use this command to move and align multiple objects in one operation. 1. In the Timeline track area in Motion, select the bar to move. Shift-click to select multiple bars, if desired. 2.
Trim objects in the Timeline in Motion Trim an object’s timebar when you want to shorten or lengthen its duration in the Timeline. You can trim the beginning or end of the object by dragging from the left or right edge of the bar (the In and Out points). You can also trim an object by using menu commands and corresponding keyboard shortcuts. You can trim multiple objects simultaneously, and you can trim on the fly while your project is playing back.
Trim an object and snap its In or Out point to neighboring objects • In Motion, press and hold the Shift key as you drag the edge of a bar in the track area. Vertical lines appear in the track, corresponding to the In and Out points of other bars. The active bar snaps to these lines as you drag. Trim one or more objects via the Mark menu 1. In Motion, select one or more objects to trim. 2. Place the playhead at the frame where you want the new In or Out point. 3.
Slip a video layer in the Timeline 1. In Motion, with the pointer over the video layer’s timebar, press and hold the Option key. The pointer turns into the slip pointer. 2. Still pressing and holding the Option key, drag the middle part of the bar left or right. Dragging to the left replaces the frames with a section from later in the source material; dragging to the right uses frames from earlier in the clip.
Delete objects in the Timeline in Motion Motion provides three ways to remove an object from the Timeline track area: Motion User Guide • Delete: Removes the object, leaving a gap in the track. • Ripple Delete: Removes the object and closes up the gap left behind. • Cut: Deletes the object, leaving a gap in the Timeline, and copies the object to the Clipboard for later pasting.
Delete an object 1. In Motion, select the object to delete. 2. Choose Edit > Delete (or press Delete). You can also Control-click the object, then choose Delete from the shortcut menu. Ripple delete an object 1. In Motion, select the object to delete. 2. Choose Edit > Ripple Delete (or press Shift-Delete). Cut an object 1. In Motion, select the object to delete. 2. Choose Edit > Cut (or press Command-X). You can also Control-click the object, then choose Cut from the shortcut menu.
Paste an object into the Timeline 1. In the Timeline in Motion, select a group to paste the copied item into. 2. Move the playhead to the desired time position. 3. Choose Edit > Paste (or press Command-V). The pasted object is placed in a new track at the top of the other layers in the active group. If no group is selected, the object is pasted into the group it was copied from. If it was copied from outside the current project, a new group is created.
Group tracks in the Timeline in Motion You can edit in the group track, even if the group is collapsed and its nested objects are not visible in the Timeline track area. Group tracks contain two color bars. The narrow, dark-blue upper bar edits all objects in the group as a single unit. Itʼs labeled with the name of the group (“Group” by default). The lower group bar—taller and a lighter shade of blue—edits individual objects in the group.
Edit the group track in the Motion Timeline There are a variety of editing tasks you can perform directly in the group track. This is equivalent to making similar edits to the various tracks contained within the group, but it’s sometimes more efficient to make such changes in the group track instead. Move all objects in a group at once • Drag the upper group bar left or right. All objects in the group move in time. Move a single object in a group 1.
Slip a video layer via the group track • In Motion, while pressing and holding the Option key, drag an area in the lower group bar where the video layer is located in the Timeline track area. If there are overlapping (composited) layers, before performing this operation, Control-click the overlapping region, then choose the desired video layer from the shortcut menu. Note: You can only slip a layer if it has been trimmed first.
Move the playhead to a new point in time In Motion, do one of the following: • Double-click the current frame number in the timing display, enter a new frame number, then press Return. • Drag left or right over the current frame number in the timing display to rewind or advance. • Drag the playhead in the Timeline ruler to the frame you want. • Click the Timeline ruler at the frame number where you want to move the playhead.
Navigate by jumping To move the playhead quickly from point to point in the Timeline, do one of the following in Motion: • Jump to the beginning of the project: Click the “Go to start of project” button in the transport controls (under the canvas), or choose Mark > Go to > Project Start, or press Home. • Jump to the end of the project: Click the “Go to end of project” button in the transport controls, or choose Mark > Go to > Project End, or press End.
Move a keyframe’s position in time Moving a keyframe in the Timeline modifies the keyframe’s position in time (but not its value). • In the Timeline in Motion, drag the keyframe to the left or right. When selected, the keyframe appears white. Change a keyframe’s value To change a keyframe’s value (as opposed to its position in time), do one of the following in Motion: • Control-click the keyframe, choose the parameter to adjust from the shortcut menu, enter a new value, then press Return.
Work in the ruler Intro to the Timeline ruler in Motion You can perform several timing tasks in the ruler above the Timeline track area: • Drag the playhead to a specific frame to view the project at a specific time. • Drag the In and Out points of your project so playback occurs only within the specified frames. See Define the play range in Motion. • Select a range of frames, so you can delete, cut, or paste into them. See Edit a range of frames in the Motion Timeline.
Move a region • In the Timeline track area in Motion, position the pointer over a region, then drag to move the region. Note: This operation does not move objects within the region. Deselect tracks from a region • In the Timeline track area in Motion, Command-click a track in a region to deselect the track. Paste into a region 1. In Motion, select an object. 2. Press Command-C to copy or Command-X to cut your selection. 3.
Insert time into a project 1. In the Timeline track area in Motion, while pressing and holding the Command and Option keys, drag in the ruler to select a region. Drag as wide an area as you want to insert. 2. Choose Edit > Insert Time. The number of frames you selected in step 1 is added to the project, beginning at the end of the selected region, pushing any existing objects farther forward in time.
• Add notes about a specific area in your project. See Edit Timeline marker information in Motion. • Customize effects templates for use in Final Cut Pro. See Intro to template markers in Motion. You can assign different colors to different types or markers and create marker groups. There are two types of markers: project markers and object markers. Project markers are fixed to a specific frame or timecode value in the ruler.
Move a marker • In Motion, drag the marker left or right to a new location. Delete a marker In Motion, do one of the following: • Drag the marker vertically out of the area where it resides, then release the mouse button. • Double-click the marker, then click Delete Marker in the Edit Marker dialog. • For project markers, position the playhead over the marker, then choose Mark > Markers > Delete Marker.
Edit Timeline marker information in Motion You can edit the information for a marker, including its name, starting frame, duration, and color. You can also add comments to the marker. Comments appear in a tooltip when the pointer is placed over the marker. Edit marker information 1. In Motion, open the Edit Marker dialog by doing one of the following: • Double-click a marker. • Control-click a Marker, then choose Edit Marker from the shortcut menu.
Navigate with Timeline markers in Motion You can jump from your current playhead position to a nearby project marker forward or backward. Jump to the next marker • In Motion, Control-click the Timeline ruler, then choose Next Marker from the shortcut menu. The playhead jumps to the starting position of the next project marker. Alternatively, you can choose Mark > Go To > Next Marker or press Option-Command-Right Arrow.
Edit in the mini-Timeline in Motion The mini-Timeline lies just above canvas toolbar and below the canvas, providing an at-a-glance look at where selected objects fit into your overall project. The mini-Timeline also has a playhead to indicate which frame you’re viewing as well as In point and Out point markers to identify the play range. The length of the mini-Timeline represents the duration of the entire project.
2. When you reach the desired frame, release the mouse button. The object is added to the project beginning at that frame. Add multiple objects to the mini-Timeline You can add multiple objects to the mini-Timeline at once. You can choose to add the objects sequentially (one after another) or as a composite (all at the same point in time). 1.
Shorten or lengthen (trim) an object 1. In Motion, select the object to display it in the mini-Timeline. 2. Position the pointer over the beginning or ending edge of the bar in the mini-Timeline. The pointer changes to a trim pointer. 3. Drag the edge of the bar to change its duration. A tooltip appears, indicating the new In or Out point and the amount of change that your edit is causing.
Retime media Intro to retiming media in the Motion Timeline Your motion graphics projects may require you to perform special timing tricks on media: speeding up a clip, slowing it down, or playing it back at different speeds. There are several ways to retime a clip: • Manipulate clip timing in the Timeline with the help of modifier keys. Indicators in the Timeline help you visualize loops and other retiming conditions. See Retime media in the Motion Timeline.
Lengthen a video object’s duration and slow down its playback speed 1. In Motion, with the pointer positioned over the end of a video clip (the Out point), press and hold the Option key. The pointer turns into the retime pointer. 2. Continuing to press and hold the Option key, drag the Out point of the clip’s bar to the right. As you drag, the tooltip displays the clip’s speed and duration. Loop a clip Another way to extend a video clip’s duration is to loop it.
Timing controls in Motion Media layers (movie clips and still images) have timing parameter controls in the Properties Inspector. To see the timing controls, move the pointer over the right side of the Timing category in the Properties Inspector, then click Show. When multiple objects of the same type are selected, parameters with common values are editable in the Properties Inspector. When different types of objects are selected, such as a clip and text, the Timing controls are not available.
• Optical Flow: Uses an optical flow algorithm to blend the two frames surrounding a given frame. Using this method affects playback performance most significantly. To display frames properly, Motion analyzes the clip to determine the directional movement of pixels. Only the portion of the clip used in the project (the clip between the In and Out points) is analyzed. When you choose Optical Flow, an analysis indicator appears in the right corner of the canvas toolbar.
Manage retiming analysis in Motion You can display processing information and modify analysis when retiming a clip. Display more information about ongoing clip analysis In Motion, do one of the following: • Choose Window > Show Task List (or press F9). • Click the analysis indicator (on the right side of the canvas toolbar, beside the Maximize Canvas button). The Background Task List window appears. The Background Task List shows all processes Motion is working on in the background.
Reorder clip analysis • In the Background Task List window in Motion, drag the clip to analyze to the top of the list. Analysis begins on the repositioned clip, and the clip previously being processed is paused. Close the Background Task List window when analysis is complete • Motion User Guide In the Background Task List window in Motion, select the “Close when tasks are complete” checkbox.
Animate with behaviors Intro to behaviors in Motion Behaviors are animation and simulation effects that you can apply to image layers, cameras, and lights to build sophisticated motion effects without keyframes. Some behaviors even adjust individual parameters of objects in your project, allowing you to customize animated effects with extreme precision. Behaviors are designed to be flexible and can be combined with one another to create all kinds of effects.
• You can preview a behavior before you apply it. • You can apply a behavior by dragging it from the Library onto an object in the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas, or by using the Behaviors pop-up menu in the toolbar. You can apply a behavior to an individual parameter from within the Inspector. • You can adjust an applied behavior using controls in the Behaviors Inspector or HUD. (For a list of parameter controls in each behavior, see Intro to behavior types in Motion.
Browse and apply behaviors Browse for behaviors in Motion All available behaviors appear in the Library and in the Behaviors pop-up menu in the toolbar. Select the Behaviors category in the left pane of the Library to reveal the behavior subcategories in the right pane. Selecting a subcategory reveals all behaviors of that type in the Library stack (below the category and subcategory panes).
The animated previews help you understand how each behavior works. Although most previews are self-explanatory, the Parameter category previews show before-and-after examples of the behavior’s effect on an animated object, with the gear graphic turning red to show the object after the behavior takes effect. For Simulation behaviors, the red gear graphic identifies the object that the selected behavior is applied to. You can apply behaviors from the Library or from the Behaviors pop-up menu in the toolbar.
Add, remove, or disable behaviors in Motion Applying a behavior to an object animates specific parameters of that object. Because behaviors don’t add keyframes, removing a behavior eliminates the animated effect. All types of behaviors are removed in the same way. Apply a behavior to an object In Motion, do one of the following: • Drag a behavior from the Library to an appropriate object in the canvas, Layers list, or Timeline.
Where applied behaviors appear in Motion When you apply a behavior to a layer or group, the behavior appears nested underneath that layer or group in the Layers list and in the Timeline. A behavior icon (a gear) also appears to the right of the (layer or group name in the Layers list and Timeline. Clicking this icon enables and disables all behaviors applied to that object. The actual parameters that let you adjust the attributes of a behavior appear in the Behaviors Inspector.
To modify the settings of an applied behavior, Control-click any parameter row that has a behavior icon, then choose a listed behavior from the shortcut menu. When you do so, the Behaviors Inspector opens, showing the individual controls for the behavior you chose, ready for adjustment.
Behavior effects in the Keyframe Editor If you open the Keyframe Editor and look at a parameter affected by a behavior, you see a noneditable curve that represents the behavior’s effect on that parameter. The noneditable curve (in this example, position channel animation that corresponds to the Oscillate parameter behavior) appears in addition to that parameter’s editable curve, which can be used in combination to keyframe that parameter.
Apply a Parameter behavior to a specific parameter of an object 1. In the Layers list in Motion, select the object to apply the Parameter behavior to. 2. Do one of the following: • Motion User Guide In the Inspector, Control-click a parameter’s name, choose Add Parameter Behavior, then choose an item from the submenu.
• Click the parameter’s Animation menu (the down arrow that appears when you move the pointer over the right side of a parameter row), choose Add Parameter Behavior, then choose an item from the submenu. • Control-click a parameter in the HUD, choose Add Parameter Behavior from the shortcut menu, then choose an item from the submenu. • Control-click a parameter in the Keyframe Editor parameter list, then choose a Parameter behavior from the shortcut menu.
Apply a Parameter behavior to an object You can also apply a Parameter behavior to an object. However, the behavior does not take effect until you assign a specific parameter to be influenced. 1. In Motion, do one of the following: • Drag a Parameter behavior from the Library to an appropriate object in the canvas, Layers list, or Timeline.
1. In Motion, select a behavior that you’ve already applied to an object. 2. Do one of the following: • Motion User Guide Control-click a parameter’s name in the Inspector, choose Add Parameter Behavior, then choose an option from the submenu.
• Click the parameter’s Animation menu in the Inspector (the down arrow that appears when you move the pointer over the right side of a parameter row), choose Add Parameter Behavior, then choose an option from the submenu. • Control-click a parameter in the HUD, choose Add Parameter Behavior from the shortcut menu, then choose an option from the submenu. • Control-click a parameter in the Keyframe Editor parameter list, then choose a Parameter behavior from the shortcut menu.
Remove a Parameter behavior 1. In Motion, select a Parameter behavior in the Layers list, Timeline, Behaviors Inspector, or pop-up menu in the title bar of the HUD. 2. Do one of the following: • Choose Edit > Delete. • Press Delete. Note: You can also Control-click the behavior in the Layers list or Timeline, then choose Delete from the shortcut menu. Note: If you save a Parameter behavior as a favorite, the parameter assignment is saved with the rest of that behavior’s settings.
Where Parameter behaviors appear in Motion Like other behaviors, Parameter behaviors appear nested underneath the objects they’re applied to in the Layers list and Timeline, along with any other behaviors applied to that object. Note: Although Parameter behaviors appear nested under objects in the Layers list, each Parameter behavior is applied to a single parameter of an object, and not to the object itself.
As with all other behaviors, when a Parameter behavior is applied to an object in your project, a behavior icon (a gear) appears over the Keyframe button of the affected parameter in the Properties, Behaviors, or Filters Inspector where it is applied. Manage behaviors and behavior timing Disable, lock, or rename behaviors in Motion When you apply a behavior to an object, the behavior appears in three places: the Layers list, the Timeline, and the Behaviors Inspector.
Lock a behavior • In Motion, click the lock icon that appears to the right of a behavior’s name in the Layers list or Timeline. You cannot modify the parameters of a locked behavior. Show or hide all behaviors • In Motion, click the Show/Hide Behaviors button at the bottom of the Layers list (or at the top of the Timeline layers list). This button neither enables nor disables behaviors applied to objects in your project; it merely controls their visibility as objects in the Layers list and Timeline.
Transfer a behavior from one object to another You can also move a behavior from one object to another in the Layers list or Timeline by dragging it to a new position. • In the Layers list or Timeline in Motion, drag a behavior from one object and drop it on top of another. Note: If you move a Parameter behavior to another object, it’s applied to the same parameter it affected in the previous object—as long as the corresponding parameter exists.
Reorder behaviors 1. In the Layers list or Timeline in Motion, drag the behavior up or down in the list of nested behaviors applied to the same object. A position indicator appears. 2. When the position indicator is in the correct row, release the mouse button. All behaviors combine according to a predetermined order of operations (see Behavior order of operations in Motion) regardless of their order in the Layers list.
Modify behavior timing Intro to behavior timing in Motion You can change a behavior’s timing to control when it starts, how long it lasts, and when it stops. There are several ways to do this: • Use the Stop parameter behavior to suspend a behavior’s effect on a single parameter. • Trim the length of a behavior’s bar in the Timeline. • Drag a behavior’s bar left or right in the Timeline.
Trim behaviors in Motion When you apply a behavior to an object, the duration of the behavior in the Timeline defaults to the duration of the object to which it’s applied. However, a behavior can be modified to limit the duration of its effect. For example, if you apply the Spin behavior to a replicator layer, by default that replicator spins for its entire duration. If you trim the Out point of the Spin behavior, the spinning stops at the new position of the Out point.
Controlling Simulation behaviors in Motion The ideal use for behaviors (with the exception of Motion Tracking behaviors) is creating fluid motion graphics that do not require specific timing. This is especially true with the Simulation behaviors, which let you create sophisticated interactions among multiple objects in your project with minimal editing. Unlike Basic Motion behaviors, you cannot stop or change the motion of a Simulation behavior in the Timeline.
Modify behavior timing in Motion In addition to changing a behavior’s duration, you can also move its position in the Timeline relative to the object it’s applied to. This lets you set the frame where that behavior begins to take effect. Move a behavior in the Timeline 1. In the Timeline in Motion, click anywhere in the middle of a behavior’s bar. 2. Drag the behavior bar to the left or right to move it to another position in the Timeline.
3. Set the Start Value to 0 and the End Value to 200, then play the project. The layer scales from its original size to twice its original size over the duration of the layer. 4. Set the Start Offset to 90 and the End Offset to 90. The layer does not begin scaling until frame 90, and stops scaling 90 frames from its last frame in the Timeline. Behavior order of operations in Motion There’s no limit to the number of behaviors you can add to an object.
For example, if you animate the Rotation parameter of an object using the Oscillate (Parameter) behavior and then apply a Rotational Drag (Simulation) behavior to the object, the object oscillates, but is not slowed by the Rotational Drag behavior. Motion evaluates the Simulation behavior (Rotational Drag) before the Parameter behavior (Oscillate), applying the drag to a 0 value. There is no data for the Simulation behavior to affect.
Behaviors and keyframes in the Keyframe Editor in Motion When you keyframe a parameter that’s already affected by a behavior, the keyframes add to or subtract from the effect of the behavior.
Convert behaviors to keyframes in Motion Behaviors are best suited for fluid effects in which precise timing is not necessary. However, there might be projects in which you want finite control over the animated effects created with behaviors. If necessary, several of the behaviors can be baked into keyframes. This means that the animation curves created by the behaviors (which have no keyframes) can be converted into keyframed animation curves.
Adjust behaviors Intro to adjusting behaviors in Motion You edit behavior parameters in the Behaviors Inspector or in the HUD. All behavior parameters appear in the Behaviors Inspector. Each behavior has a subset (or sometimes a complete set) of parameters that appear in the HUD. The HUD and the Behaviors Inspector reference the same parameters, so changing a parameter in one changes the same parameter in the other.
Display the Behaviors Inspector 1. In Motion, select an object with an applied behavior. 2. Do one of the following: • In the Inspector, click Behaviors (if that pane is not already showing). • Click the “i” in the upper-right corner of the behavior’s HUD. • If the Library is displayed, press Command-3. Edit multiple behaviors at the same time If you’ve applied the same behavior to multiple objects, you can modify all instances of that behavior at the same time. 1.
• Parameter behaviors: Animate a specific parameter of any object, including filters, behaviors, cameras, and lights. For example, you can apply the Oscillate behavior to text opacity to make letters fade in and out. See Intro to Parameter behaviors in Motion. • Particles behaviors: Animate individual particles in a particle system. See Apply behaviors to particles in Motion. • Replicator behaviors: Animate replicator patterns to build stunning kaleidoscopic effects.
Note: Building consecutive Basic Motion behaviors or placing a Basic Motion behavior before or after the Camera Framing behavior can create unexpected results. These behaviors can continue to affect the object even after the behavior ends, thus influencing the subsequent behavior’s animation path. For example, if a Framing behavior is applied after a Motion Path behavior, the residual effect of the Motion Path behavior is combined with the animation path generated by the Framing behavior.
• Alignment: A pop-up menu that controls how the target object moves with the source object (when the source object changes over time). There are two choices: • Continuous: Dynamically aligns the target to the source’s current size and position on every frame. • Fixed Frame: Aligns the target object to a specific frame along the behavior’s duration.
Fade In/Fade Out behavior in Motion The Fade In/Fade Out behavior lets you dissolve into and out of any object by ramping the opacity of the object from 0 percent to 100 percent at the start, and then back to 0 percent at the end. You can eliminate the fade-in or fade-out effect by setting the duration of the Fade In Time or Fade Out Time to 0 frames. The Fade In/Fade Out behavior is useful for introducing and removing animated elements.
Grow/Shrink behavior in Motion The Grow/Shrink behavior lets you animate the scale of an object, enlarging or reducing its size over time. At the first frame of the behavior, the object appears at its original size; the settings of the behavior determine whether the object grows or shrinks over the duration of the effect. The vertical and horizontal growth rates can be set to independent values, for asymmetrical effects.
The HUD consists of two rectangular regions. The first, a rectangle with a dotted line, represents the original size of the object. The second, a solid rectangle, represents the relative growth rate. Drag a border of the solid rectangle to grow or shrink the object. Drag the slider to adjust the scale of the HUD controls, increasing or decreasing their effect. Motion Path behavior in Motion The Motion Path behavior lets you create a 2D or 3D motion path for an object to follow.
The Motion Path behavior is an easy way to create predictable motion without using the Keyframe Editor. It’s also a great way to create reusable motion paths that you can save in the Library for future use. When the Motion Path behavior is added to an object, the Adjust Item tool is selected, allowing you to modify the default path in the canvas by adding points and using the Bezier (or B-Spline) controls attached to each point to adjust each curve.
• Geometry: A path based on a shape or mask. The object travels along the edge of the shape or mask. In the following image, the outline of the shape on the left is used as the motion path in the composition shown on the right. Note: The Path Shape parameters work similarly to text on a path. For more information about working with text on a path, see Create text on a path in Motion.
• Amplitude: A slider (available when Wave is the defined path shape) that defines half the distance from the highest point to the lowest point in the wave. Higher values result in more extreme waves. • Frequency: A slider (available when Wave is the defined path shape) that sets the number of waves. Higher values result in more waves. • Phase: A dial (available when Wave is the defined path shape) that defines the degree of the offset of waves from the start and end points of the path.
• Motion User Guide Speed: A pop-up menu that defines the object’s velocity from the first to the last point in the motion path. There are eight choices: • Constant: The object moves at a steady speed from the first to the last point on the motion path. • Ease In: The object starts at a slow speed, then reaches and maintains a steady speed through the last point on the motion path.
• Control Points: Value sliders (available when the path shape is Open Spline or Closed Spline) that set the X, Y, and Z coordinates of the motion path control points. (Click the disclosure triangle to display the X, Y, and Z value sliders.) Note: You cannot apply Parameter behaviors to the control points. Work with the Motion Path behavior The following tasks demonstrate how to customize the Motion Path behavior.
Move the object and its motion path • In the Layers list or canvas in Motion, select the object (not the Motion Path behavior), then drag the object in the canvas. Note: To move the object and its motion path when Path Shape is set to Geometry, select the source object, then move the object in the canvas. Distance the object from the path By default, the object is locked to the motion path by its anchor point.
Adjust a motion path in 3D space The easiest way to modify a motion path in 3D space is to add a camera to your project and manipulate the path in a modified camera view. 1. If there’s no camera in your Motion project, add a camera by doing one of the following: • In the toolbar, click Add Object, then choose Camera from the pop-up menu. • Choose Object > New Camera (or press Option-Command-C).
3. Drag a control point up or down to adjust the object in Z space. In the following image, the path is no longer flat—the affected object moves in X, Y, and Z space. To enter specific values for the control point locations, click the Control Points disclosure triangle in the Motion Path behavior parameters. The first value field is X, the second value field is Y, and the third value field is Z. 4.
Move behavior in Motion The Move behavior places a point in the canvas that creates a specific location for an object or group to move toward or away from in a straight line. When used with other behaviors, Move can create complex motions. For example, in the following illustration, an Orbit Around behavior is applied to the airplane shape. In the next illustration, a Move behavior is added to the airplane shape. The destination point of the Move path is positioned in the center of the circle.
• Ease Out: The object starts at a steady speed, then gradually decelerates to a stop when it reaches the target. • Ease Both: The object slowly accelerates, then decelerates to a stop when it reaches the target. • Accelerate: The object moves toward the target with increasing speed. • Decelerate: The object moves toward the target with decreasing speed. Note: To move the object more slowly toward its target, extend the duration of the Move To behavior in the Timeline or mini-Timeline.
• Axis: A pop-up menu that lets you align the rotation of the object to the X, Y, or Z axis. The default axis is Z. This parameter specifies which axis points at the target after the movement is complete. • Invert Axis: A checkbox that flips the object so it faces the proper direction. Select the checkbox if the object is aligned on the correct axis, but appears backwards.
Spin behavior in Motion The Spin behavior animates the rotation of an object, spinning it around a single axis. If you trim the end of the Spin behavior to be shorter than the duration of the object it’s applied to, it remains at the angle of the last frame of the behavior, as long as there are no other behaviors or keyframes are affecting that object’s Rotation parameter. Uses for Spin are fairly obvious, but another way to use the Spin behavior is with objects that have an off-center anchor point.
When Axis is set to Custom, additional Latitude and Longitude controls become available. These controls allow the object to spin at an angle (not locked to the X, Y, or Z axes). The following image shows how longitude and latitude relate to the Spin HUD control. • Latitude/Longitude: A dial (available when Axis is set to Custom) that specifies the axis of rotation. The HUD controls include an outer ring and an inner control.
Throw behavior in Motion The Throw behavior is the simplest way to set an object in motion. Controls let you adjust the speed and direction of a single force that’s exerted on the object at the first frame of the behavior. After this initial force is applied, the object continues drifting in a straight line at the same speed, for the duration of the Throw behavior. A simple example of using the Throw behavior is to send a series of offscreen objects moving across the screen.
The 2D HUD lets you specify the direction and speed of the Throw behavior by dragging an arrow in a circular region. The direction of the arrow defines the direction of movement in X and Y space, and the length of the arrow defines speed (velocity). A slider adjusts the scale of the HUD control, increasing or decreasing the effect of the direction/speed control. When you click the 3D button, additional 3D controls become available.
Parameter behaviors Intro to Parameter behaviors in Motion A Parameter behavior is applied to a specific object parameter, and the animation is limited to just that parameter. You can apply the same Parameter behavior to different parameters, resulting in different animations. For example, you can apply the Oscillate behavior to the opacity of an object to make the object fade in and out, or you can apply the Oscillate behavior to the rotation of an object to make the object rock back and forth.
Audio behavior in Motion The Audio behavior lets you animate nearly any parameter based on properties of an audio file, such as bass frequency. For example, the Audio parameter behavior can be applied to the Scale parameter of an object, causing the object to scale up and down based on the amplitude of the bass. See Apply the Audio parameter behavior in Motion.
In the next image, a Clamp behavior is applied to the X Position parameter of the outer airplane shape. The Max value is set to 230 and the Min value is set to 0. As a result, the animation path is “clamped”—the image can travel 230 pixels to the right but cannot move left past the 0 point, creating a half-circle animation. The circle motion path is essentially cut in half. If a negative value is entered in the Min value slider, the image moves past the 0 point.
Unlike other behaviors, the Custom behavior doesn’t apply default parameters in the Behaviors Inspector. Instead, a pair of pop-up menus lets you add and remove any parameters you want to use. Adjust this behavior using the controls in the Behaviors Inspector: • Add Parameter: A pop-up menu used to add parameters you want to keyframe to create custom animation. Choose a parameter from this menu to add it to the Custom parameter list for keyframing.
The parameter you chose appears near the top of the Custom area in the Behaviors Inspector. After you add the parameters to animate in your Custom behavior, you can keyframe them in the Keyframe Editor to create whatever animated effect you require. For more information on keyframing parameters to create animation, see Apply keyframes to behaviors in Motion. After you animate the parameters you added, you can save the Custom behavior into the Library for future use.
• Start Offset: A slider to delay the beginning of the behavior’s effect relative to the first frame of its position in the Timeline, in frames. Adjust this parameter to make the behavior start later. • End Offset: A slider to offset the end of the behavior’s effect relative to the last frame of its position in the Timeline, in frames. Adjust this parameter to make the behavior stop before the end of the behavior bar in the Timeline.
When using the Link behavior to control an object’s position parameter, the linked coordinates are based on the center point of the current group. So when an object is linked to another object in the same group, it shares an identical position. However, if the source object is in a different group, the coordinates might appear offset in space.
• Multiply by source: Multiplies the source parameter value with the existing value of the target parameter. • Replace with source: Replaces the existing value of the target parameter with that of the source parameter. • Mix Over Time: A pop-up menu that sets how rapidly the source parameter values begin to affect the target parameter. Options include: Ease In, Ease Out, Ease In/Out, Accelerate, Decelerate, Accelerate/Decelerate, and Custom Mix.
• Clamp Source Value Within Range: A checkbox that becomes available when the Apply Link pop-up menu is set to a choice requiring a minimum or maximum value. When selected, values that exceed the defined range are pinned to the highest or lowest allowable setting.
• (Parameter) max: One or more sliders that become available when the Apply Link popup menu is set to “Source value below maximum,” “Source value between min and max,” or “Source value outside min and max.” A “max” slider appears for each component of the source parameter. Adjusting this slider defines a maximum value to limit when the link behavior is active. Logarithmic behavior in Motion The Logarithmic behavior is the inverse of the Exponential behavior.
• Controller: Use this mode when the control is a knob, dial, key, slider, or foot pedal on the MIDI device. • Learning: Use this mode to “teach” Motion which control (such as a knob, dial, or key) you want to use on the MIDI device to manipulate the parameter to which the MIDI behavior is applied. When in Learning mode, the first knob, dial, or key that you adjust on the MIDI device is set as the control. Note: When the MIDI behavior is first applied, Learning is the default control type.
3. On your MIDI device, tweak the control (such as the knob, dial, or key) you want to use as the controller for the Opacity parameter. The identification number of the MIDI control is displayed in the ID field. The value range of the control is 0 to 127, the default MIDI control value. Because an object’s opacity can only fall between 0 (completely transparent) to 100 (completely opaque), the default MIDI values are sufficient to adjust the parameter.
Oscillate behavior in Motion The Oscillate behavior animates a parameter by cycling it between two values. You can customize how wide apart the high and low values are as well as the number of oscillations per minute. The Oscillate behavior can create all kinds of cyclical effects. For example, if you apply the Oscillate behavior to the rotation property of an object, it will rock back and forth.
• Triangle: Similar to the sine wave, creates a smooth animation between values but with sharper changes at the transitions. For example, when Oscillate is applied to an object’s Opacity parameter, and the Wave Shape is set to Triangle, the object fades in and out more acutely than it does with the Sine Wave setting. • Phase: A slider that sets the point of the specified oscillation where the behavior starts.
Create a decaying oscillation in Motion When you apply the Oscillate behavior to an object’s rotation or position, a common effect is to “decay” or “dampen” the animation over time. This means that the animation gradually slows or comes to a stop. You can achieve this effect using keyframes to slow the amplitude of the oscillation. Decay an oscillating rotation using keyframes 1.
Overshoot behavior in Motion The Overshoot behavior creates an animation that ramps from a start value to an end value, but overshoots the end value and oscillates around it, quickly making a realistic springback effect. Note: Applying the Overshoot behavior to a parameter with a maximum value has no effect. In other words, if a parameter’s maximum value is 100—and the parameter is set to 100— there’s no value to “overshoot.
• End Offset: A slider that offsets the end of the behavior’s effect relative to the last frame of its position in the Timeline, in frames. Adjust this parameter to make the behavior stop before the end of the behavior bar in the Timeline. Using this slider to stop the effect, instead of trimming the end of the behavior bar in the Timeline, freezes the end of the effect for the remaining duration of the object. Trimming the end of the behavior bar resets the object to its original parameters.
Ramp behavior in Motion The Ramp behavior creates a gradual transition in any parameter that can be animated, from the Start Value to the End Value. The speed of the transition is defined by the length of the Ramp behavior in the Timeline, and by the behavior’s end value. Additional parameters allow you to define how the transition occurs; whether it’s at a single, continuous speed; or whether it accelerates over time. Ramp is a versatile behavior.
Randomize behavior in Motion The Randomize behavior creates a continuous sequence of randomly increasing and decreasing values, based on the parameters defining the range and type of values generated. Use Randomize to create jittery effects, such as twitchy rotation, flickering opacity, and other effects requiring rapid and varied changes over time that would be timeconsuming to keyframe.
• End Offset: A slider that offsets the end of the behavior’s effect relative to the last frame of its position in the Timeline, in frames. Adjust this parameter to make the behavior stop before the end of the behavior bar in the Timeline. Using this slider to stop the effect, instead of trimming the end of the behavior bar in the Timeline, freezes the last random value generated by this behavior for the remaining duration of the object.
Stop behavior in Motion The Stop behavior suspends parameter animation (created by keyframes or applied behaviors) of an object. For example, if you assign the Stop parameter behavior to the Position parameter of an object moving across the screen and rotating, the object ceases to move across the screen but continues to rotate. Each behavior’s effect on the object is frozen at the first frame of the Stop behavior in the Timeline.
• Affect Subobjects: A checkbox available when the Wriggle behavior is applied to a parameter of the Sequence Replicator behavior. When Affect Subobjects is selected, each object has a different wriggle behavior. When Affect Subobjects is deselected, each object undergoes the same animation. • Random Seed: A button that picks a new random seed number. This number is used to generate new sequences of values, based on the other parameters of this behavior.
Flash Frame behavior in Motion The Flash Frame behavior inserts a user-defined range of random frames (adjacent to the current frame) into the playback of a clip. Adjust this behavior using the controls in the Behaviors Inspector: • Random Frames: A slider that sets the probability that a frame within the duration of the behavior is replaced with a random frame. When this value is set to 0, no random frames are inserted. When set to 100, every frame is random. The default value is 10%.
Ping Pong behavior in Motion The Ping Pong behavior “ping-pongs” playback of a segment of the clip within the duration of the behavior. The ping-pong effect’s starting frame is derived from the start frame of the behavior. For example, if the behavior is applied at the start of a clip, and Duration is set to 30, the first 30 frames of the clip play forward, then play in reverse, then forward, and so on until the end of the behavior. At the end of the behavior, normal playback resumes.
Scrub behavior in Motion Like the Scrub filter, the Scrub behavior moves a virtual playhead around a clip, allowing you to change the timing of the clip without moving it in the Timeline. Additionally, the Scrub behavior lets you animate the offset parameter using keyframes or Parameter behaviors, often with interesting results. Try applying the Oscillate behavior to the Frame offset, with the Offset From parameter set to Current Frame. Scrub does not affect clip audio.
Strobe behavior in Motion The Strobe behavior simulates the look of a strobe light or lower-frame-rate video by holding a number of frames as defined by the Strobe Duration parameter over the playback of the clip. For example, when Strobe Duration is set to 10, frame 1 is held for 10 frames, frame 11 for 10 frames, frame 21 for 10 frames, and so on. The frames in between (2–10, 12–20, 22–30, and so on) do not appear.
There are 16 Simulation behaviors: Motion User Guide • Align to Motion behavior changes the orientation of an object to match its direction along an animation path. • Attracted To behavior in Motion pulls an affected object toward a designated target. • Attractor behavior in Motion pulls objects toward the affected object. • Drag behavior in Motion simulates the force of friction on a moving object, slowing it down over time.
Align to Motion behavior The Align to Motion behavior changes the rotation of an object to match changes made to its direction along an animation path. This behavior is meant to be combined with Simulation behaviors that animate the position of an object or with a keyframed animation path you create yourself. Note: The Align to Motion behavior does not work on objects animated using the Motion Path behavior. Instead, use the Snap Alignment to Motion behavior (in the Basic Motion subcategory).
Attracted To behavior in Motion An object with the Attracted To behavior applied moves toward a single specified target, the object of attraction. Additional parameters allow you to adjust the area of influence that defines how close an object must be to move toward the object of attraction, and how strongly it is attracted.
• Influence: A slider that defines the radius of the circle of influence, in pixels. Objects that fall within the area of influence move toward the object of attraction. Objects outside the area of influence remain in place. • Drag: A slider that reduces the distance attracted objects overshoot the object of attraction. Lower Drag values result in the object overshooting the object of attraction, moving past and then careening back around toward the target object again and again.
• Affected Objects: A list that appears when Specific Objects is chosen in the Affect popup menu. Drag objects from the Layers list into this list to have the objects affected by this behavior. To remove an item from the list, select the item and click Remove. The Affected Objects list contains the following columns: • Layer: This column lists the name of the layer containing the object. • Name: This column lists the name of the object.
• Include X, Y, and Z: Buttons that specify the space that Drag affects. For example, when X and Y are enabled, the object drags in the XY plane; when Y and Z are enabled, the object drags in the YZ plane. Drift Attracted To behavior in Motion The Drift Attracted To behavior is similar to the Attracted To behavior, but by default an object moves toward the object of attraction and comes to rest, rather than overshooting the object of attraction and bouncing around.
Drift Attractor behavior in Motion The Drift Attractor behavior is similar to the Attractor behavior, but by default objects within the area of influence move toward the object of attraction and come to rest, rather than overshooting the object of attraction and bouncing around. Adjust this behavior using the controls in the Behaviors Inspector: • • Motion User Guide Affect: A pop-up menu that limits which objects in your project are affected by the Drift Attractor behavior.
Edge Collision behavior in Motion The Edge Collision behavior is ideal for setting up complex motion simulations with objects that do not exit the canvas. Objects with the Edge Collision behavior applied come to a stop or bounce after colliding with the edge of the canvas frame.
Gravity behavior in Motion The Gravity behavior causes an object, or the objects in a group (when Affect Subobjects is selected), to fall over time. The gravitational acceleration can be increased or decreased, resulting in a change to the rate of fall. Objects affected by the Gravity behavior continue to fall past the bottom edge of the canvas (unless the Edge Collision behavior has been applied).
Orbit Around behavior in Motion Similar to the Attracted To behavior, the Orbit Around behavior’s default parameter settings give the object sufficient initial velocity to orbit around another object in a perfect circle. Note: Behaviors such as Attractor and Repel applied to nearby objects may disrupt an object with the Orbit Around behavior applied to it.
• Include X, Y, and Z: Buttons that specify the space in which the orbit occurs. For example, when X and Y are enabled, the object orbits in the XY plane. In the illustration below, X and Y are selected in the Include parameter. The red motion paths represent the motion of the white stars around the target object (the blue circle). The light gray box represents the boundary of the group. In the illustration below, Y and Z are turned on in the Include parameter.
• • Z: Aligns the Pole Axis to the Z plane. • Random: When Random is selected, the axes shift to a different random position. Direction: A pop-up menu that sets whether objects move in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. Random Motion behavior The Random Motion behavior animates the position of an object and makes that object move around the canvas along a random path.
• Drag: A slider that controls the speed the object moves along the animation path. While the Amount parameter controls the length of the animation path, the Drag parameter shrinks or enlarges the animation path as a whole. • Include X, Y, and Z: Buttons that specify the space in which random motion is in effect. For example, when X and Y are enabled, the motion occurs in the XY plane; when Y and Z are enabled, the motion occurs in the YZ plane.
• Strength: A slider that defines the speed at which repelled objects move away from the object. With a value of 0, repelled objects don’t move at all. The higher the value, the faster repelled objects move. • Falloff Type: A pop-up menu that determines whether the distance defined by the Influence parameter falls off linearly or exponentially. • Linear: Repulsion between objects falls off in proportion to the object’s distance.
• Falloff Rate: A slider that sets how quickly the force of repulsion between objects affected by this behavior falls off. A low Falloff Rate value results in objects quickly getting up to speed as they move away from the object of repulsion. A high Falloff Rate causes objects to accelerate much more slowly. When set to Exponential, the attraction falls off more quickly than when set to Linear. • Influence: A slider that defines the radius of the circle of influence in pixels.
• Attract To: An object well that defines the object of attraction. To set the defined target object, drag the object from the Layers list to the Attract To well in the Spring HUD or Inspector. In the Layers list, you can also drag the target object onto the Spring behavior. • Spring Tension: A slider that determines how fast the object is pulled toward the object of attraction. • Relaxed Length: A slider that sets the distance from the target object where object attraction diminishes to zero.
• Falloff Rate: A slider that sets how quickly the force of attraction between objects affected by this behavior falls off. A low Falloff Rate value results in objects quickly getting up to speed as they move toward the object of attraction. A high Falloff Rate causes objects to accelerate much more slowly. When set to Exponential, the attraction falls off more quickly than when set to Linear. • Influence: A slider that defines the radius of the circle of influence, in pixels.
The HUD lets you specify the direction and speed of the Wind behavior by dragging an arrow in a circular region. The direction of the arrow defines the direction of movement in X and Y space, and the length of the arrow defines speed (velocity). A slider lets you adjust the scale of the HUD control, increasing or decreasing the effect the control has over the object. Press the Shift key while dragging the arrow to constrain the direction to 45-degree angles.
Additional behaviors in Motion Audio, Camera, Motion Tracking, Particles, Replicator, Shape, and Text behaviors are designed specifically to be applied to their respective objects: Audio files, cameras, particle emitters or cells, replicators or replicator cells, shapes, and text. Save and share custom behaviors Save custom behaviors in Motion You can save customized behaviors to the Library in any of several organizational categories for future use.
Delete custom behaviors in Motion You can delete custom behaviors from the Library, if necessary. Delete a custom behavior • In the Library in Motion, Control-click the custom behavior, then choose Move to Trash from the shortcut menu. Delete a custom folder from a subcategory in the Library • In Motion, control-click the folder in the Library, then choose Move to Trash from the shortcut menu. You can also delete the folder from the macOS Finder.
Animate with keyframes Intro to keyframing in Motion Keyframing is the process of assigning different parameter values to an object at specific points in time to animate some aspect of the object. Although behaviors are ideal for quickly adding complex motion or effects to an object, keyframes provide additional precision, ensuring that a specific event happens at the exact frame you choose.
Add keyframes in Motion Motion provides two basic ways to apply keyframes to animate your project: • Record button method: Turn on the Record button to create a new keyframe whenever you adjust any parameter. This method is useful when you want to create keyframes for multiple parameters in your project. • Initial-keyframe method: Manually add a keyframe to a parameter to have any further adjustment of that parameter create additional keyframes at the current playhead position.
4. Modify one or more parameters by doing any of the following: • Use the onscreen controls to move, scale, or manipulate objects. • Use the controls in the Inspector or HUD to move, scale or manipulate objects. Keyframes are added at the current playhead position for any parameters you modified. 5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to add additional keyframes. As long as the Record button is enabled, any parameter modifications your make in your project are recorded as new keyframes.
Note: When you move the pointer over the Add/Delete Keyframe button, a plus sign appears inside the diamond); after you add a keyframe, the diamond turns solid gray. • In the Transform section of the Properties Inspector, click the Animation menu on the far right side of a parameter, then choose Add. Note: The Animation menu (a down arrow) is hidden until you position the pointer over the far-right side of the parameter row you want to add a keyframe to.
Animate in the canvas with keyframes Add an animation path in the canvas in Motion The easiest way to apply keyframes is to manipulate objects directly in the canvas while the Record button is enabled. Using this method, you can animate changes to basic parameters such as scale, rotation, position, distort, and so on. When the Record button is enabled and you move the playhead to a new frame, any change you make to any object generates new keyframes.
3. In the canvas, place the object in a starting position. 4. Move the playhead forward. 5. In the canvas, drag the object to the ending position. 6. Click the Record button (or press A) to turn off keyframe recording. A red animation path shows the route the object will take when you play back your project, flying from position one to position two over the interval you set. Note: If you can’t see the animation path, click the View pop-up menu above the canvas, then choose Animation Path.
Modify animation paths in Motion You can modify an animation path by adding keyframes to or deleting keyframes from the path, or by dragging keyframes on the path. Additionally, you can set the keyframe type to curved or angled, changing the shape of the path. When you drag a keyframe in the canvas, the frame number corresponding to that keyframe and its X, Y, and Z position values are displayed in the status bar (above the canvas).
Reposition an object on an animation path When you move an object on an animation path to a new position in the canvas, a portion of the animation path is repositioned along with the object. • In Motion, make sure the object is positioned on the animation path between two keyframe points, then drag the object (but not its center onscreen control). The object is moved to a new position in the canvas, and a new keyframe point is created at that position.
The keyframe is disabled and no longer influences the shape of the animation path. To re-enable the keyframe, Control-click the disabled keyframe, then choose Enable Point from the shortcut menu. • Lock a keyframe point: Control-click a keyframe point in the canvas, then choose Lock Point from the shortcut menu. The keyframe is locked and can no longer be edited. To unlock the keyframe, Controlclick the locked keyframe point, then choose Unlock Point from the shortcut menu.
5. Set the parameter to the beginning value. 6. Move the playhead to a new position. 7. In the Inspector, change the parameter to a new value. 8. Click the Record button (or press A) again to turn off keyframe recording. The parameter now changes over time. Animate parameters in the Inspector by setting an initial keyframe (Record button is off) 1. In the Motion canvas, select the object to keyframe. 2. Place the playhead on the frame where you want the effect to begin. 3.
5. Move the playhead to a new position. 6. In the Inspector, change the parameter to a new value. The parameter now changes over time. Animation menu controls in Motion The Animation menu in the Inspector provides access to additional keyframing options.
• Next: Moves the playhead to the next keyframe for this parameter. The Next command is available only if a keyframe exists later in the project. Note: You can also choose Mark > Go To > Previous Keyframe (or press Option-K) or Mark > Go To > Next Keyframe (or press Shift-K) to move from keyframe to keyframe. • Enable/Disable Animation: Activates or deactivates keyframes for the parameter. Choosing Disable Animation hides the keyframes already set, restoring the parameter to its default value.
Keyframe controls in the Inspector in Motion In the Inspector, basic keyframe controls are available on the right side of animatable parameter rows. These controls allow you to determine the status of a parameter at a glance, to add or delete keyframes at the current playhead position, and to navigate to next and previous keyframes in the Timeline. At the far-right side of a parameter row is the Add/Delete Keyframe button (the diamond outline).
Animate from the HUD in Motion Parameters that appear in the HUD can be keyframed using the Record button or by setting an initial keyframe. Using this technique, you can animate basic object properties such as opacity or position, or create advanced effects such as setting static filters into motion. In this example, the HUD is used to animate an object’s opacity. Animate a parameter from the HUD 1. In the Timeline in Motion, move the playhead where you want to begin to animate. 2.
Use keyframes to modify behaviors Apply keyframes to behaviors in Motion You can also use keyframes to animate behaviors. Combining behaviors and keyframes is a powerful way to enhance behaviors’ usefulness. For example, you might want to apply a Gravity behavior, but delay the object’s fall until five seconds into the clip. Keyframes allow you to manipulate the parameters of each behavior.
Combining keyframes and behaviors in Motion When you combine keyframes with behaviors, Motion adds the two sets of instructions together. For example, if you apply a Throw behavior toward the upper left of the canvas, and at the same time add keyframes that instruct the object to move to the right, the behavior-driven object moves less leftward because the keyframes are pushing it in an opposite direction. The larger the Throw velocity rate, the more the behavior overpowers the keyframes, and vice versa.
Identify a keyframe’s value • In Motion, Control-click (or double-click) a keyframe in the Timeline and view its value in a shortcut menu. Note: Multiple keyframes on the same frame are listed in the menu. Display a keyframe with its associated animation curve in the Keyframe Editor • In Motion, Control-click the keyframe in the Timeline, then choose Show in Keyframe Editor from the shortcut menu. The Keyframe Editor appears below the Timeline.
2. Choose the keyframe parameter to edit. 3. Enter a value into the value field, then press Return. Note: To exit an active value field without making changes, press Esc. Copy and paste keyframes in the Timeline 1. In the Timeline track area in Motion, select one or more keyframes. Shift-click to select multiple contiguous keyframes; Command-click to select multiple noncontiguous keyframes. 2. Choose Edit > Copy (or press Command-C). 3. Move the playhead to the frame where you want to paste the keyframes.
Align a keyframe to a marker in the Timeline In the Timeline, you can align a keyframe with other important timed events. For example, you might want to align a filter keyframe applied to one object with the In or Out point of another object, or to a marker, or to a keyframe in another track. 1. In the top-right corner of the Timeline in Motion, click the Show Keyframes button so that it’s highlighted blue. 2. In the top-right corner of the Timeline, click the Snapping button so that it’s highlighted blue.
Work in the Keyframe Editor Display the Keyframe Editor in Motion The Keyframe Editor provides a visualization of changing keyframe values in the form of animation curves. Animation curves plot keyframes on a line over time; changing keyframe values modifies the shape of the curve. In the Keyframe Editor, you can view and modify these curves to fine-tune animation in your project. On the left side of the Keyframe Editor, a parameter list shows parameters that have keyframes.
Keyframe Editor controls in Motion The Keyframe Editor comprises a list of parameters on the left, a multifunctional graph on the right where keyframes and curves for each parameter are displayed, and tools for modifying keyframes and curves. These elements are described below: • Show Curve Set pop-up menu: Choose an item from the menu to filter the parameters shown in the Keyframe Editor. See Choose a curve view in Motion.
Motion User Guide • Value: Parameter values at the playhead position appear in the third column. Modify a parameter value by dragging left or right over the number in this field. Or doubleclick the field, then enter a new value. The value displayed and editing options depend on several factors: If the playhead is on a keyframe, this field shows the value for that keyframe, and adjusting the value alters the keyframe.
• • Interpolation: Sets the type of curve for the parameter. See Curve interpolation methods in Motion for examples of the different interpolation methods. Choose Constant, Linear, Bezier, Continuous, Exponential, or Logarithmic. Exponential and Logarithmic are only visible from the Interpolation submenu when you Control-click a keyframe in the Keyframe Editor. • Before First Keyframe: Defines what happens between the first keyframe and the beginning of the clip.
• Clear Curve List button: Deletes all items in the parameter list from a custom set. • Fit Visible Curves in Window button: Scales the graph area vertically and horizontally so that the curve is entirely visible. This button does not change the value of your keyframes. • Take/Show Curve Snapshot button: Turns on and turns off the state of all curves in the Keyframe Editor.
Modify keyframes and curves in the Keyframe Editor Add or delete keyframes in the Keyframe Editor in Motion To add or delete keyframes in the Keyframe Editor, select the Edit Keyframes tool (above the parameter list), then perform the following tasks: Add a keyframe • In the parameter list (on the left side of the Keyframe Editor) in Motion, click the Animation menu for any parameter, then choose Add.
Delete all of a parameter’s keyframes • In Motion, in the parameter list in the Keyframe Editor, click the Animation menu for a parameter, then choose Reset Parameter. The Animation menu is hidden until you place the pointer over the right side of a parameter row. Note: You can also use the corresponding Animation menu in the Inspector.
• Double-click the keyframe to modify, enter a value in the value field, then press Return. This changes the value of the keyframe along the Y axis (up-down). Note: To dismiss an active value field without making changes, press Esc. • In the parameter list, drag a value slider: • Drag right to increase the keyframe value. • Drag left to decrease the keyframe value. • Press and hold the Shift key while dragging to change the value in increments of 10.
Reverse, lock, or disable keyframes in Motion With the Edit Keyframes tool (above the parameter list) selected, you can also perform advanced keyframe modifications. You can reverse keyframes to invert the corresponding animated effect without re-animating it, lock keyframes (individually or in groups) to prevent accidental adjustment, or disable an entire curve to suspend animation for that parameter. Reverse keyframes 1.
Copy and paste keyframes Use this technique to copy and paste a segment of an animation curve from one parameter to another, or from one object to another. 1. In Motion, select keyframes by doing one of the following: • In the Keyframe Editor, drag a selection rectangle around the keyframes. • In the Keyframe Editor, Shift-click the keyframes you want to select. Note: If the curve appears white but the keyframes do not, the keyframes are not selected. 2.
Draw an animation curve in Motion The Sketch Keyframes tool (next to the Edit Keyframes tool) lets you sketch animation curves in the Keyframe Editor graph area, creating keyframes as you go. To sketch a curve, the parameter to animate must first appear in the parameter list. See Create a custom curve view in Motion for methods of displaying curves. Sketch an animation curve 1. In Motion, in the parameter list in the Keyframe Editor, select the parameter to sketch. 2.
Draw a selection box using the Transform Keyframes tool 1. In Motion, select the Transform Keyframes tool (above the parameter list in the Keyframe Editor). 2. In the graph area, drag to create a selection rectangle enclosing the keyframes you want to manipulate. A bounding box with eight handles appears in the graph area. Important: When transforming keyframes using the Transform Keyframes tool, by default keyframes are adjusted in whole-frame increments.
Deform the bounding box asymmetrically • In Motion, while pressing and holding the Command key, then drag a corner handle of a bounding box in the Keyframe Editor. Each corner handle moves independently of the other three corner handles of the bounding box. Deselect the bounding box In Motion, do one of the following: • In the Keyframe Editor, click once anywhere outside the bounding box. • Choose the Edit Keyframes tool. The bounding box disappears.
With Take/Show Curve Snapshot enabled, as you move keyframes in the Keyframe Editor, the original curve—as it appeared when you took the snapshot—retains its color. As long as you remain in the Keyframe Editor editing the current set of curves with the Take/Show Curve Snapshot button enabled, the snapshot curve remains available. Revert a curve to its most recent snapshot If, after editing a curve, you want to revert to the snapshot, you can do so from the Animation menu in the Keyframe Editor.
Set an interpolation method for a curve segment • In Motion, Control-click a segment between two keyframes in the Keyframe Editor, choose Interpolation from the shortcut menu, then choose a method from the submenu. Only the segment between the surrounding two keyframes is affected by the interpolation method you choose. You can set different interpolation methods for other segments of the same curve.
Curve interpolation methods in Motion The Interpolation submenu of the Animation menu (and the shortcut menu that appears when you Control-click a keyframe) contains the following methods that set the shape of curves between keyframes: Motion User Guide • Constant: When applied to a keyframe or curve segment, this method holds the keyframe at its current value and then abruptly changes to the new value at the next keyframe.
Motion User Guide • Continuous: This method behaves like Bezier interpolation, but without access to the tangent handles (which are calculated automatically). The parameter begins to change gradually, reaching its maximum rate of acceleration at the midpoint, then tapers off slightly as it approaches the second keyframe. When applied to a keyframe, the segments before and after the keyframe are affected. When applied to a curve segment, the segment between the keyframes is affected.
Motion User Guide • Ease In: This method has a reverse-inertia effect, so a value change slows coming into a keyframe. When applied to a curve segment, the value change eases into the segment. This option is available only when you Control-click a keyframe; it is not available in the Animation pop-up menu. • Ease Out: This method creates a typical inertia-like lag, so a value change begins more slowly coming out of a keyframe. When applied to a curve segment, the value change eases out of the segment.
Convert to Bezier interpolation in Motion Bezier interpolation—the default keyframe type—is the most flexible method of curve generation because it allows manual modification of the curve. If you’ve converted Bezier keyframes to linear keyframes, Motion lets you convert them back to Bezier keyframes. Convert a linear keyframe into a Bezier keyframe • In the Keyframe Editor in Motion, Command-drag a keyframe. Bezier tangent handles appear and your mouse movement controls one of the handles.
In Motion, do any of the following: “Break” tangent handles to adjust one independently of the other: Press and hold the Option key and drag a tangent’s handle, or Control click a tangent handle, then choose Break Handle from the shortcut menu. • • Relink broken tangent handles: Press and hold the Option key while dragging a tangent, or Control-click a tangent handle and choose Link and Align Handles.
Apply an extrapolation method to a parameter after the last keyframe • In the Keyframe Editor in Motion, click the Animation menu for the parameter to change, then choose an item from the After Last Keyframe submenu. The Animation menu (a down arrow) remains hidden until you position the pointer over the far-right side of the parameter row you want to modify.
Motion User Guide • Ping-Pong: This method copies the curve and repeats it, alternating forward and backward. • Repeat: This method duplicates the curve, applying it again and again. • Progressive: This method extends the curve by repeating the existing shape of the curve, but rather than returning to the exact values, repeats from the existing end value.
Convert extrapolated curves to keyframes in Motion By default, keyframe extrapolation occurs without creating keyframes. This lets you experiment with various methods. However, you can convert an extrapolation method into keyframes to further manipulate them, using the Generate Keyframes command. You can choose how many extrapolation cycles you want converted into keyframes. Cycles after the number chosen remain in the extrapolated state.
Convert extrapolation data into keyframes 1. In the Keyframe Editor in Motion, click the Animation menu for the parameter you want to modify, then choose Generate Keyframes from the Before First Keyframe or After Last Keyframe submenu. Note: The Animation menu (a down arrow) remains hidden until you position the pointer over the far-right side of the parameter row you want to modify. 2. In the Generate Keyframes dialog, select the number of cycles to be keyframed. 3. Click OK to confirm your selection.
View only animated (keyframed or behavior-influenced) parameters • In the Keyframe Editor in Motion, click the Show Curve Set pop-up menu, then choose Animated. Parameters with more than one keyframe are displayed. View keyframes for a specific parameter of an object • In the Inspector in Motion, click the Animation menu for the parameter, then choose Show in Keyframe Editor.
Create a custom curve view in Motion In addition to using the built-in curve set views, you can make and manage your own view using the last two options in the Show Curve Set pop-up menu: New Curve Set and Manage Curve Sets. As you create and store custom parameter sets, they appear in the Show Curve Set pop-up menu (at the top of the parameter list in the Keyframe Editor), allowing you to switch between them.
Delete a parameter from a custom curve set • In the Keyframe Editor in Motion, drag the parameter out of the list. Delete all parameters from a custom curve set • In Motion, click the Clear Curve List button in the top-right corner of the Keyframe Editor. Delete a custom curve set 1. In the Keyframe Editor in Motion, click the Show Curve Set pop-up menu, then choose Manage Curve Sets. 2. In the Manage Curve Sets dialog, select the name of the set to delete. 3.
Switch between custom curve sets Use the Manage Curve Sets dialog to switch back and forth between custom curve sets that contain common animated parameters. For example, if you created a custom curve set for an object’s Position and Rotation parameters, and your project also contains another object with animated Position and Rotation parameters, you can switch back and forth between their curve sets. 1. In the Keyframe Editor in Motion, click the Show Curve Set pop-up menu, then choose Manage Curve Sets.
Although you can save animation curves into the Content category of the Library, for ease of organization it’s recommended that you save items you use frequently in the Favorites category. For information on naming items saved to the Library, saving multiple items of different types to the Library, as well as creating and organizing folders in the Library, see Save custom objects to the Library in Motion.
Add keyframes in the mini-curve editor The procedure for adding keyframes in a mini-curve editor is slightly different than the procedure for adding them in the full-sized Keyframe Editor. In the mini-curve editor in Motion, do one of the following: • Double-click the curve. • Option-click the curve. • Control-click the curve, then choose Add Keyframe from the shortcut menu. Modify a keyframe value in the mini-curve editor 1. In the mini-curve editor in Motion, double-click a keyframe.
Note: You can also animate on the fly using the initial keyframe method. For more information on the initial keyframe method, see Add keyframes in Motion. Delete keyframes recorded on the fly If you don’t like the animation you made, you can delete the keyframes and try again. In Motion, do one of the following: • Choose Edit > Undo (or press Command-Z) to revert to the state before you began recording your animation. • Select one or more keyframes, then press Delete.
Simplify a keyframe curve in Motion When a parameter contains at least one keyframe, or when the Record button is enabled, a keyframe is added every time you modify a parameter at a new playhead position. If you animate while the project is playing, you create a keyframe at every frame. Additionally, when you convert a behavior to keyframes, you often end up with an unwieldy amount of keyframes. In many cases, the curve created by your animation can be represented using fewer keyframes.
Adjust keyframe thinning before animating on the fly Use the Recording Options dialog to adjust the Keyframe Thinning setting or to disable recording during playback. (This setting has no effect on ordinary keyframing.) 1. In Motion, do one of the following: • Choose Mark > Recording Options (or press Option-A). • Double-click the Record button (in the timing toolbar). 2. In the Recording Options dialog, select a Keyframe Thinning option: • Off: No thinning is applied.
Create Final Cut Pro templates Intro to Final Cut Pro templates in Motion Final Cut Pro ships with numerous effects, titles, transitions, and generators that were created in Motion. In Motion, effects, titles, transitions, and generators, are collectively referred to as templates. You can modify these default Final Cut Pro templates or create your own templates from scratch.
How do templates work? Template workflow in Motion Creating templates for Final Cut Pro in Motion involves several simple steps: Step 1: Select a template type In the Motion Project Browser, create a new project by selecting one of four template types—Final Cut Effect, Final Cut Transition, Final Cut Title, or Final Cut Generator—then click Open.
Placeholders vs. drop zones in Motion Most of the Final Cut Pro templates in Motion contain placeholder layers, which appear in the canvas as down arrow graphics. In Motion, you drag effects objects (behaviors, filters, and so on) into these placeholder layers. The result is a custom effect that you can later apply to clips in Final Cut Pro. When you do so, two things happen in Final Cut Pro: • The target clip in the Final Cut Pro timeline populates the placeholder.
Work with effect templates Create an effect template in Motion Use the Final Cut Effect template to create a custom stylized effect that can be applied to clips in the Final Cut Pro timeline. For information on working with 360° templates, see Creating 360° templates for Final Cut Pro in Motion. Create a new effect template 1. In Motion, choose File > New from Project Browser (or press Option-Command-N). 2.
Be sure to release the mouse button when the pointer is over the placeholder (the down arrow in the canvas or Effect Source layer in the Layers list). If you miss the target, you create a new layer, which cannot be dragged to the placeholder layer. The image is added to the Effect Source layer, replacing the arrow graphic in the canvas. This image is temporary media used to preview the result of the effect you are building. It’s not used in the Final Cut Pro effect.
d. To retain unused media in the project (media or audio in the Media list that’s not used in the template but which you want to save for later inclusion), select “Include unused media.” For information on where template-related files are saved, see Where are templates saved in Motion? e. If you want a preview movie to appear in the Motion Project Browser, select Save Preview Movie. 10. Click Publish. The template and remaining media are saved and exported to the Final Cut Pro Effects browser.
4. Modify the project in Motion, then do one of the following: • Save a copy of a Final Cut Pro preset with the default name: Choose File > Save. • Save a copy of a Final Cut Pro preset with a new name: Choose File > Save As, complete the save dialog information, then click Publish. • Save the updated Motion-created template and overwrite the original version: Choose File > Save.
5. In the Emitter Inspector, click the Color Mode pop-up menu (in the Cell Controls section), then choose Colorize. 6. Select a new color from the Color controls (just under the Color Mode pop-up menu). In the canvas, the Bokeh 4 emitter’s circular particles change to the new color. 7. Do one of the following: • Motion User Guide Click the Color parameter’s Animation menu (the down arrow that appears when you place the pointer over the right side of the parameter row), then choose Publish.
• Control-click the Color parameter’s name, then choose Publish from the shortcut menu. 8. In the Layers list, click the Project object, and then in the Project Inspector, click Publishing. The controls that are published in the preset Bokeh Random effect are listed: Type, Blend Mode, Size, Number, Pattern, Speed, Blur Amount, Opacity, and Color.
Save the modified Bokeh Random effect • In Motion, choose File > Save (or press Command-S). Note: To save the effect with a different name or to a different category in the Effects Browser, choose File > Save As. The initially created file (Bokeh Random Copy) remains in the Final Cut Pro Effects browser and Motion Project Browser, but can be deleted in the macOS Finder, in the /Users/username/Movies/Motion Templates/ folder. The effect is now ready for use in Final Cut Pro.
Note: You cannot delete the Transition A and Transition B placeholders from a transition template. Nor can you create additional Transition placeholders. 4. To add the first reference image to the placeholders to preview your work, do one the following: • In the toolbar, click Import, then drag a still image onto the Transition A layer in the Layers list (or onto the Transition A arrow in the canvas).
8. To allow Final Cut Pro users to modify parameters, choose Publish from the Animation pop-up menu of each parameter you want to make accessible. Publishing a parameter makes its user interface control (the slider, checkbox, or dial) available in the Final Cut Pro inspector when the custom effect is applied to a clip. Published parameters can be adjusted and keyframed in Final Cut Pro. See Adding controls to templates in Motion.
Override the default transition length set in Final Cut Pro The duration of transition template is determined by the Final Cut Pro project settings. However, you can override that default duration in Motion. • In Motion, select the Project object in the Layers list, then select the Override FCP Duration checkbox in the Properties Inspector. The transition also has adjustable In and Out points in the Final Cut Pro project.
6. Animate the opacity of Transition A by doing the following: a. Click the Record button (press A) and select Transition A. b. Drag the playhead to frame 1, then set Opacity to 100 in the Properties Inspector. Because the default Opacity value is 100, move the Opacity value slider back and forth, or enter 100 in the adjacent value slider to be sure a keyframe is created. Tip: To see keyframes in the Timeline, click the Show/Hide Keyframes button in the upper-right corner of the Timeline. c.
10. Choose File > Save, then do the following: a. In the save dialog, enter a name for the template. If you don’t specify a name, the template appears in the Final Cut Pro Transitions browser as “New Template.” b. Choose a category from the Category pop-up menu. You can also create a custom category. Categories appear in the Motion Project Browser and the Final Cut Pro Transitions browser. c. If needed, choose a theme from the Theme pop-up menu. You can also create themes.
When the transition is added to a Final Cut Pro project, a Drop Zone image well appears in the Final Cut Pro inspector. Using this image well, an editor can add a source clip that appears as a background during the custom transition. Using the drop zone’s onscreen controls (accessed by double-clicking the drop zone in the Final Cut Pro viewer), an editor can pan or scale the source clip within the drop zone. For more information, refer to the Final Cut Pro User Guide.
4. Modify the project in Motion, then do any of the following: • Save a copy of the Final Cut Pro preset with the default name: Choose File > Save. • Save a copy of the Final Cut Pro preset with a new name: Choose File > Save As, complete the save dialog information, then click Publish. • Save the updated Motion-created template and overwrite the original version: Choose File > Save.
3. Click Open (or press Return). A new, untitled Motion project opens containing two layers: a text layer (Type Text Here) and a placeholder layer (Title Background). 4. To add a reference image to the Title Background placeholder to preview your work, do one of the following: • In the toolbar, click Import, then drag a still image from the dialog to the placeholder arrow in the canvas (or to the Title Background layer in the Layers list).
7. To allow Final Cut Pro users to modify specific parameters, choose Publish from the Animation pop-up menu of each parameter you want to make accessible. Publishing a parameter makes its user interface control (the slider, checkbox, or dial) available in the Final Cut Pro inspector when the custom title is added to a clip. Published parameters can be adjusted and keyframed in Final Cut Pro. See Adding controls to templates in Motion.
Apply the title in Final Cut Pro 1. Click the Titles and Generators button in the top-left corner of the Final Cut Pro window. 2. In the sidebar, click Titles, then locate the title to add. 3. Do one of the following: • Drag the title into the timeline, above the clip you want to composite it over. When you release the mouse button, the title is anchored to the clip, and the clip is used as the background. The title can span multiple clips in the timeline.
Tip: From Motion, you can publish a rigged checkbox that turns the drop zone on or off in the main Final Cut Pro timeline. Alternatively, you can create two versions of the title template, one that uses a standard drop zone as a background and one that doesn’t. For more information on rigging, see Intro to rigging in Motion. For more information on publishing, see Adding controls to templates in Motion.
Work with generator templates Create a generator template in Motion Use the Final Cut Generator template to create a custom generator that can be applied to clips in the Final Cut Pro timeline. A generator template is similar to a standard Motion project. However, when saved, it’s exported to the Generators browser in Final Cut Pro. Like any content added to a Final Cut Pro project, a generator template can be composited over a clip in the Final Cut Pro timeline, or added to the main timeline.
4. Build the project as you would any other Motion project, using shapes, text, behaviors, camera animation, and so on. Note: You can also add drop zones to create additional effects, such as a picture-inpicture effect. Drop zones allow Final Cut Pro users to place media into designated regions of the applied effect. See Intro to drop zones in Motion and Placeholders vs. drop zones in Motion. 5.
Apply the generator in Final Cut Pro 1. Click the Titles and Generators button in the top-left corner of the Final Cut Pro window. 2. Click Generators, then locate the generator to add. 3. Do one of the following: • Drag the generator into the timeline, above the clip you want to composite it over. The generator can span multiple clips in the timeline. • Drag the generator to an empty section of the main timeline.
Convert project types Convert a Motion project to Final Cut Pro You can convert a standard Motion project to a Final Cut Effect, Final Cut Generator, Final Cut Title, or Final Cut Transition template for use in Final Cut Pro. When you convert a standard project to a template project, you specify which layers in the project are used for the template’s required placeholders.
d. To retain unused media in the project (media or audio in the Media list that’s not used in the template but which you may want to include in the template later), select “Include unused media.” For information on where template-related files are saved, see Where are templates saved in Motion? e. If you want a preview movie to appear in the Motion Project Browser, select Save Preview Movie. 5. Click Publish.
Convert a standard Motion project to a title A Final Cut Title template contains an optional Title Background placeholder. When converting a project to a title, you can choose to add no placeholder, to add an empty placeholder, or to use an image already in your project as a placeholder. 1. In Motion, choose File > Title. 2. In the dialog, click the Title Source pop-up menu, then do one of the following: • To add no Title Background placeholder: Choose None.
Convert a standard Motion project to a transition A Final Cut Transition template must contain a Transition A placeholder and a Transition B placeholder. When converting, you can choose to add empty placeholders, or to use images already in your project as placeholders. 1. In Motion, choose File > Transition. 2. In the dialog, click the Transition A pop-up menu, then do one of the following: • To add a new, empty Transition A placeholder: Choose New Placeholder.
Convert a template to another type in Motion If necessary, you can convert a Final Cut Effect, Final Cut Generator, Final Cut Title, or Final Cut Transition template to a different template type. You can also convert any template to a standard Motion project. Convert a generator, title, or transition to an effect A Final Cut Effect template must contain an Effect Source placeholder.
Convert an effect, title, or transition to a generator A Final Cut Generator template contains no placeholders. If the project you’re converting (such as an effect or transition) includes a placeholder with a reference image, the placeholder is converted to a standard drop zone containing the image. 1. In Motion, choose File > Convert Project To > Generator. 2. Choose File > Save, then do the following: a. In the dialog, enter a name for the template.
4. Choose File > Save, then do the following: a. In the save dialog, enter a name for the template. If you don’t specify a name, the template appears in the Final Cut Pro Titles browser as “New Template.” b. Choose a category from the Category pop-up menu. You can also create a custom category by choosing New Category. Categories represent how the effects are organized in the Motion Project Browser and in the Final Cut Pro Titles browser. c. If needed, choose a theme from the Theme pop-up menu.
b. Choose a category from the Category pop-up menu. You can also create a custom category by choosing New Category. Categories represent how the effects are organized in the Motion Project Browser and in the Final Cut Pro Transitions browser. c. If needed, choose a theme from the Theme pop-up menu. You can create a theme by choosing New Theme. Themes let you categorize template types in the Motion Project Browser and in the Final Cut Pro browsers. d.
Replace an image in a template placeholder 1. To replace a reference placeholder image, do one of the following in Motion: • In the toolbar, click Import, then drag a still image from the dialog to the Effect Source layer in the Layers list; when the pointer becomes a curved arrow, release the mouse button. • From the Finder or Library, drag a still image to the Effect Source layer in the Layers list; when the pointer becomes a curved arrow, release the mouse button. 2.
Note: When you clear a placeholder image, its source media is not loaded into Motion the next time you modify the template (by choosing the “Open a copy in Motion” command in the Final Cut Pro media browsers). And if you previously added a placeholder image to create a thumbnail for a Final Cut Pro effect, clearing the placeholder image from the template in Motion deletes the thumbnail from Final Cut Pro. Manually remove media saved with a template 1.
Note: If the parameters you want to publish are not visible, place the pointer over the right side of the parameter group row and click Show. • Control-click the parameter’s name, then choose Publish from the shortcut menu. 3. Save the template. When you apply the modified effect, transition, title, or generator to a clip in the Final Cut Pro timeline, the parameter control you published appears in the Final Cut Pro inspector, ready for adjustment.
Note: Examples of parameters with subparameters include Scale (with X, Y, and Z values) and Shear (with X and Y values). Publish subparameter controls of a compound parameter You can also publish specific subparameters of a compound parameter. This is a good way to limit an editor’s control over effects parameters in a Final Cut Pro project. 1. In the template project in Motion, select the image layer or effect object containing the subparameter to publish. 2.
Publish a rig control (widget) 1. In Motion, add a rig to the template, assigning specific parameters to the rig’s widget controls. For more information about building rigs, creating widgets, and assigning parameters, see Intro to rigging in Motion. 2.
3. Save the template. When you apply the modified effect, transition, title, or generator to a clip in the Final Cut Pro timeline, the onscreen controls for the filter appear in the Final Cut Pro viewer. Note: When you publish onscreen controls, their corresponding numeric controls in the Inspector are not published. You must publish Inspector parameter controls separately. See Publish a parameter control.
Unpublish a parameter control in the Inspector • In Motion, select a layer or effect object in the Layers list, then in the Inspector, do one of the following: • Click the published parameter’s Animation menu (the down arrow that appears when you place the pointer over the right side of the parameter row), then choose Unpublish. • Control-click the published parameter’s name, then choose Unpublish from the shortcut menu. Unpublish a parameter control in the Publishing pane 1.
• Project properties (such as Pixel Aspect Ratio, Frame Rate, and Background Color in the Properties Inspector) • Some Keyer filter and Luma Keyer filter controls • Noncompound groups of controls, such as the Lighting parameter in the Properties Inspector • Onscreen path for the Motion Path behavior Note: Although you can publish a Motion Path behavior to Final Cut Pro, the path does not appear in the Final Cut Pro viewer. In general, Motion lets you publish most controls in the application.
Control template timing and animation Intro to template markers in Motion Template markers—a special category of Timeline markers in Motion—control the timing of templates in Final Cut Pro. When building a template in Motion, you typically don’t know the duration of the clips that will be applied to it in Final Cut Pro. By default, the duration of a template is determined by the length of the Final Cut Pro clip it’s applied to.
Add template markers in Motion Use template markers to create an intro section, outro section, looping point, or poster frame (a frame that appears as a thumbnail in the Final Cut Pro browser) in a Final Cut Pro template. You can also create a Text Edit marker to designate edit points in a title template for Final Cut Pro. Create an intro section in a template Adding a Build In marker to a template creates an intro section.
Create an outro section in a template Adding a Build Out marker to a template creates an outro section. When the template is applied to a clip in Final Cut Pro, frames between the Build Out marker and the end of the project (the outro) play at the same speed as in the original Motion template. Frames before the Build Out marker are retimed to match the duration of the Final Cut Pro clip. 1. In Motion, move the playhead to the frame where you want the marker to appear, then press Shift-M.
Specify the frame where the template begins looping playback You can add a Project Loop End marker to instruct Final Cut Pro to begin looping playback at a specific frame. When playback reaches this frame, the project plays from the beginning of the project or from the Build In marker, if present. Frames beyond the Project Loop End marker are never played. 1. In Motion, move the playhead to the frame where you want the marker to appear, then press Shift-M.
Force Final Cut Pro to play a template at its original speed When you apply a template in Final Cut Pro, the template is retimed to match the duration of the clip it’s applied to. The Build In and Build Out markers force Final Cut Pro to play back the intros and outros you designate at their original speed (as created in Motion). However, if you want to force Final Cut Pro to play the template at its original speed throughout, use a Project Loop End marker. 1.
3. Do one of the following: • Position the playhead over the marker, then choose Mark > Markers > Edit Marker. • Double-click the marker. • Control-click the marker, then choose Edit Marker from the shortcut menu. 4. In the Edit Marker dialog, click the Type pop-up menu, then choose Text Edit. Although the object marker appearance does not change, it becomes a Text Edit marker. You can add multiple Text Edit markers to a template.
• Do not publish a parameter that’s controlled by a behavior. For example, if you publish an Opacity parameter that’s controlled by a Fade In/Fade Out behavior, you cannot adjust the opacity parameter after the template is added to the Final Cut Pro project. • Because the duration of templates often conflicts with the duration of the Final Cut Pro clips they’re applied to, try to publish nonanimated parameters in the template, then keyframe those parameters in Final Cut Pro.
Set template resolution in Motion Before you create a template, decide what resolution your project requires. Although the template scales to fit the resolution of the Final Cut Pro project it’s applied to, you should create the template at the highest resolution you will use. Additionally, you can save a template in multiple display aspect ratio settings, for delivery to different-sized screens. See Add multiple aspect ratios to templates in Motion.
3. Click the Add button (+) and choose a different aspect ratio from the shortcut menu. If you chose Custom, the Custom Display Aspect Ratio calculator appears. The new aspect ratio appears in the list. 4. In the Display Aspect Ratio Snapshots list, click the new aspect ratio. The project shifts to the new aspect ratio. Note: You cannot add a snapshot that matches an existing Display Aspect Ratio snapshot. 5. To reposition your objects to better fit the new aspect ratio, click Edit Snapshot.
Create a custom display aspect ratio (DAR) snapshot Pixel Aspect Ratio (PAR) is the ratio of the width of a pixel to its height. For example, NTSC pixels are slightly taller than they are wide. They have a pixel aspect ratio of 10/11 (approximately 0.9091). Display Aspect Ratio (DAR) is a ratio of the final displayed image’s width to its height. For example, the iPad display aspect ratio is 1.3333 (also written as 4:3), but HD televisions have a display ratio of 1.78:1 (also written as 16:9).
Where are templates saved in Motion? When you save a template, the project and all associated files are saved in your /Users/ username/Movies/Motion Templates/ folder on your computer, organized by template type. For example, a Final Cut Effect template is saved to /Users/username/Movies/Motion Templates/Effects/; a Final Cut Transition is saved to /Users/username/Movies/Motion Templates/Transitions/, and so on.
Using masks in templates in Motion You can use shapes and masks in any Final Cut Pro template type. For the best template results, use the following guidelines: • Limit the use of shapes to generator templates. Shapes are ideal generator template elements because they can be scaled in Final Cut Pro without degradation. (However, too many shapes in a template can adversely impact performance in Final Cut Pro.) • A shape added to a placeholder layer is converted to a mask.
Motion User Guide • Avoid publishing parameters animated with behaviors or keyframes. Published parameters allow template customization in Final Cut Pro. • Shapes are nice graphic elements to add to a template project (outside of the placeholder), as they can be scaled without degradation. (Shapes added to a placeholder become masks). However, too many shapes in a template will adversely impact performance in Final Cut Pro.
Build rigs Intro to rigging in Motion Even a relatively basic Motion project contains numerous parameter controls. You can customize and even combine multiple controls using rigging. Rigging lets you map one or more parameters at preset values to a single control. For example, you can rig a single slider to change the size, color, and tracking of a text object to a specific range of preset values. Or you can rig a single checkbox to activate shadows and reflections for all objects in a project.
The following image shows a Rig in the Inspector with a single slider widget controlling the color of two star shapes. With the slider in its current position, the big star is orange and little star is pink. As you drag the slider toward the right, both stars become white. How does rigging work in Motion? When you create a rig and add a widget control, you assign sets of snapshots to the widget. A snapshot is a record of parameter states for one or more objects in your project.
• If a parameter is assigned to a widget, that parameter cannot be modified while you are actively recording a different widget’s snapshot. For example, if you have a slider widget controlling a shape object’s color, and you begin recording a snapshot for a different widget, the shape’s color is not modifiable. • Some parameter types cannot be rigged.
The new widget (in this example, a pop-up menu widget) appears in the Rig Inspector: The widget also appears in the Layers list under its parent rig: When the Widget is selected, the Widget Inspector opens. By default, the widget contains empty placeholders for snapshots (parameter states). In this example, the pop-up menu widget contains three options: Snapshot 1, Snapshot 2, and Snapshot 3. You can rename them using the Rename button. See Rename a snapshot in a pop-up menu widget. 3.
c. When you finish making changes to parameters, click Stop Rig Edit Mode. The snapshot is stored and the parameters you modified are added to the Widget Inspector, alongside a joystick icon indicating that the parameter is rigged. d. To set additional snapshots, choose an unassigned snapshot in the widget (in this example, choose Snapshot 2 from the pop-up menu), then adjust the parameters. To add more parameters, repeat steps a, b, and c.
When viewing the Widget Inspector, the controls for the selected widget are displayed. When viewing the Rig inspector, controls for all widgets in the rig are displayed. The Widget Inspector and Rig Inspector both display the parameter controls used to modify the widget (an Edit Mode button and the parameters you’ve assigned to it).
Add a widget and assign a parameter in a single step As an alternative to creating a widget using the buttons in the Rig Inspector, you can create a rig and a widget and then apply a parameter to the widget in a single step. In Motion, do one of the following: • In the Inspector, click a parameter’s Animation menu (the down arrow that appears when you position the pointer over the right side of a parameter row), choose Add To Rig, choose a rig, then choose a widget type from the submenu.
Delete a widget from a rig In Motion, select the widget, then do one of the following: • Press Delete. • Choose Edit > Delete. • Control-click the widget, then choose Delete from the shortcut menu. Widget types Slider widget in Motion Slider widgets let you select values interpolated between snapshots. When you drag the slider, the affected parameters change gradually, ramping between the values of adjacent snapshots.
• Snapshot tags: The small (unlabeled) shaded circles underneath the slider indicate saved snapshots. Double-click below the slider to add snapshot tags. Add as many snapshot tags as you want. Snapshot tags work similarly to tags that represent individual colors in a gradient. To learn how tags are used when creating gradients, see Gradient editor controls in Motion. • Edit Mode: Click the Start button to enable snapshot recording.
Pop-up menu widget in Motion Pop-up menu widgets are similar to checkbox widgets but allow you to save more than two parameter states (snapshots). Each item in a pop-up menu widget represents a snapshot. When you choose an item in the pop-up menu, the affected parameters in your project toggle to a different saved state. The activation checkboxes in the Rig Inspector and in the Layers list (beside the pop-up menu widget) have no effect on the constituent parameters of the pop-up menu.
• Sequential: Each time the template is used (in a single project) in Final Cut Pro, the setting of this pop-up menu changes, cycling through the available menu items. The first time the template is used, this pop-up menu defaults to the first menu item. The next time the template is used, the pop-up menu is set to the second menu item, and so on.
Manage parameter snapshots Intro to snapshots in Motion When you click the Edit Mode Start button in the Widget Inspector or Rig Inspector, Motion begins recording parameter changes you make (including parameters you animate). Also, a window appears containing a Stop Rig Edit Mode button. The parameter changes you make while in rig edit mode are stored in the current snapshot (the item selected in the widget checkbox, pop-up menu, or slider). Other snapshots in the rig are unaffected.
Note: Each parameter can be controlled by only one widget. After a parameter is assigned to a widget, you cannot assign that parameter to additional widgets. You can add parameters to a widget after a snapshot is created by clicking the Start Rig Edit Mode button again and making changes to new parameters (see Create and manage snapshots in Motion) or by manually adding parameters to the widget (see Control rigs from Animation menus in Motion).
Create and manage snapshots in Motion You can record and modify snapshots using the controls in the Rig Inspector or Widget Inspector. Record a snapshot 1. In Motion, select a rig or widget in the Layers list. For information about creating rigs and widgets, see Build a simple rig in Motion. 2.
Recording is stopped, and the snapshot is stored to the widget. Modified parameters are added to the Rig Inspector and Widget Inspector (under the Edit Mode Start button) alongside a joystick icon indicating that the parameter is rigged. 6. To set additional snapshots, choose an unassigned snapshot in the widget, then adjust the parameters. To add more parameters, repeat steps 2–5.
Change the value of a snapshot tag You can quickly change the value of a snapshot tag without entering Rig Edit Mode. Do one of the following: • Click a slider widget tag, then enter a number in the value slider. • Double-click a slider widget tag, then enter a number in the value field. Delete a snapshot tag from a slider widget • In Motion, drag the tag away from the area under the slider.
Add snapshot items to a pop-up menu widget By default, the pop-up menu widget contains three menu items (Snapshot 1, Snapshot 2, and Snapshot 3). You can add or remove menu items using the Add or Delete button. 1. Select a rig or widget in the Layers list in Motion. For information about creating rigs and widgets, see Build a simple rig in Motion. 2.
Remove a parameter from a widget • In the Inspector in Motion, click the Animation menu (the down arrow that appears when you place the pointer over the right side of a parameter row) of the parameter to remove, then choose Remove from Widget [name of widget]. The parameter is removed from the widget. Note: Parameters can be removed from a widget in the parameter list in the Widget Inspector or in the Inspector containing the original parameter.
A rig is especially helpful when you need to share a complex project with multiple users or when the project is designed to be updated each time it’s used. For example, you can create a basic project for an animated lower-third title that incorporates two text objects and a background replicator. Each time the project is used, the size and position of the lower third (a replicator in this example) must change to match the length of the text, and the color must cycle through your project’s color scheme.
How to use multiple rigs in Motion You can create multiple rigs in a single project to better organize related widgets. Likewise, you can group each rig in the Layers list with the object or objects it affects. That way you can quickly navigate to the relevant rig to control the specific, related parameters. You can also use one widget to control another. Treat the widget as you would another parameter control when manipulating a snapshot for a widget.
Publish rigs from Motion to Final Cut Pro Rigging is especially useful in Final Cut Pro templates, allowing users to modify a complex group of parameters with a small set of controls, or limiting user control to ensure that junior compositors, editors, and others in the production pipeline adhere to established specs and client needs. After you add widgets (sliders, pop-up menus, and checkboxes) to a rig in a Final Cut Pro template in Motion, you must choose which widgets you want to publish.
Create particles Intro to particles in Motion Particle systems let you create sophisticated effects involving large numbers of automatically animated objects. You can add a premade particle system to your composition from the Library, or you can create your own custom particle effects using nearly any image layer or group in your project, including still images, shapes, text, and movies.
Each particle created in the canvas is essentially a duplicate of the cell, and is animated according to the parameters of that particle system over its lifetime. The layer you use as a particle system’s cell determines the appearance of that particle system. Particle systems can contain multiple cells (image layers), resulting in the release of several types of particles from a single emitter. Many of the most sophisticated particle presets in the Particle Emitters library are constructed in this way.
Add a particle system to a project Add a particle system in Motion There are two basic ways to add a particle system to a Motion project: • Choose a preset from the Particle Emitters category of the Library. • Create a custom particle system using your own image, video clip, shape, or text. You can also use multiple images as source cells for a single particle system. Note: For an example of working with a particle system in a 360° project, see Example: Integrate particles into a 360° project.
1. In the Library in Motion, select the Particle Emitters category, then select a subcategory, such as Nature, Pyro, SciFi, and so on. 2. In the Library stack under the categories and subcategories, select a particle preset. An animated preview of the selected particle emitter plays in the Library preview area. 3. Do one of the following: • Click Apply in the preview area to add the selected particle system to the center of the canvas.
This example uses an image of a simple white circular gradient, such as the “basic blur” image located in the Library (in Content > Particle Images). 2. Move the object in the canvas to the location where you want the center of your particle system to be. 3. With the object selected, do one of the following: • In the toolbar, click the Make Particles button. • Press E.
Create complex particles using multiple source layers You can add as many cells as you want in a single emitter, creating complex compositions with different overlapping particles. 1. Add one or more image layers to your Motion project. 2. In the Layers list, select the layers to use as the particle cells, then do one of the following: • In the toolbar, click the Make Particles button. • Press E. A new particle emitter layer appears in the Layers list and in the canvas.
Anatomy of a particle emitter in Motion After you add a particle emitter to a project, the following occurs: • An emitter appears in the Layers list and is selected. • A cell containing the image or images to be “particle-ized” appears as a sublayer underneath the emitter (click the disclosure triangle beside the emitter layer to hide or reveal its cells). • The original source layer (the cell source) is disabled.
By default, the first frame of a new particle system (with a single cell) has one particle. If you play your project (press the Space bar), additional particles are generated and emerge from the center of the emitter. By default, new cells emit one particle per frame in all directions (for 30-fps projects), and each particle moves 100 pixels per second away from the emitter over a lifetime of 5 seconds (150 frames in a 30-fps project).
Adjust a particle system Modify basic particle attributes in Motion You can make basic adjustments to a particle system by replacing its source image, adjusting cell opacity, removing unwanted cells, changing the emitter’s size or position in the canvas, or removing the entire emitter. Replace a preset emitter’s cell source image After you add a preset emitter to your project, you can customize it by replacing its source image. 1.
Adjust an emitter’s size or position using onscreen controls You can modify the size and position of particle emitters in the canvas using onscreen transform controls. 1. In the Layers list in Motion, select the particle emitter to adjust. 2. In the canvas toolbar, click and hold the transform tools pop-up menu, then choose Adjust Item. When the Adjust Item tool is selected, emitter onscreen controls appear in the canvas.
Modify particle system parameters in the HUD Adjust particles from the HUD in Motion When you create an emitter, the particle system begins working according to the default parameters in its Emitter Inspector and Particle Cell Inspector. You can modify the most important of these parameters in the Emitter HUD. Display an Emitter HUD • In Motion, select the emitter in the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas. The Emitter HUD appears. (If it does not appear, click the HUD button in the toolbar or press F7.
Adjust parameters for a 3D emitter in the Emitter HUD When the 3D checkbox in the Emitter Inspector is selected, the Emitter HUD offers additional 3D controls for manipulating the emitter in 3D space. In the Emitter HUD in Motion, do any of the following: • • Drag any of the following sliders: • Birth Rate: Sets how many particles are created every second. • Life: Sets how long each particle remains onscreen (in seconds) before disappearing from existence.
These controls are available in both 2D emitters and 3D emitters. For more information on using the 3D transform controls in the HUD, see Transform layers in 3D space in Motion. For particle systems containing multiple cells, the Emitter HUD parameters simultaneously modify the effect of each cell’s parameters relative to one another. This means that for a particle system consisting of two cells with different scale values, changing the scale in the HUD resizes both cells simultaneously.
Emitter HUD controls in Motion Adjust an emitter using the controls in the Emitter HUD: • Birth Rate: A slider that defines how many particles are created every second. • Life: A slider that defines how long each particle remains onscreen (in seconds) before disappearing from existence. • Scale: A slider that defines the size of each particle, relative to the original size of the cell. • Emission Range: A slider that defines the angle at which particles are emitted.
Drag the Emission Range slider (above the sphere) to define the range of degrees at which particles are generated. In other words, this control defines the size of the cone that the particles fill when generated in 3D space.
Single-cell vs. multi-cell controls in Motion If a particle system has only one cell, the Emitter Inspector displays both the Emitter Controls and the Cell Controls. In this case, you can control every aspect of the particle system from a single Inspector. However, when a particle system has two or more cells, the Emitter Inspector replaces individual cell controls with a group of Global Controls, which are located below the Emitter Controls and are hidden by default.
Emitter controls in Motion The parameters in the Emitter Controls section of the Emitter Inspector determine how particles are distributed and rendered in your project. Several of these controls are identical to those found in the Emitter HUD, with one difference: Although the emission control in the Emitter HUD lets you manipulate the Range, Angle, Latitude (3D), Longitude (3D), and Speed parameters using a single graphical control, the Emitter Inspector uses individual numeric controls for each parameter.
• Line: Particles emerge from a line. Using the onscreen controls (with the Adjust Item tool selected in the canvas toolbar) or controls in the Properties Inspector, you can specify the length and location of the line. In the Inspector, you can set a specific number of points where particles emerge. This emitter shape is useful for creating sheets of particles that cascade over a wide area. • Rectangle: Particles emerge from a rectangle along its edge, or in a tile-fill or random-fill pattern.
Motion User Guide • Circle: Particles emerge from a circle-shaped emitter. Depending on the setting you choose in the Arrangement parameter (described below) particles emerge in an outline, tile-fill, or random-fill pattern. Using the onscreen controls (with the Adjust Item tool selected in the canvas toolbar), you can specify the size and location of the circle. In the following image, the shape’s Arrangement parameter is set to Outline. • Burst: Particles emerge from a burst pattern.
• Wave: Particles emerge from a waveform. Using the onscreen controls (with the Adjust Item tool selected in the canvas toolbar) or the Start Point and End Point controls in the Emitter Inspector, you can specify the length and location of the wave. • Geometry: Particles emerge from the edge of a shape, defined by a spline object used as the shape source. The following image on the right shows the shape used as the emitter source.
• Image: Particles emerge from within an area defined by an image or from only the edges of the image. The image may or may not have an alpha channel. If it does, the shape of the alpha channel can also be used to define the emitter shape. The following image on the right shows the image used as the emitter image source; the image on the left shows the particles emerging from within the image.
• • • Sphere: This option is available when the 3D checkbox (described below) is selected in the Emitter Inspector. Particles are emitted from a three-dimensional sphere along its surface (Outline), or in a tile-fill or random-fill pattern (set in the Arrangement pop-up menu, described below). Using the onscreen controls (with the Adjust Item tool selected in the canvas toolbar), you can specify the radius and location of the sphere.
• Emission Alpha Cutoff: A slider available when Shape is set to Image. When the Image Source object contains an alpha channel, this slider defines the minimum opacity value necessary to create particles at that point on the source image. For example, when Emission Alpha Cutoff is set to 25%, particles appear only where the alpha value of the image is equal to or greater than 25% opacity. The lower the Emission Alpha Cutoff value, the more particles appear.
• Number of Arms: A slider (available when Shape is set to Burst or Spiral) to set the number of branches from which particles are emitted. The default value is 3. • Amplitude: A slider (available when Shape is set to Wave) to define half the distance from the highest point to the lowest point in the wave. Higher values result in more extreme waves. • Frequency: A slider (available when Shape is set to Wave) to set the number of waves. Higher values result in more waves.
• Emission Angle: A dial (available when the Shape pop-up menu is set to a 2D shape) to set the direction in which particles travel. This control works in conjunction with the Emission Range control (described below). It’s equivalent to one of the functions of the graphical emission control in the Emitter HUD.
• Depth Ordered: A checkbox (available when the 3D checkbox is selected) that, when deselected, causes particle distribution to be completely random, regardless of size. Consequently, particle arrangements may appear to violate the rules of perspective. When selected, this checkbox draws the particles in the particle system according to each particle’s actual 3D position in the project. In other words, particles closer to the camera appear larger; particles farther from the camera appear smaller.
Note: This option has no effect with particle systems containing only one cell. Leaving this option off speeds rendering with multiple cells. • Face Camera: A checkbox (available when 3D is enabled) that forces the particle system to face the active scene camera. For more information on cameras, see Add a camera in Motion. Particle cell controls in Motion Think of the particle cell as the “mold” for the particles generated in the canvas by the emitter.
Motion User Guide • Birth Rate Randomness: A slider that defines an amount of variance in the Birth Rate of generated particles. A value of 0 results in no variance (particles emerge from the emitter at the same rate). A value greater than 0 introduces a range of random variance to the Birth Rate value. • Initial Number: A slider that defines the initial number of particles. This control determines how many particles of this cell appear at the first frame of a particle effect.
• Align Angle: When this checkbox is selected, particles rotate to match the shape on which they are positioned. This parameter is available in all cases but the following: when the Shape setting (in the Emitter Inspector) is Rectangle, Circle, Image, Box, and Sphere and the Arrangement setting is Tile Fill or Random Fill; or when the Shape setting is Point. • Angle: A dial that sets the angle of rotation, in degrees, at which new particles are created.
Motion User Guide • Colorize: Particles are tinted using the color specified in the Color parameter. When this setting is selected, additional Color and Opacity Over Life controls appear (described below). • Over Life: Particles are tinted based on their age, with the range of possible colors defined by the Color Over Life gradient editor (described below).
• Color Over Life: A gradient editor (available when the Color Mode is set to Over Life) that sets the range of color that each particle assumes as it ages, beginning with the leftmost color in the gradient, and progressing through the range of colors until finally reaching the rightmost color at the end of its life. For more information on using gradient controls, see Change gradient color and opacity in Motion.
Motion User Guide • Attach To Emitter: A slider that sets how closely particles follow the position of a moving emitter. If set to zero, particles follow their own path after being emitted, trailing along the motion path the emitter is following. If this parameter is set to 100, in the absence of other behaviors, all generated particles follow the emitter, surrounding it in a moving cloud of particles.
Motion User Guide • Points: Displays each particle as a single point. This is the fastest preview mode, useful for displaying the type and speed of particle motion in a system. • Lines: Displays each particle as a line. This is a good preview mode to use to analyze the vector of each particle’s motion. The length of each line is determined by that particle’s speed, and the angle of each line equals each particle’s direction. • Wireframe: Displays each particle as a bounding box.
• Image: The default setting, displays the full particle system effect. Note: The option chosen in the Show Particles As pop-up menu appears in your final render. Used deliberately, this can result in some interesting effects. • Point Size: A slider (available when Show Particles As is set to Points) that sets the largeness of the points. • Random Seed: Although particle systems seem random, they’re deterministic.
Animate emitters and cells Animating emitters and cells in Motion By adding behaviors to a particle system’s emitter, or to the cells themselves, you can create sophisticated, organic animation that would be impossible to accomplish any other way. You can animate an emitter using behaviors designed specifically for particles, or by using Basic Motion, Parameter, or Simulation behaviors. You can also animate emitter parameters and cell parameters with keyframes.
Apply behaviors to particles in Motion Applying behaviors to particle systems is a quick and easy way to move emitters in your project and to create nearly limitless animations. There are two ways to apply behaviors to a particle system: • To the emitter: Behaviors applied to emitters affect the emitter itself, not its individual particles. For example, using the Throw behavior to send an emitter flying across the canvas creates a trail of particles.
• Select a cell in the Layers list, then select a behavior from the Library stack and click Apply in the preview area. Particles move according to the parameters of the applied behavior. In the canvas, the emitter begins to move according to the parameters of the applied behavior. Note: Not all behaviors instantly activate an object when applied. For example, you must adjust the Throw Velocity parameter of a Throw behavior to cause an object to move.
Apply a Particles behavior to an emitter or cell The Particles category of behaviors in the Library contains two behaviors specifically for use with the cells or an emitter in a particle system: • Scale Over Life: This behavior lets you grow or shrink the particles in a system over the duration of each particle’s life. • Spin Over Life: This behavior lets you spin the particles in a system over the duration of each particle’s life.
• Scale Rate: A slider (available when Increment Type is set to Rate) that defines how quickly each particle changes size. Positive values grow particles over time, while negative values shrink particles over time. Click the disclosure triangle next to the Scale Rate parameter to reveal separate X, Y, and Z subparameters. Use X and Y to change the width and height of generated particles; use Z to change the depth of 3D text particles.
• Custom Spin: A dial to adjust the value of the selected keyframe in the mini-curve editor. • Over Life: A slider to adjust the position of the selected keyframe in the life of the particle. View emitter or cell keyframes in Motion You can also animate emitter or cell parameters using keyframes. When you do so, a curve describing that animation is available in the Keyframe Editor.
Create 3D particles in Motion Two emitter pattern styles in the Shape pop-up menu have 3D options: Box and Sphere. The Box and Sphere shape options are available only when the 3D checkbox is selected in the Emitter Inspector. Although the Rectangle, Circle, Line, Wave, Image, and Geometry emitter shapes have no inherent 3D parameters, they can be moved and rotated in 3D space.
Turn an existing 2D particle system into 3D particles 1. After adding an emitter to a Motion project, select the 3D checkbox in the Emitter Inspector. For information about adding an emitter, see Add a particle system in Motion. 2. If your project does not contain a camera, click Add Object in the toolbar, then choose Camera from the pop-up menu. If your project is a 2D project, a dialog appears asking if you want to switch your 2D groups to 3D. 3. Click Switch to 3D.
Make particles intersect with other layers Particles can intersect with other rotated layers in 3D space. • In the Emitter Inspector in Motion, click the Render Particles pop-up menu, then choose In Global 3D (Better). In the following image on the left, with Global 3D selected, particles intersect with other objects in the project that are transformed in 3D space. In the image on the right, with Local 3D selected, particles do not intersect with other objects.
For example, you can create a particle system that simulates an explosion by offsetting the appearance of different types of particles. First, dense white sparks emerge from the center. Half a second later, more diffuse orange blast particles appear around a larger area. One second after that, hot smoke emerges from underneath both of these layers, and smoky remains are left as the particles fade away. You can offset a cell in the Timeline or mini-Timeline so that the cell starts before the emitter.
QuickTime movies You can also use QuickTime movies as the image source of a particle cell. For example, you can create an animation in Motion, render it as a QuickTime movie, then import it into another Motion project to use as image source for a cell. In general, the same recommendations for creating still graphics apply to the creation of animation or video clips you intend to use as cells, but there are additional considerations.
Masks You can apply masks to the image source of a particle cell. The effect of the mask on the cell source is carried through to the emitted particles. You can also apply masks to the emitter object itself. For more information on working with masks, see Intro to masks and transparency in Motion. Save custom particle effects in Motion After you create a particle system, you can save it as a particle preset in the Particle Emitters, Favorites, or Favorites Menu folder in the Library, for future use.
Create replicators Intro to replicators in Motion The Motion replicator builds complex patterns of repeating elements—from a simple line of animated shapes to flowing kaleidoscopic imagery—without manual duplication or tedious keyframing. You can add a preset replicator to your project from the Library, or you can create your own custom replicator using nearly any image layer in your project, including video, still images, shapes, or text.
Unlike particle systems, replicator patterns are static by default. However, many of the preset replicators available in the Library are already animated, and you can always manually keyframe parameters of custom replicators, or apply behaviors. For example, by keyframing a replicator’s Offset parameter, you can create a wave of dots that slither across the screen. You can add behaviors to the replicator or its cells to create even more varied effects (simulation behaviors are especially effective).
Add a replicator to a project Add a replicator in Motion There are two basic ways to add a replicator to a Motion project: • Choose a preset from the Replicators category of the Library. • Create a custom replicator using your own image, shape, or video clip as a cell source. You can increase replicator complexity by using multiple cell sources. Add a preset replicator from the Library 1.
Create a simple custom replicator You can create a custom replicator pattern by designating an image layer in your project as a source for the cell. Applying a replicator to that layer creates a nonanimated, filled rectangular pattern. You can then modify the replicator parameters to suit your project needs. 1. In Motion, create a layer to serve as the cell source for a custom replicator. This example uses a bird graphic from the Content folder in the Library. 2.
Create a complex replicator using multiple source layers You can create a more complex pattern containing multiple elements by adding multiple image sources to a single replicator. Each source becomes a cell in the replicator, and each cell has its own set of parameters. 1. In the Layers list or Timeline in Motion, select the layers to replicate. This example uses two graphics from the Content folder in the Library.
Add additional cells to an existing replicator • In the Layers list in Motion, drag an existing image layer onto the replicator. Note: You cannot drag a media item from the Library onto a replicator in the Layers list. The layer is duplicated as a new cell in the replicator. Note: If the layer you drag to a replicator is a shape or mask, a drop menu appears, giving you the option to add it as a replicator cell or as a mask. See Using filters and masks with replicators in Motion.
• For custom replicators, the Adjust Item tool is selected in the canvas toolbar so you can immediately begin dragging the replicator’s onscreen handles. With the Adjust Item tool selected, dragging the bounding box outline or corner points in the canvas resizes the replicator. Dragging inside the bounding box (but not the outline) repositions the replicator object as a whole. • The Replicator HUD appears. If you’ve hidden the HUD, press F7. • The Replicator Inspector becomes available.
Adjust replicator element opacity You can adjust the opacity of individual elements in a replicator by modifying the cell parameters in the Replicator Cell Inspector or by modifying the source layer’s opacity in the Properties Inspector. In Motion, do one of the following: • Select the cell in the Layers list, then adjust the Opacity tag in the gradient editor in the Replicator Cell Inspector (or change Color Mode to Colorize and adjust the Opacity parameter in the Color controls).
The size or position of the replicator shape is adjusted. For example, if the shape is a spiral or circle, dragging the shape outline changes the Radius parameter value. Dragging inside the shape (but not directly on the outline) repositions the replicator in the canvas. If the replicator shape is a rectangle, dragging a corner or edge of its bounding box changes the Size parameter value.
Remove a replicator or cell in Motion In a replicator that contains multiple cells, you can remove cells to change the appearance of the onscreen pattern. You can also remove a replicator (and its cells) entirely. Remove a cell from a replicator • In the Layers list or Timeline in Motion, select the cell to remove, then press Delete. The cell is removed from the Layers List, and the replicator pattern in the canvas is modified.
Modify a replicator in the Inspector Adjust a replicator from the Inspector in Motion Replicator and replicator cell parameters, though closely related, serve different purposes: • Replicator parameters control the overall shape, arrangement, offset, stacking order, build order, and number of elements in the replicator pattern. • Replicator cell parameters control the behavior and appearance of the individual elements in the replicator pattern.
Adjust a cell in the Replicator Cell Inspector 1. In Motion, select a replicator cell in the Layers list or Timeline. 2. In the Inspector, click Replicator Cell. 3. Adjust the Cell Controls. For a complete list of these controls, see Replicator cell controls in Motion.
Replicator controls in Motion The parameters in the Replicator Inspector give you complete control over every aspect of the pattern created by the selected replicator. This includes the shape upon which the pattern is built and the shape’s related parameters, such as the size of the pattern, how the elements are arranged in the pattern, and so on. Some parameters in the Replicator Inspector depend on the settings of other parameters.
Motion User Guide • Circle: Elements are positioned in a circle along the replicator outline, or in a tile or random fill pattern. When Circle is selected, the Arrangement parameter becomes available. In the following image, the circle’s Arrangement is set to Outline. • Burst: Elements are positioned in a flare pattern. • Spiral: Elements are positioned in a spiral pattern. • Wave: Elements are positioned on a waveform.
• Geometry: Elements are positioned along the edge of a shape, defined by a spline object used as the shape source. See Create a custom replicator shape in Motion. For information on using the Geometry shape, see Replicator cell controls in Motion. Motion User Guide • Image: Elements appear within an area defined by an image or along its border, depending on the Arrangement setting. The image may have an alpha channel; if so, the shape of the alpha channel can also be used to define the pattern.
• • Arrangement: A pop-up menu (available when the Shape pop-up menu is set to Rectangle, Circle, Image, Box, or Sphere) to specify the layout of the elements in the selected shape. There are three menu options: • Outline: Elements are positioned along the edge of the shape. • Tile Fill: Elements are positioned in a tiled pattern of rows and columns in the circle, rectangle, image, box, or sphere pattern. You can specify the number of columns and rows, as well as the tile offset.
Motion User Guide • Start Point: Value sliders (available when Shape is set to Line or Wave) to define, in X and Y coordinates, the first point of the line or wave on which the elements are positioned. Click the disclosure triangle to modify the Z position (depth) of the start point. You can adjust these values in the canvas using the onscreen controls (with the Adjust Item tool selected in the canvas toolbar).
• Points: A slider that does the following: • When Shape is set to Rectangle, Circle, Image, Box, or Sphere, and Arrangement is set to Outline or Random Fill, specifies the number of evenly distributed element points along the edge of the shape. • When Shape is set to Line or Wave, specifies the number of evenly distributed element points on the line or wave. • When Shape is set to Geometry, specifies the number of evenly distributed element points around the shape.
When Shape is set to Rectangle or Image, and Arrangement is set to Tile Fill, and Origin is set to Upper Left, Upper Right, Lower Left, or Lower Right, the Build Style pop-up menu contains the following options: • Across: Builds the elements across the pattern in the direction implied by the Origin parameter. • By Row: Builds the elements over the pattern by row. • By Column: Builds the elements over the pattern by column.
Motion User Guide • Points Per Arm: A slider (available only when Shape is set to Burst or Spiral) to set the number of element points on each branch of the burst or spiral. When the Adjust Item tool is selected in the canvas toolbar, the points are visible in the canvas.
• Origin: A pop-up menu to specify how the elements traverse across the pattern from a point of origin. For example, when set to Left, the elements sweep across the pattern from left to right. When set to Upper Right, the elements traverse from the upper-right corner point of the shape to the lower-right corner.
Motion User Guide • Front Lower Right: Elements originate in the front lower-right corner of the pattern and end in the back upper left. • Back Upper Left: Elements originate in the back upper-left corner of the pattern and end in the front lower right. • Back Upper Right: Elements originate in the back upper-right corner of the pattern and end in the front lower left. • Back Lower Left: Elements originate in the back lower-left corner of the pattern and end in the front upper-right.
• Y Axis: Elements originate along the Y axis of the pattern and move outward. • Z Axis: Elements originate along the Z axis of the pattern and move outward. Note: The Origin pop-up menu also determines where the Sequence Replicator behavior starts its animation. For more information on the Sequence Replicator behavior, see Apply the Sequence Replicator behavior in Motion. • Shuffle Order: A checkbox that, when selected, rearranges the order in which the elements appear.
• Reverse Stacking: A checkbox that, when selected, inverts the order in which elements are stacked. To see the effect of this parameter, elements must be overlapping. • Face Camera: A checkbox (available when the 3D checkbox is selected) that forces pattern elements to face the camera when the camera or the replicator is rotated. When Face Camera is deselected, the elements face forward in the replicator pattern and appear flat (unless the source layer or pattern elements are rotated in 3D space).
Use a geometry object as the shape source of the replicator pattern 1. Add a shape as a new layer in your Motion project. 2. In the Layers list, select the replicator, then, in the Replicator Inspector, click the Shape pop-up menu and choose Geometry. The Shape Source well appears in the Inspector and HUD. 3. From the Layers list, drag the shape to the Shape Source well. 4. When the pointer becomes a curved arrow, release the mouse button.
3. From the Layers list, drag the image into the Image Source well, and when the pointer becomes a curved arrow, release the mouse button. A thumbnail of the image appears in the well and is used as the source for the shape of the replicator pattern. To hide the original shape you created in step 1, deselect its checkbox in the Layers list.
• • Animate: A pop-up menu (available as a subparameter of the Angle parameter when the 3D checkbox is selected) that sets the angle interpolation for keyframed animation of the Angle parameter. There are two menu choices: • Use Rotation: The default interpolation method. When the Angle parameter is keyframed, pattern elements rotate from their start rotation to their final rotation. Depending on the animation, the elements may twist before reaching their final orientation (the last keyframed value).
• Angle Randomness: A dial that defines an amount of variance in the rotation of replicator elements. A value of 0 results in no variance—all elements have the same rotational value. A value greater than 0 introduces a variance. The angle for an element is defined by the Angle and Angle End parameter, plus or minus a random value falling within the range set in Angle Randomness parameter. In a 3D project, using the default dial or value slider (when the disclosure triangle is closed), modifies the Z angle.
• Over Pattern: Elements are tinted based on how they’re ordered in the pattern. When Over Pattern is chosen, the Color Gradient editor becomes available (described below). • Pick From Color Range: Elements are tinted at random, with the range of possible colors and transparency defined by the Color Range gradient editor (described below). A point on the gradient is randomly chosen, so the relative sizes of each color region determine the frequency of the color being used.
• Color Gradient: A gradient editor (available when Color Mode is set to Over Pattern) to specify the range of color and transparency of the pattern, beginning with the leftmost color in the gradient, then progressing through the range of colors to the rightmost color at the end of the pattern. Gradual color changes do not appear in each element, but only across the pattern as a whole. An Opacity control is available at the top of the gradient editor.
Motion User Guide • Scale End: A slider to set the scale of the replicator elements at the end of the pattern, relative to the Scale value. For example, if Scale is set to 100% and Scale End set to 50%, the elements are 100% at their origin and half their size at the end of the pattern. Click the disclosure triangle next to the Scale End parameter to reveal separate X, Y, and Z scaling subparameters.
Motion User Guide • Source Frame Offset: A slider (available when the replicator uses a QuickTime object as the source for a cell and Random Start Frame is deselected) to offset the start frame chosen in the Source Start Frame slider. At their origin, the elements play the animation from the frame specified in the Source Start Frame slider. Each adjacent pattern element in the canvas advances the start frame by the offset amount.
Note: Element movement created by the Sequence Replicator behavior or by keyframing the replicator parameters is not displayed. • Wireframe: Displays each element as a bounding box. Because the bounding boxes are good indicators of each element’s orientation in the pattern, this preview mode is useful for evaluating the movements of individual elements. For example, it’s easy to see the angle of rotation for elements that are spinning or following a complex motion path.
• Object Source: An image well displaying a thumbnail of the replicator cell. To swap out a cell, drag a new source layer from the Layers list to the Object Source well. In a replicator with multiple cells, each cell appears in a separate image well listed at the bottom of the Replicator Inspector. A checkbox lets you enable or disable that cell.
Apply behaviors to replicators in Motion You can apply Basic Motion, Parameter, and Simulation behaviors to a replicator. Some behaviors can be applied directly to replicator cells, such as Throw and Spin (from the Basic Motion subcategory) and Gravity and Edge Collision (from the Simulation category). In Motion, do one of the following: • Drag a behavior from the Library onto a replicator or replicator cell in Layers list or Timeline.
Apply the Sequence Replicator behavior in Motion The Sequence Replicator behavior animates elements of a replicator in sequence over time. This is the only way to animate elements individually—keyframing the cell parameters or applying other behaviors affects all elements in the pattern uniformly.
The Sequence Replicator controls appear in the Behaviors Inspector. For the behavior to have any effect on the replicator, you must add parameters using the Parameter pop-up menu at the top of the Sequence Replicator controls. For details, see the next task. Add and animate parameters in the Behaviors Inspector After you apply the Sequence Replicator behavior to a replicator, you must assign one or more parameters for the behavior to modify.
Note: If the elements are already rotated (in the Cell Controls), the elements are rotated 160 degrees from their original rotation value. Play your project (press the Space bar). Each element rotates 160 degrees in sequence, popping into place before the next element begins rotating. 5. To ease the transition between each element’s animation, drag the Spread value slider to the right. In this example, Spread is set to 12.
When you play your project, the animation begins at the original value for any added parameter, then transforms to the value you specified in the Sequence Replicator parameters. The animation begins at the origin of the pattern (set in the Origin or Build Style parameter of the Replicator Inspector or HUD) and moves to through the elements to the end of the pattern.
3. Click the Sequencing pop-up menu, then choose Through. Play your project. The sequence goes through a full animation cycle starting at the original value of the cells, moving to the value set in the Sequence Replicator, then returning to the original value of the cells. This is similar to combining the To and From Sequencing options. 4. Click the Unit Size pop-up menu, then choose All. When you play your project, the sequence animation affects all replicator elements simultaneously.
Sequence Replicator controls in Motion Use the following controls in the Behaviors Inspector to modify the sequence animation: • • Parameter: Two pop-up menus (Add and Remove) that designate pattern elements to animate in sequence. When you choose an item from the Add pop-up menu, additional controls appear at the top of the Behaviors Inspector.
• Motion User Guide • From: Animation moves from the value set in the Sequence Replicator behavior to the original value of the cells. For example, if the original opacity value of a cell is 100% and opacity is set to 0% in the Sequence Replicator parameters, onscreen elements begin completely transparent and become completely opaque. This is the opposite of the To option in the Sequencing pop-up menu.
• Unit Size: A pop-up menu to specify whether the sequence animation is applied to the replicator pattern as a whole, to its elements, or to a keyframed range. There are three options: • Object: The default setting, applies the animation to each element in sequence over the duration of the behavior • All: Applies the sequence animation to all replicator elements simultaneously. • Custom: Lets you specify the percentage of elements in the pattern affected by the sequence animation simultaneously.
• Start: A slider (available when the Unit Size pop-up menu is set to Custom) to specify the offset of the start of the range of elements affected by the sequence animation. In the above image, Start is set to 10%. • End: A slider (available when the Unit Size pop-up menu is set to Custom) to specify the end of the range of elements affected by the sequence animation. By default, End is set to 10%. In the above image, End is set to 30%.
Control sequence timing with keyframes in Motion When the Traversal parameter in the Sequence Replicator behavior is set to Custom, you can create location keyframes to specify where on the pattern the animation is in effect. Use the Traversal parameter to create a sequence animation that travels through a replicator pattern in a unique way. The following example shows how to use the Custom Traversal option to scale the elements around a circle replicator shape by creating keyframes.
The animation moves through the replicator pattern based on its keyframed locations. In this case, the scale moves erratically back and forth around the circle, rather than in a constant direction. Use Parameter behaviors with Sequence Replicator in Motion You can add Parameter behaviors to Sequence Replicator parameters to create even more varied, complex effects without keyframing. (Parameter behaviors are a special kind of behavior applied to a specific parameter of an object.
Note: When the Wriggle or Randomize parameter behavior is added to a Sequence Replicator parameter, the Affect Subobjects checkbox becomes available. Select the checkbox if you want each element in the pattern to display a different random behavior. For more information about applying and adjusting Parameter behaviors, see Add or remove a Parameter behavior in Motion.
Work with 3D replicators in Motion Two replicator pattern styles in the Shapes pop-up menu have 3D properties: Box and Sphere. The Box and Sphere shape options are available only when the 3D checkbox is selected in the Replicator Inspector. Box and Sphere replicators build a pattern of elements in 3D space.
4. In the 3D view tools (in the upper-right corner of the canvas), drag in the Orbit tool (the center tool). As the camera rotates, you can see that the replicator cells are aligned in Z space. Tip: Use Simulation behaviors to create animated replicators in 3D space that interact with other objects in the project. For example, use Orbit Around to make replicator elements circle around a target object. See Intro to Simulation behaviors in Motion.
Replicator timing in Motion After you create a replicator, its duration can be as long or short as necessary, regardless of the duration of the original source layers used for the pattern cells. The duration of a replicator is defined by the duration of the replicator timebar in the Timeline track area. Changing the In or Out points of a replicator in the Properties Inspector, Timeline, or miniTimeline changes the duration of its timebar.
Masks When you apply a mask to a replicator source layer, the effect of the mask is retained when the layer is replicated. You can also apply a mask to the replicator object itself. Note: Although you cannot apply masks to a 3D replicator, you can apply them to the image source layer used to create a cell in a 3D replicator. For more information on working with masks, see Intro to masks and transparency in Motion.
Create and edit basic text Intro to basic text in Motion A balanced use of type and graphics remains key to achieving the right effect in commercials, documentaries, title sequences, broadcast logos, corporate presentations, and personal video projects. No matter what style your project requires, Motion provides unique tools for creating dynamic text effects.
Add text to a project Set preferences before you add text in Motion You can set Motion to create text at either the current frame (the frame where the playhead is positioned when you add the text) or at the start of the project. You can also specify a default duration for new text layers. Set layer creation and duration preferences 1. Choose Motion > Preferences (or press Command-Comma), then click the Project icon. 2.
Note: If the HUD does not appear, press F7 or click the HUD button in the toolbar. 4. Optional: Choose font formatting options in the Format pane of the Text Inspector or in the HUD. You can choose a font type, size, alignment, and more. 5. Enter text. As you type, he text appears in the canvas. Note: By default, the text layout method (adjustable in the Layout pane of the Text Inspector) is set to Type. The Type layout option creates no right margin.
• The same text appears in the timebars of the group and layer in the Timeline. Important: After you finish typing, press Esc or select another tool in the canvas toolbar—don’t use a keyboard shortcut. When the Text tool is selected, typing a keyboard shortcut (other than Esc) adds text to the canvas. Add paragraph-style text with margins that wrap When the Text tool is selected, clicking in the canvas activates basic text entry; dragging in the canvas activates paragraph-style text entry.
3. Begin typing at the flashing insertion point. Text automatically wraps to the next line when you reach the right margin (the right side of the bounding box). Note: You can also type paragraph text in the Text editor field of the Format pane (in the Text Inspector). 4. When you finish typing, press Esc or Command-Return. 5. To adjust the margins, drag a handle on the bounding box.
4. Click in the Text editor at the bottom of the Format pane, then begin typing. Note: To resize the Text editor, drag the three small gray circles along the bottom edge of the text field. Import a text file You can add plain text (TXT) or Rich Text Format (RTF) text to a Motion project. After you add a text file, you can edit its content the same way you edit Motion-created text.
Copy and paste text from another application You can copy text from another document or browser and paste the text into a Motion project. 1. Open the text document (an RTF, TXT, Pages, or other text file) in a text-editing application. 2. Select and copy the text. 3. In the canvas toolbar of Motion, select the Text tool, click in the canvas, then choose Edit > Paste (or press Command-V).
• When you double click the imported text in the canvas, a paragraph-style text-entry field becomes active, displaying the following in the canvas: • An adjustable bounding box representing the margins of the text • A ruler at the top of the bounding box • A scroll control to the right of the bounding box (if text extends vertically beyond the borders of the bounding box) • Any tabs from the original text file, displayed as black icons in the ruler at the top of the bounding box You can resize the
Move the text insertion point 1. With the Text tool selected in Motion, click text in the canvas. 2. Do any of the following: • Move the text insertion point: Press the Right Arrow or Left Arrow key. • Jump to the beginning of a text line: Press Control-Left Arrow. • Jump to the end of a text line: Press Control-Right Arrow. • Jump to the beginning of the word: Press Option-Left Arrow. • Jump to the end of the word: Press Option-Right Arrow.
Preview fonts in the Library 1. In the Library in Motion, click the Fonts category. 2. Click a font subcategory to preview available fonts. Note: The first subcategory, All Fonts, contains all fonts from the other subcategories. If you’re in list view, the font list appears in the stack. If you’re in icon view, font thumbnails appear in the stack, as shown in the image below. 3. In the stack, click a font thumbnail or name. The font is displayed in the preview area, with the font name and type.
Preview and apply fonts in the HUD 1. In Motion, select text in the canvas, Layers list, or Timeline. 2. In the HUD (press F7 if it’s not already open), click the Font pop-up menu. 3. Drag the pointer up or down in the menu to preview fonts. As you drag through the menu, the text changes in the canvas. 4. After you choose a font, release the mouse button. Note: You can also use the wheel of a three-button mouse or a two-finger swipe on a trackpad to move up and down the menu.
As you drag the font over the text, a transparent thumbnail of the font appears and the pointer becomes a green add pointer (+). When you release the mouse button, the text is changed to the selected font. Change the font of text in your project using the Apply button 1. In the Motion canvas, Layers list, or Timeline, select a text layer to modify. 2. In the Library, click the Fonts category, then click a font subcategory. 3. In the stack, click a font. 4. In the preview area, click Apply.
Use preset text styles in Motion The Motion Library contains preset 2D and 3D text styles that you can apply to text. A text style is a group of Appearance parameters that are modified and saved in the Library. For example, the Neon text style applies a rounded font style and includes a gradient outline simulating the bright glow of an electrified glass tube filled with neon gas. You can apply these presets from the Library or from the Text Inspector. Apply a preset text style from the Library 1.
3. Do one of the following: • Select the text in the canvas, then click the Apply button in the preview area. • Drag the style from the stack to text in the canvas, Layers list, or Timeline. The text style is applied to the text. If you applied a 3D style, the text is extruded and becomes 3D text (the 3D Text checkbox is selected in the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector). See Intro to 3D text in Motion. Apply a preset text style from the Text Inspector 1.
Apply a preset text style from the HUD 1. In Motion, select text in the canvas, Layers list, or Timeline. 2. In the HUD (press F7 if it’s not already open), click the preset pop-up menu (below the Blend Mode pop-up menu) and choose an item from the 2D Styles or 3D Styles categories. The text style is applied to the text. If you applied a 3D text style, the text is extruded and becomes 3D text (the 3D Text checkbox is selected in the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector). See Intro to 3D text in Motion.
Display the Text Inspector or HUD in Motion Open the Text Inspector to access advanced parameter controls that adjust text format, appearance, and layout. Some of these controls are also available in the Text HUD. Display the Text Inspector 1. In Motion, select text in the canvas, Layers list, or Timeline. 2. Do one of the following: • Click Inspector (in the upper-left corner of the Motion window), then click Text. • Click the “i” button on the HUD. Display the Text HUD 1.
Format text in Motion The following tasks are useful when editing text format. For a complete list of available controls, see Text Format controls in Motion. Resize text In Motion, do any of the following: • Change font size: Drag the Size slider in the Basic Formatting controls. • Scale the text: Drag the Scale slider in the Advanced Formatting controls. Click the disclosure triangle to reveal separate X and Y scale controls.
• Press Option-Command-Left Bracket ([) to reduce the space between characters by one-pixel increments. Text Format controls in Motion The parameter controls in the Format pane of the Text Inspector allow for common text adjustments. Basic Formatting controls • Preset: A pop-up menu at the top of the Format pane used to apply preset text styles from the Library. You can also use this pop-up menu to save format settings (and appearance settings from the Appearance pane) of text in your project.
• Tracking: A slider to set the spacing between text characters, applying a uniform value between each character. • Kerning: A slider to adjust spacing between text characters. • Baseline: A slider to adjust the baseline of text characters (an invisible horizontal line defining the bottom alignment of characters). Advanced Formatting controls • Scale: A slider to resize text characters proportionally. To scale in only X or Y space, click the disclosure triangle to set separate X and Y scale values.
Note: You must keyframe the Rotation parameter for the Animate parameter options have an effect. • Slant: A slider to simulate italics by adding a slant value to text characters. • Monospace: A checkbox that, when selected, applies a fixed amount of space between each text character. • All Caps: A checkbox to make text characters uppercase. • All Caps Size: A slider (available when the All Caps checkbox is selected) to set the size of uppercase characters based on a percentage of the font point size.
Show the Appearance pane • In the Text Inspector in Motion, click Appearance. Modify text color in Motion You can change the color of text (or apply a gradient to text) using the color controls in the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector. You can also make basic changes to text color in the Text HUD). Set text color in the Inspector 1. In Motion, select text in the Layers list, canvas, or Timeline. 2.
Motion User Guide • Click the down arrow to the right of the color well (or Control-click the color well), then click in the pop-up color palette to select a color; or click in the lower palette to set the color to a grayscale color. • Click the eyedropper tool to the left of the Color well, then click a color in the canvas. • Click the Color disclosure triangle to show the color channel parameters, then use the sliders to adjust each color channel.
Set text color in the HUD 1. In Motion, select text in the canvas, Layers list, or Timeline. 2. In the Text HUD (if it’s not displayed, press F7 or D) click the color well, then choose a new color in the Colors window. The text is dynamically updated as you select a color. Note: To select a color from the canvas (or anything on the desktop), click the color picker in the Colors window, position the picker over the color you want to select, then click again.
In the Inspector, the Color controls are replaced with the Gradient editor. The default gradient is white and blue (Atlantic Blue). In the canvas, the default gradient is applied to the text. 3. To customize the gradient, see Gradient editor controls in Motion. Apply a preset text gradient in the Inspector 1. In Motion, select text in the canvas, Layers list, or Timeline. 2. In the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector, click the “Fill with” pop-up menu, then choose Gradient. 3.
Apply a preset gradient from the Library 1. In the Library in Motion, click the Gradients category. 2. In the stack, select a gradient. A preview of the selected gradient appears in the preview area. 3. Do one of the following: • Drag the gradient to text in the canvas, Layers list, or Timeline. • Make sure text is selected in the canvas, Layers list, or Timeline, then click Apply in the preview area. The gradient is applied to the text.
Modify text opacity in Motion There are several ways to change the opacity of text: • To change the overall opacity of a text object, use the Opacity slider in the Properties Inspector or HUD. • To change the opacity of an appearance parameter such as Face, Glow, Drop Shadow, or Outline, use the respective Opacity controls in the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector.
Text opacity is updated as you drag the slider. The Opacity parameter in the Properties Inspector (not in the Text Appearance pane) is also updated. Modify text softness in Motion Use the Blur parameter in the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector to adjust the softness of text. Adjust text softness in the Inspector 1. In Motion, select text in the canvas, Layers list, or Timeline. 2. In the Text Inspector, click Appearance to open the Appearance pane. 3.
The Color (or Gradient) controls are replaced with Texture controls. By default, no texture is applied to the text. 4. Drag an image from the Layers list or Media list into the Image well. Important: When dragging an image to the well, be sure to click and drag in one movement. If you click the image and release the mouse button, the image is selected and its Inspector appears. The image appears in the well and is applied to the text.
Change the position of a texture fill In Motion, in the Texture controls group in the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector, do one of the following: • Press and hold the Command key, and drag in the Image well. The image moves in the well and is offset in the text in the canvas. • Adjust the Offset value sliders. The left value slider represents X position values; the right value slider represents Y position values.
4. To position the texture, do one of the following in the Texture controls in the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector: • Press and hold the Command key, and drag in the Image well. • Adjust the Offset value sliders. The image within the text moves, and a keyframe is created in the Offset parameters. 5. Move the playhead to the next frame where you want to set a keyframe. 6. Repeat step 4 to move the texture to a new position. 7. Click the Record button (or press A) to turn off keyframe recording.
5. Move the playhead to the next frame where you want to set a keyframe. 6. Repeat step 4 to move the texture to a new position. A keyframe is added. Note: After a parameter contains a keyframe, any further adjustment to that parameter adds a keyframe at the current playhead position, regardless of the Record button state. When you play back the project, the texture is animated.
Tip: Deselect the Face parameter activation checkbox (and other active parameters) to display only the text glow. Add a drop shadow 1. In Motion, select text in the canvas, Layers list, or Timeline. 2. In the Text Inspector, click Appearance to open the Appearance pane. 3. In the Drop Shadow controls, select the Drop Shadow checkbox. A default black drop shadow is applied to the text.
Text Face controls in Motion Use the Face controls to specify whether text is a solid color, a color gradient, or a texture. The Face controls are not available for 3D text. Note: You can distort the Face parameters of text independently of other Appearance parameters. See Distort a glyph in the canvas in Motion.
• • Hold Frame: A checkbox (available when the Image well contains a movie or image sequence) that, when selected, uses the frame specified by the Frame slider (described above). The selected frame is used as the texture for the text object’s total duration. • Offset: Value sliders to specify the X and Y values of the position of the source texture (relative to the text object).
Text Outline controls in Motion Use the Outline controls in the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector to create text outlines. You can change the fill of the outline, as well as its opacity, softness, width, and layer order. The Outline controls are not available for 3D text. Note: You can distort text outlines independently of other Appearance parameters. See Distort a glyph in the canvas in Motion. • Outline: An activation checkbox to enable or disable all Outline parameters.
Text Glow controls in Motion Use the Glow controls in the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector to create a glow in front of or behind text. Except for Layer Order, all Glow parameters can be animated. Note: You can distort the glow of text independently of other Appearance parameters. See Distort a glyph in the canvas in Motion. • Glow: An activation checkbox to enable or disable glow parameters in this group. This checkbox is deselected by default.
Text Drop Shadow controls in Motion Use the Drop Shadow controls to create a shadow behind text, and to adjust the shadow color, opacity, offset from the text object, softness, and angle. All Drop Shadow parameters can be animated. • Drop Shadow: An activation checkbox to enable or disable the drop shadow effect. This checkbox is deselected by default. Note: When the Flatten checkbox is selected in the Layout pane of the Text Inspector, additional Drop Shadow controls appear in the Properties Inspector.
Save a custom text style in Motion After you modify parameters in the Appearance pane (such as Gradient or Glow) or Format pane (such as Tracking or Slant), you can save the style you create to the Text Styles category in the Library. These custom styles can then be used and applied like preset styles. Save a modified text style to the Library 1. In Motion, select the text with the modified parameters you want to save as a style. 2.
Show the Text Layout pane • In the Text Inspector in Motion, click Layout. Create text on a path Create text on a path in Motion The Path layout method lets you place text on a baseline path that you can warp to create curving or angular trails of text. After you create text on a path, you can modify or extend the path, add or remove control points, or animate text on the path (see Animate text on a path in Motion).
3. In the canvas toolbar, select the Text tool (or press T), then click the text in the canvas. Step 3 is important—the Text tool must be selected to view or edit the text path. The path appears below the text. The default path shape is a straight line (an open spline) with three control points. Adjust a text path in the canvas • Motion User Guide In Motion, with the Text tool selected, drag a path control point to change the shape of the path.
Extend a text path in the canvas When you add additional text characters to text on a path, you may need to extend the default path, by dragging it in the canvas. • In Motion, with the Text tool selected, drag the last control point of the text path toward the end of the text. Tip: When dragging, press Shift to constrain the path to a straight line. After you extend a path, you can add control points to further manipulate the shape of the path, as described in the next task.
• Create a smooth (Bezier) point: Control-click a point on the text path, then choose Smooth from the shortcut menu. When Path Type is set to B-Spline (in the Path Options group of controls in the Layout pane), the Very Smooth option becomes available in the shortcut menu. • Lock a point: Control-click a point on the text path, then choose Lock Point from the shortcut menu. A locked point cannot be edited.
3. Drag a control point to adjust the text path in X, Y, or Z space. Note: Make sure you are in text edit mode (the text is selected with the cursor, not the Select/Transform tool). If you lose the selection, you may need to choose Active Camera from the camera menu, enter text edit mode, then choose Top from the camera menu. Manipulating text on a path in 3D space only works when Path Shape is set to Open Spline or Closed Spline (in the Path Options controls in the Layout pane).
Isolate a group or layer to modify text on a 3D path When working with text on a 3D path, type may become difficult to read depending on its orientation and distance from the camera. To edit the text, you can snap the text object to its original face-forward orientation using the Isolate button in the Layers list (or Timeline) or the Isolate command in the Object menu. Note: The Isolate command is available only for selected objects.
4. In the Path Options section of the Layout pane, click the Path Shape pop-up menu, then choose Geometry. The Shape Source well appears in the Inspector. 5. From the Layers list, drag the shape to the Shape Source well. 6. When the pointer becomes a curved arrow, release the mouse button. A thumbnail of the shape appears in the well and the shape is used as the source shape for the text path.
Animate text on a path in Motion You can animate text so that it moves across the text path. Animate text on a path 1. In Motion, create a path for the text to travel along. 2. In the Timeline, move the playhead to the frame where you want to begin the animation, then press A to turn on keyframe recording. 3. In the Layout pane of the Text Inspector, adjust the Path Offset slider (or the adjacent value slider) to the amount you want to move the text on the path.
Work with margins and tabs Create and adjust text margins in Motion You can create a custom margin using the Margins controls in the Layout pane of the Text Inspector. Create text margins in the Inspector 1. In the canvas toolbar in Motion, select the Text tool, click in the canvas, then enter some text. When the Text tool is selected, clicking in the canvas (without dragging) creates a blank text layer. 2.
• In the Layout pane of the Text Inspector, adjust the Margins controls. The text margins change, and the text inside the bounding box adjusts to the new margins. Note: When text is deleted from a paragraph, the paragraph margins remain in their original locations. Add, remove, and modify text tabs in Motion Motion allows paragraph-formatted text to contain an unlimited number of tabs to control word spacing in text. By default, text created in Motion has no tabs.
• Center tab: Aligns the center of the text with the tab. • Decimal tab: Aligns decimal points in numbers on multiple lines. The tasks below use paragraph-style text. For information about creating paragraph-style text, see Add paragraph-style text with margins that wrap. Add a tab 1. Double-click paragraph-style text in the Motion canvas to display the text-entry field. 2. In the ruler above the text-entry field, do one of the following: • Click to add a left tab.
Remove a tab 1. Double-click paragraph-style text in the Motion canvas to display the text-entry field. 2. Drag the tab (the small black icon) away from the ruler and release the mouse button. The tab is removed from the ruler in the Tabs controls in the Layout pane of the Text Inspector.
• Direction: A pop-up menu to set the direction for the flow of letters. Choose Horizontal or Vertical. • Auto-Shrink: A pop-up menu (available when Layout Method is set to Paragraph, Scroll, or Crawl) to decrease the vertical or horizontal scale of selected letters to ensure that text fits within the margins of the text object. Choose one of the following options: • • Off: No scaling occurs.
After you select Flatten, the text characters no longer move in 3D space. Make sure to select the Flatten checkbox when you want: • Text to receive reflections. If the Flatten checkbox is not selected, the Reflections parameter does not appear in the Properties Inspector. For more information on using reflections, see Cast a reflection in Motion. • To use the Distort and Drop Shadow tools in the canvas toolbar. • To apply a mask to text.
Note: Because basic text characters are 2D (flat) objects, text may not be visible when you use orthogonal reference camera views, such as Left, Right, and Top (unless the text object or characters are rotated in 3D space). This is because orthogonal views are at right angles (perpendicular) to objects in the canvas. For more information on using cameras, see Add a camera in Motion.
The Anchor Position pop-up menu has five options: • • Baseline: Positions the anchor point at the baseline (default). • Center: Positions the anchor point at the depth center and vertical center of the character, word, or line of text. • Typographic Center: Positions the anchor point at the depth center and typographic center (the midpoint between ascender and descender heights). • Top Center: Positions the anchor point at the depth center and the top of the character, word, or line of text.
Text Path Options controls in Motion Use the Path Options controls to specify the initial shape of a text path, and to modify the path and text on that path. This group of controls is active only when the Layout Method pop-up menu at the top of the Layout pane is set to Path. For more information about creating a text path, see Create text on a path in Motion. The Transform Glyph tool can be used with text on a path. See Intro to text glyphs in Motion.
• Size: A slider (available when Path Shape is set to Rectangle) to change the size of the rectangular path. Click the disclosure triangle to adjust the X scale and Y scale. Note: When the Text tool is selected, you can also use onscreen control points to resize the rectangle. Press Shift to resize the X and Y scales uniformly. • Start Point: Value sliders (available when Path Shape is set to Wave) to set the location of the start point on the wave’s path.
• Inside Path: A checkbox that, when selected, shifts the baseline of text on a loop path so the text appears inside the loop. • Align to Path: A checkbox that, when selected, aligns the text to the shape of the path. When the checkbox is deselected, text characters align vertically, regardless of the shape of the path. • Control Points: Value sliders (available when Path Shape is set to Open Spline or Closed Spline) to adjust the X, Y, and Z coordinates of the control points.
Text Tabs controls in Motion Motion allows paragraph-formatted text to contain an unlimited number of tabs to control word spacing in text. By default, text created in Motion has no tabs, so there are no controls in the Tabs section of the Layout pane. Adding, moving, and removing tabs is done in the canvas. You can also move tabs by modifying their values in the Inspector.
Work with text glyphs Intro to text glyphs in Motion Glyphs are the individual characters in a text layer—the letters, numbers, or symbols. In Motion, you can select and then modify or animate individual glyphs independently of the word, line, or paragraph of which they are a member. Using glyph transform handles, you can drag in the canvas to spatially transform several glyph attributes, including position, rotation, scale, face (fill), outline, glow, or drop shadow.
Select all glyphs in a text layer 1. In Motion, select a text layer in the Layers list, canvas, or Timeline. 2. In the canvas toolbar, click and hold the transform tools pop-up menu, then choose Transform Glyph. Ensure that the Attribute pop-up menu in the HUD is set to Transform Glyph (because the other settings in the menu allow only one glyph selection at a time). A glyph is selected in the canvas. 3. Choose Edit > Select All (or press Command-A). All glyphs are selected.
3. Do one of the following: • Select contiguous glyphs: Pressing and holding the Shift key, click in the canvas to select additional adjacent glyphs; or drag in the canvas to select adjacent glyphs. • Select noncontiguous glyphs: Pressing and holding the Command key, click to select nonadjacent glyphs. Although the onscreen controls appear only around the focused (last selected) glyph, any glyph surrounded by a box is affected when you adjust the onscreen controls.
A glyph is selected in the canvas. To select a different glyph, click another glyph in the canvas. For information about selecting multiple glyphs, see Select characters with the Transform Glyph tool. 3. In the Text Inspector or Text HUD, adjust any available parameter control. Note: If the Text HUD is not visible, click the HUD button in the toolbar (or press F7).
Spatially distort a glyph’s face (fill color), outline, glow, or drop shadow 1. In Motion, select a text layer in the Layers list, canvas, or Timeline. 2. In the canvas toolbar, click and hold the transform tools pop-up menu, then choose Transform Glyph. A glyph is selected in the canvas. To select a different glyph, click another glyph in the canvas. For information about selecting multiple glyphs, see Select characters with the Transform Glyph tool. 3.
The selected glyph (or the focused glyph, if multiple glyphs are selected) is enclosed by a bounding box with eight handles: four corner handles for distorting, and four middle handles for shearing. 4. Do any of the following: • Shear the style attribute: Drag a middle handle. • Distort the style attribute: Drag a corner handle. The glyph’s face, outline, glow, or drop shadow is sheared or distorted in the canvas.
Reset a scaled, offset, or rotated glyph When you scale, move, or rotate a glyph, the changes are reflected in the Format pane of the Text Inspector, in the Scale, Offset, and Rotation parameter rows. You can reset transformed glyphs to their original state via the Animation menu in those rows. 1. In the canvas in Motion, select a glyph or glyphs that you’ve already scaled, moved, or rotated. See Select characters with the Transform Glyph tool. 2.
Glyph controls in the Text HUD in Motion When you select the Transform Glyph tool, additional controls become available in the Text HUD. Note: In addition to text parameters, the Text HUD contains 3D transform tools, the Adjust Around pop-up menu (see Transform layers in 3D space in Motion), and the Attribute popup menu (described below). • Motion User Guide Attribute: A pop-up menu to specify the glyph attribute to be modified by onscreen transform handles.
Convert standard text to 3D text in Motion You can convert standard 2D text to 3D text, and vice versa. • In Motion, in the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector, select the 3D Text activation checkbox (to the left of the 3D Text group heading). When you select the 3D Text checkbox, parameters specific to 3D text become available, and the Face and Outline controls are replaced with the Lighting, Materials, and Options groups of controls. The Glow and Drop Shadow controls remain available.
3. Select an option from the “Search in” pop-up menu: • All Text Objects in Project: Search all text in your project. • Selected Text Object: Search text you’ve already selected in your project. 4. Do any of the following: • Press Return or click Next to find the text you entered in the Find field: Note: Select the “Loop search” checkbox to continue searching from the beginning of your project after reaching the end of the text.
Build 3D text Intro to 3D text in Motion In addition to basic 2D text, Motion lets you create text objects with depth, complete with sides, edges, and backs. 3D text in Motion exhibits the same characteristics as real three-dimensional objects, simulating natural lighting and shading effects, and displaying textures. To get started with 3D text and learn about its powerful features, see 3D text workflow in Motion. For information about creating basic 2D text, see Intro to basic text in Motion.
3D text workflow in Motion Although 3D text can be customized in unlimited ways, you can create impressive-looking 3D text in just a few simple steps. Step 1: Create a 3D text object You can create a new 3D text object from scratch or convert an existing 2D text object into 3D text. Both approaches result in basic 3D text: white characters with a smooth plastic texture that are gently extruded in Z space (depth).
Step 2: Apply a preset style To give basic 3D text a more dynamic appearance, you can apply one of the ready-made 3D text styles that come with Motion. The preset 3D text styles artfully combine font, depth, and texture settings.
Step 3: Adjust text settings You can further modify your 3D text by adjusting basic text settings (including font, size, tracking, line spacing, and capitalization) or adjusting 3D-specific text attributes (such as depth, text weight, edge style, and corner style) in the Text Inspector or HUD. To get a good look at all sides of your 3D text, you can move and rotate it in 3D space.
Step 4: Modify the materials If you want to, you can customize the texture of your 3D text by applying different textures and finishes available in the Materials category of the Motion Library. Materials include substances (such as metal or plastic), paint layers, distress layers, and more. Each layer has many attributes, allowing you to create limitless variations. You can even apply different materials to different facets of 3D text (front, back, side, and edges).
Step 5: Add a lighting style Another way to customize the appearance of your 3D text is to add a lighting style. You can customize lighting in a variety of different ways, but these presets are a great way to create a unique and realistic look very quickly.
Step 6: Integrate the text with your composition Finally, combine your 3D text with backgrounds, shadows, and other elements to create an organic, integrated scene. Add 3D text to a project Add 3D text in Motion You can add 3D text to your project using the 3D Text tool. 1. In Motion, do one of the following: • In the canvas toolbar, click and hold the Text tool, then choose 3D Text from the pop-up menu.
Convert 2D text to 3D text in Motion You can easily convert a 2D text object in your project to 3D text. This process, called extruding, replaces the Face and Outline text settings with depth, weight, edge, lighting, and material settings designed to simulate realistic three-dimensional objects. You can also convert a 3D text object back to 2D text. Convert a text object from 2D to 3D 1. In the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas in Motion, select a 2D text object. 2.
2. In the Text Inspector, click the pop-up menu at the top of the Appearance pane or Format pane, choose 3D Styles, then choose a preset style from the submenu. The text is converted to 3D text in the style you chose. The Face and Outline controls in the Appearance pane are hidden, and the 3D Text, Lighting, and Material controls are enabled. Convert a text object from 3D to 2D 1. In the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas in Motion, select a 3D text object. 2.
The icon in the Layers list indicates whether a text object is 2D or 3D. Apply a preset 3D text style in Motion The easiest way to give basic 3D text a dynamic appearance is to apply one of the readymade 3D text styles that come with Motion. These preset styles combine font, depth, and texture settings to create an “instant” 3D graphical treatment. 1. In the Layers list, canvas, or Timeline in Motion, select a 3D text object. 2.
3. Choose a 3D text style from the submenu that appears. The 3D text style is applied to the selected text. Alternatively, you can create your own custom 3D text styles and looks by applying several of the numerous 3D textures and finishes (materials) available in the Motion Library. You can also create your own materials using images imported into Motion. See Intro to 3D text surface materials in Motion.
Move and rotate 3D text in Motion 3D text has multiple facets—front, extruded sides, edges (bevels), and back. When you add 3D text to your project, you’ll see the front facet, but depending on the angle of the text, you may not be able to see the other facets. You can view these other facets by moving or rotating the 3D text object.
Move or rotate 3D text using onscreen handles 1. In the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas in Motion, select a 3D text object. 2. In the canvas toolbar, click the 3D Transform tool. 3D transform controls appear on the selected 3D text object in the canvas. 3. Do any of the following: • Move the text object horizontally along its X axis: Drag the red arrow. • Move the text object vertically along its Y axis: Drag the green arrow.
Move or rotate 3D text using HUD controls 1. In the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas in Motion, select a 3D text object. 2. In the canvas toolbar, click the 3D Transform tool. 3. Press F7 to open the HUD (if it’s not already open). 4. In the HUD, drag in the Move or Rotate squares. See Transform layers in 3D space in Motion. Move or rotate individual text characters You can also move or rotate individual characters (glyphs) of a 3D text object. 1.
2. In the canvas toolbar, click and hold the transform tools pop-up menu, then choose Transform Glyph. 3. In the canvas, select the glyph you want to move or rotate. A 3D bounding box with position handles and rotation handles appears around the selected glyph. 4. Do any of the following: • In the canvas, drag a position handle (a color arrow) to move the selected glyph along its X, Y, or Z (depth) axis.
Modify basic 3D text attributes Modify 3D text format and layout in Motion You can modify basic 3D text attributes (including font, size, tracking, line spacing, and capitalization) the same way you modify them for 2D text: by adjusting controls in the Format pane and Layout pane in the Text Inspector. Note: To modify the depth, texture, and lighting attributes of 3D text, use the controls in the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector.
Modify 3D text depth and weight in Motion One of the most obvious differences between 2D text and 3D text is that 3D text has depth. You can adjust text depth, as well as a number of other 3D text attributes (such as text weight, edge style, and corner style) in the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector. Adjust 3D text depth 1. In the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas in Motion, select a 3D text object. 2.
• Backward: The text object is extruded backwards from the plane where the text was initially added. • Forward: The text object is extruded forwards from the plane where the text was initially added. • Centered: The text object is extruded equally forward and backward from the plane where the text was initially added. To see the resulting effect, drag the Depth slider in the Appearance pane or HUD.
2. In the 3D Text section of the Text Inspector’s Appearance pane, drag the Weight slider to the left to make the text appear thinner, or to the right to make it appear thicker. Set the style of 3D text edges The places where the different facets of a 3D text meet are called edges. You can add bevels, ridges, rings, and other shapes to customize the appearance of these edges.
3. Click the Back Edge pop-up menu, then choose an edge style. If you choose Same As Front, the style you chose in step 2 is applied to the back edge of the 3D text object. Adjust the size of 3D text edges After you change the style of the front edge or back edge of a 3D text object to anything other than square, you can also adjust the size of that edge. If the back edge is set to something other than Same As Front (or Square), you can adjust the size of the back edge independently from that of the front.
4. Click the Back Edge pop-up menu, then choose a setting other than Same As Front or Square. The Back Edge Size slider appears. 5. Drag the Back Edge Size slider to the left to make the edge smaller, or to the right to make the edge larger. Note: You can’t see the back edge of the object unless you rotate the object or add a camera that’s pointed at the back of the object. See Move and rotate 3D text in Motion.
Adjust the depth, weight, or edge size of individual text characters You can also create different depths, weights, or edge sizes for different characters (glyphs) in a 3D text object. 1. In the Motion canvas toolbar, click and hold the transform tools pop-up menu, then choose Transform Glyph. 2. In the canvas, click the glyph you want to adjust. A 3D bounding box appears around the character. 3.
3D Text controls in Motion Adjust depth, weight and edge attributes using the 3D Text controls in the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector: • 3D Text: An activation checkbox that, when selected, applies 3D attributes to selected text in your project and enables 3D controls in the Appearance pane. Deselecting this checkbox converts selected 3D text to flat 2D text and disables 3D controls in the Appearance pane.
Modify surface appearance Intro to 3D text surface materials in Motion 3D text objects in Motion have properties designed to give them a natural and realistic appearance. They respond to lighting conditions and exhibit shading, reflectivity, and other attributes of real-world objects. Attributes that define a 3D text object’s surface appearance are called materials.
Think of material layers as the building blocks for creating an object in real life. For example, you might begin creating an object by deciding what substance it should be made of—wood, plastic, metal, and so on. Depending on that basic substance, the object will have some fundamental properties, including color, texture, reflectivity, and so on. Next, you apply paint or another finish to the object to modify its color, sheen, and reflectivity.
Apply materials to 3D text Apply a preset material to 3D text in Motion A quick way to give your 3D text a naturalistic texture is to apply one of the preset materials built into Motion.
Before you drag the material into your project, a rotating preview appears at the top of the Library. • In the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas, select a 3D text object, then in the Library, select Materials, select a category, select a material from the stack, then click Apply. Before you apply the material, a rotating preview appears at the top of the Library. The preset 3D material is applied to the text object.
Apply a preset material from the Text Inspector 1. In the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas in Motion, select a 3D object, then in the Text Inspector’s Appearance pane, click the preview thumbnail in the Material area. A pop-up menu showing the material presets categories appears. 2. Choose a category from the pop-up menu, then choose a material preset from the submenu that appears. The preset 3D material is applied to the text object.
Apply a custom material to 3D text in Motion You can use your own image or clip to create a custom 3D text material layer. As with the preset materials, you can add paint layers, finish layers, distress layers, and emit layers to your custom material layer. Apply a custom image or video clip as a material 1. In Motion, import (or add from the Library) the image or clip you want to use as your 3D text material. 2.
4. Drag the image or clip you imported in step 1 from the Layers list to the image well. Note: Drag the image from the Layers list in one continuous movement. If you click the image and release the mouse button, the 3D text is deselected and the image well is no longer available. The image is mapped onto the 3D text object and the preview thumbnail in the Appearance pane is updated. 5. Adjust how the mapped image appears on the 3D text object using the Image Options controls.
For example, you may want to adjust the scale of the image or apply the image individually to each text character rather than have it mapped across all text characters. In this example, the Scale parameter is set to 20 percent so the image more clearly appears on the front surface of the 3D text. For a description of the Image Options parameters, see “When Substance is set to Generic” in 3D text Substance controls in Motion.
Modify 3D text materials in Motion When you create a new 3D text object, it appears in the canvas with a default 3D material preset applied: a smooth, white plastic texture (Basic). Most of the other preset materials in Motion Library are more complex, composed of multiple material layers—combinations of substance, paint, finish, and distress overlays that combine to create a naturalistic 3D texture.
Modify material layers used in a 3D texture Adjust the material layers in a 3D texture using the controls in the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector. This example shows how to modify the Substance layer of a simple 3D texture. 1. In the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas in Motion, select a 3D text object. A preview thumbnail of the preset currently applied to the text appears in the Text Inspector, in the Material section of the Appearance pane.
4. Adjust other available Substance settings, such as Color, Brightness, Roughness, and so on. As you make adjustments, the preview thumbnail is updated in the Material section of the Appearance pane, and the 3D text is updated in the canvas. For a description of all material layer controls, see Intro to 3D text material controls in Motion. Rename a modified material When you modify material layers, the preview thumbnail in the Material section of the Appearance pane is updated show the new texture.
Add or remove 3D text material layers in Motion You can add multiple material layers to create more complicated textures for 3D text. For example, if you combine an Aluminum substance layer with a Grey Granite substance layer, your 3D text takes on a metallic ore finish that may or may not exist in nature.
Enable or disable a material layer You can temporarily turn off or turn on any material layer to see how it’s affecting the overall texture. • In the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector in Motion, click the activation checkbox to the left of the material layer name (Substance, Paint, Distress, and so on). When the checkbox is selected, the material layer effect is visible in the canvas. When the checkbox is deselected, the effect is turned off.
Make light-emitting 3D text in Motion The Emit material layer causes the selected 3D text layer to appear to be self-illuminating rather than just reflecting other light. The light emitted using this method does not act like other light sources in a 3D project: it doesn’t illuminate other objects or cause shadows to be cast. In fact, the Emit layer is a texture with a single color, gradient, or image, which is superimposed over the 3D text object using an Add blend mode to make the text appear brighter. 1.
Apply materials to 3D text facets in Motion By default, applying a material to a 3D text object causes all facets of the text to display the same material. But a 3D text object can also display different materials on its different facets. For example, you can apply a shiny wood finish to the front facet, and a brushed metal appearance to the side facet. You can even apply a different material to the edges (the border between the face and the sides or the back and the sides).
Apply a material to a specific facet of 3D text 1. In the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas in Motion, select a 3D text object. 2. In the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector, click the Material pop-up menu, then choose Multiple. Five preview thumbnails appear, representing the five facets of 3D text: Front, Front Edge, Side, Back Edge, and Back. 3.
4. Click the preview thumbnail of any of the highlighted facets, then choose a new preset material from the pop-up menu. The selected facets are updated to display the new material—in your 3D text object in the canvas and in the highlighted Material preview thumbnails in the Appearance pane. The facets are also automatically linked together so further changes to any of them will affect all of them.
Save a modified 3D text material in Motion After you create your own materials, you can save those textures as custom presets for reuse or for sharing with colleagues, clients, or customers. Saving a modified material as a custom preset includes all material layers shown in the Material section of the Appearance pane at the time of saving (including disabled material layers). By default, custom preset materials are saved to the root level of the Materials category in the Library.
Organize saved custom preset materials 1. In the Motion Library, select Materials in the left column. The preset materials for that category appear in the stack area below. 2. Click the Add a Folder button (+) in the lower-left corner of the Library. A new, untitled folder appears in the right column, above the stack.
4. Drag the custom preset material into the new folder. The presets will now appear in the category you created, in both the Library and in the Material section of the Text Inspector’s Appearance pane (when the preview thumbnail is clicked). Material controls Intro to 3D text material controls in Motion The preset or custom materials you apply to 3D text are made up of one or more material layers—Substance, Paint, Finish, Distress, and so on—that combine to create a complex texture.
You can adjust the parameter controls in each of these material layers to modify the texture applied to your 3D text.
When Substance is set to Fabric • Type: A pop-up menu to choose a style of fabric (Denim, Tweed, Wool, and so on). • Roughness: A slider to adjust how raised and uneven the fabric pattern appears. • Placement: A group of controls (available when you click the disclosure triangle) to set how the fabric pattern is applied to the text object. For details, see 3D text Placement controls in Motion.
• Texture Depth: A slider (available when Type is set to Textured) to adjust how visible the texture appears on the object. • Placement: A group of controls (available when Color Type is set to Textured) to determine how the texture is applied to the text object. For details, see 3D text Placement controls in Motion. When Substance is set to Stone • Type: A pop-up menu to choose a style of stone (Limestone, Dark Granite, Slate, and so on).
When Substance is set to Flat Use the Flat substance type to create an object that has depth, but which is unaffected by light or shadows. Flat creates a “2.5-dimensional” look popular in graffiti and pop-art styles. Motion User Guide • Surface: A pop-up menu to choose whether the surface should display a color, a gradient, or an image. For information on using gradients, see Intro to using the gradient editor in Motion.
• Enable Edge: A group of controls (available when you click Show on the right side of the heading row) that creates a dynamic effect for how edges are rendered depending on the relative position of the camera. As the text changes position (relative to the camera) the shading changes. You can enable or disable these controls by selecting or deselecting the activation checkbox to the left of the Enable Edge row. • Edge Amount: A slider to adjust how visible the edges of the selected substance layer appear.
• • • Wrap Mode: A pop-up menu (available when Surface is set to Image) to choose how the selected image is applied to the 3D text object if the image is smaller or larger than the 3D text object. Choose any of the following options: • None: The image is applied once, and areas of the text object that exceed the scope of the image are not covered. • Repeat: The image is applied and reapplied as often as necessary, creating a pattern to fill the area beyond the scope of the original image.
When Paint is set to Smooth Paint • Color Type: A pop-up menu to choose whether the paint is a solid color or a gradient. For information on using gradients, see Intro to using the gradient editor in Motion. • Paint Color: A color control (available when Color Type is set to Color) to set the color of the paint. • Paint Gradient: A gradient control (available when Color Type is set to Gradient) to set a preset gradient or create a custom gradient.
When Paint is set to Watercolor • Paint Color: A color control (available when Color Type is set to Color) to set the color of the paint. • Sheen: A slider to adjust the apparent shininess of the paint surface. • Opacity: A slider to adjust the visibility of the paint. Drag to the left to make the paint more transparent, or drag to the right to make it more opaque.
• Fresnel: A slider (available when Paint Job is set to Custom) to set the amount that a change in viewing angle impacts the reflectiveness of the object. A high Fresnel value means that there’s a strong change in reflectivity as the viewing angle changes; a low Fresnel value means that the reflectivity remains relatively consistent regardless of viewing angle.
• Depth: A slider to adjust the apparent depth of the brush pattern. • Reverse Depth: A checkbox that, when selected, inverts the brush pattern, making dark areas appear raised and light areas appear sunken into the surface. • Placement: A group of controls (available when you click the disclosure triangle) to set how the brush pattern is applied to the text object. For details, see 3D text Placement controls in Motion.
• Black Level: A slider that sets the brightness point below which areas of the intensity map prevent reflections from passing. Raising the Black Level means more of the image will appear opaque. • Wrap Mode: A pop-up menu that sets what happens if the image is smaller than the text object. Choose one of the following options: • • • None: The image is applied once, and areas of the text object that exceed the scope of the image are not covered.
• • Specular Color: A pop-up menu to choose whether the specular color is based on the current surface, a solid color, or an image. Use this control to add a hue (or pattern) that colors the reflection as if the material were made of that color or pattern. For example, adding an orange specular color causes reflections to have an orange hue, as if the 3D text object were made of copper.
3D text Distress controls in Motion Use the Distress controls in the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector to create the effect of adding wear or degradation to the surface of the 3D text object. Depending on the option you choose in the Distress pop-up menu (at the top of the Distress section of the Appearance pane), different parameter controls become available. • Distress: A pop-up menu to set a distress type: Scratches, Stains, Dirt, Dents, Wavy, Bumps, Perforated, Wrinkles, or Custom Bumps.
When Distress is set to Dents • Type: A pop-up menu to choose a dents pattern. • Depth: A slider to adjust the apparent depth of the dents in the 3D text object. • Placement: A group of controls (available when you click the disclosure triangle) to set how the dent pattern is applied to the text object. For details, see 3D text Placement controls in Motion. When Distress is set to Wavy • Depth: A slider to adjust the apparent depth of the wave pattern.
• Image: An image well to assign a custom image to use as the bump map. Drag an image from the Layers list or Media list into this well. • Bump Map Type: A pop-up menu to set whether the bump map is interpreted as Height, which uses the luminance of an image to define the bump pattern, or as Normal, which uses an RGB map image to define the bump pattern. • Invert: A checkbox that, when selected, swaps the light and dark elements of the image, effectively inverting the apparent height of the bumps.
Motion User Guide • Gradient: A gradient control (available when Fill is set to Gradient) to set a preset gradient or create a custom gradient for the colors to be emitted. • Image: An image well (available when Fill is set to Texture) to assign a custom image to use as the texture emitted. Drag an image from the Layers list or Media list into this well. • Wrap Mode: A pop-up menu (available when Fill is set to Texture) to set what happens if the image is smaller than the text object.
3D text Placement controls in Motion Many material layers use graphic images with fixed dimensions that are “mapped” to the 3D text object—for example, the pattern of a fabric substance or the scratches of a distress layer. When a material layer uses a mapped image, Placement controls become available at the bottom of that layer’s section in the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector. You can use these controls to set how the image is mapped onto the text object.
• Motion User Guide Placement: A pop-up menu to set whether the image or texture is mapped to the 3D text object independently of other material layers or in combination with other material layers. There are two options: • Independent: Activates controls (described below) for adjusting the position, scale, and rotation of this material layer’s image or texture.
Shared Placement controls These controls appear in the Options section of the Inspector when one or more material layers are set to Shared placement. These controls are identical to the controls described in the Independent Placement controls above. Adjusting these controls adjusts the placement (position, scale, rotation, and so on) of all material layers set to Shared placement. Global Placement controls These settings modify all images that are affected by placement controls, independent or shared.
1. In the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas in Motion, select a 3D text object. 2. In the Text Inspector’s Appearance pane, click the preview thumbnail in the Material area, choose Metal from the pop-up menu, then choose a metal type from the submenu. 3. Do one of the following: • Motion User Guide If you chose Aluminum Foil, Brushed Metal, Chrome, Copper, Gold, or Nickel: In the Substance controls, click the Type pop-up menu, then choose Custom (at the bottom of the list).
• If you chose Brushed Circular, Distressed Metal, Grunge Metal, Iron, Old Steel, or Rust: Click the Substance pop-up menu, and choose Metal; then click the Type popup menu, and choose Custom. The Reflection Gradient control for the selected metal appears. 4. Modify the gradient using the gradient editor. For more information about using gradient controls, see Intro to using the gradient editor in Motion.
In the final text treatment, the colors that you set on the left side of the gradient editor (the fuchsia and light blue colors, in this example) are more visible when 3D text surfaces are perpendicular to the screen. The colors that you set on the right side of the gradient (violet and gray, in this example) are more visible in the final text treatment when 3D surfaces are parallel to the screen.
Adjust 3D text lighting in Motion All 3D text objects in Motion have a set of built-in options that simulate basic lighting conditions. This enables you to quickly and easily create natural-looking scenes quickly and easily. Additionally, you can add light objects to your project if you need to illuminate your 3D text objects in more complex or specific ways. Modify the lighting style 1. In the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas in Motion, select a 3D text object. 2.
3. Drag the Intensity slider to increase or decrease the amount of illumination. Your 3D text object is illuminated in style you chose. For a detailed list of all 3D text lighting controls, see 3D text Lighting and Environment controls in Motion. Control how 3D text objects cast self-shadows In the real world, complex objects often cast shadows on parts of themselves. You can simulate this effect in Motion by having 3D text cast “self-shadows.
1. In the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas in Motion, select a 3D text object. 2. In the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector, click the Self Shadows checkbox (in the Lighting section). Note: The Self Shadows checkbox is hidden when Lighting Style is set to Off. With self-shadows enabled, one part of a 3D text object will cast a shadow on another part of the same object (depending on the light source position).
Use external lights to illuminate a 3D text object To create more precise or complex lighting and shadow effects, you can add light objects to your project. This technique is useful if you want to illuminate multiple objects in a consistent and naturalistic way, if you want to use very specific types of lights, or if you want to use color lights. 1. In the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas in Motion, select a 3D text object. 2.
4. Click Switch to 3D. A light object is added to your project. 5. In the canvas, drag the light object’s onscreen handles to illuminate your objects. For more information about moving and orienting lights, see Add lights in Motion. 6. In the Light Inspector, choose a light type and adjust other settings as needed. 7. If necessary, drag or rotate the light object in the canvas using its onscreen controls.
1. In Motion, repeat steps 1–7 in “Use external lights to illuminate a 3D text object,” above. 2. Select a light object in the canvas, Layers list, or Timeline. Note: The Shadows controls are not available when the Light Type pop-up menu is set to Ambient. For more information about using the shadow controls, see and 3D shadow controls in Motion. 3. In the Light Inspector, select the Shadows activation checkbox. When selected, the checkbox is highlighted blue. 4.
3. Click the Type pop-up menu and choose an environment. Choose one of the preset images (such as Roof Top, Light Box, and so on), or choose Gradient and customize the gradient to act as the source of the reflection. For information on using gradients, see Intro to using the gradient editor in Motion. Tip: You may need to rotate the 3D text object around its X or Y axis to see different parts of the reflected environment. For more about rotating a text object, see Move and rotate 3D text in Motion.
Tip: By default, environments rotate around the Y axis (unlike other rotation controls in Motion which default to rotating around the Z axis). If you want to rotate around a different axis than the default, click the disclosure triangle next to the Rotation dial to reveal separate X, Y, and Z axis rotation dials. • Drag the Contrast slider to the right to make the reflected image to create a sharper difference between the light and dark areas.
Lighting controls • Lighting Style: A pop-up menu to select a preset lighting style for the selected 3D text object. Choose any of the following: • Off: Disables the 3D text lighting controls. Choose this option if you want to manually add your own lights to the project. Note: You may also want to disable environmental lighting. See Modify 3D text environment lighting in Motion. • Standard: Illuminates the text object from the front, from the left, and from the right.
Environment controls • Environment: An activation checkbox that, when selected, causes 3D text to appear to reflect lighting from a surrounding “environment.” Click Show on the right side of the Environment heading row to reveal additional adjustment controls: • Type: A pop-up menu to choose the image, gradient, or pattern that’s reflected. For information on using gradients, see Intro to using the gradient editor in Motion. • Intensity: A slider to adjust the strength of the environment light.
Add a Drop Shadow effect to a 3D text object 1. In the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas in Motion, select a 3D text object. 2. In the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector, select the activation checkbox to the left of the Drop Shadow heading (at the bottom of the Appearance pane). 3. Double-click the Drop Shadow heading to display parameter controls, then adjust Color, Opacity, and other settings to customize the drop shadow effect.
• 3D text uses only layer order: For 3D text to appear above other non-3D text layers, the 3D text must be positioned above the other layers in the Layers list. For more information about layer order, see Create 3D intersection in Motion. Certain operations, such as the application of some filters or selecting the Crop checkbox in the Properties Inspector, can cause a group containing 3D text to be rasterized. See How rasterization affects basic text in Motion.
Animate text Intro to animated text in Motion After you create 2D or 3D text, you can apply dynamic animation effects using behaviors, keyframes, or a combination of both.
Apply a text behavior in Motion You apply text behaviors in the same manner as all other behaviors in Motion—from the Library or from the Behaviors pop-up menu in the toolbar. Apply a text behavior from the Library 1. In Motion, create a text layer in your project. See Add text in Motion or Add 3D text in Motion. 2. In the Library, select the Behaviors category, then select the Text Animation or Text Sequence subcategory.
3. Select a text behavior in the stack. A preview of the animation plays in the preview area. The preview merely represents the default animation of the behavior, which can be modified later. 4. Do one of the following: • Drag the behavior to a text layer in the canvas, Layers list, or Timeline. • Click the Apply button in the preview area. The behavior is applied, and the Text HUD is replaced with the Text Behavior HUD (if the HUD is not visible, press F7).
Use preset text behaviors Preset text behaviors in Motion Preset text sequence behaviors, found in the Text Sequence subcategory of behaviors in the Library, are preset versions of the Sequence Text behavior. The parameters in these preset behaviors are already animated (often with keyframes), requiring little or no customization on your part (although you can always modify them).
Tip: Because most preset text sequence behaviors are keyframed, it’s often helpful to see where the keyframes occur when customizing. In the Timeline, click the Show/Hide Keyframes button to display keyframes superimposed over the behavior’s timebar. Customize a preset text behavior in Motion After you apply a preset text behavior from the Text Sequence subcategory, you can modify its settings to suit your needs. Add a parameter to a preset text behavior 1.
You slow down or speed up the animation by changing the duration of the behavior’s bar in the Timeline. 1. In the Layers list or Timeline in Motion, select a preset text sequence behavior. 2. In the mini-Timeline or Timeline, do one of the following: • To slow the effect, drag the right end of the behavior bar right (to lengthen the effect) to the frame where you want the animation to end.
Example: Modify the Flare In behavior in Motion In this section, the Flare In behavior (from the Text-Glow subcategory of preset text behaviors) is used to show how to modify a preset text behavior. The following steps begin at the first frame of the text. 1. In Motion, select the text layer to be animated, then click Behaviors in the toolbar and choose Text-Glow > Flare In. At the first frame, the text is not visible because Face opacity and Glow opacity start at 0%, then move to 100%. 2.
A Rotation parameter is added to the sequence (click the Format disclosure triangle to see the Rotation parameter). 5. Move the playhead to the first frame of the text, then click the Record button in the timing toolbar (or press A) to turn on keyframe recording. 6. In the Behaviors Inspector, set the Rotation dial to 90. 7. Press the Space bar to play the project and see the result. Because the Rotation parameter has only a single keyframe, the text remains static at 90 degrees. 8.
Create custom text sequence behaviors Apply the Sequence Text behavior in Motion You can build custom text sequence animations using the Sequence Text behavior (in the Text Animation category of behaviors in the Library). The Sequence Text behavior (not to be confused with the Text Sequence category of preset behaviors in the Library) lets you animate text attributes—scale, position, color, opacity, glow, and so on—in sequence, character by character.
Assign and activate Sequence Text parameters in the Inspector After you apply the Sequence Text behavior to a text layer in your project (as described in the previous task), you must assign the parameters you want to animate. 1. In the Layers list or Timeline in Motion, select an applied Sequence Text behavior. The Behaviors Inspector opens.
3. Set the Opacity slider to 0. When you play the project (press the Space Bar), the opacity sequences from the value set in the behavior (0%) to the original value of the text (100%). You can change this sequencing order in the Sequencing pop-up menu. 4. Click the Sequencing pop-up menu, then choose To. Now, when you play the project from the beginning, the opacity fades to the value set in the behavior (0%) from the original value of the text (100%). 5.
Assign and activate Sequence Text parameters in the canvas As an alternative to assigning parameters to the Sequence Text behavior in the Behaviors Inspector, you can assign three basic parameters (Position, Rotation, and Scale) by dragging onscreen controls in the canvas. 1.
• Sequence the rotation of the text: Drag a rotation handle of a selected glyph in the canvas. To display the rotation handles, click in the canvas, then press and hold the Command key. For more information on using onscreen transform controls, see Transform layers in 3D space in Motion. In this example, the text is rotated on its Y axis. In the Behaviors Inspector, the Rotation parameter is added to the Format category (above the Add and Remove pop-up menus).
For more information on Sequence Text parameters, see Sequence Text behavior controls in Motion. Note: When using the Sequence Text behavior, glyphs are selected with the Adjust Item tool rather than the Transform Glyph tool. For more information on the Transform Glyph tool, see Intro to text glyphs in Motion. When you select a glyph with the Adjust Item tool, a section of the Timeline is highlighted, indicating when the selected glyph is affected by the sequence behavior.
Modify a parameter without adding it to the animated sequence If you want to modify the face, outline, glow, or drop shadow of text, but don’t want that modification to be animated, make the adjustment in the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector. Parameters modified in the Appearance pane do not affect an applied Sequence Text behavior. For example, by adding an outline to text via the Appearance pane, the text outline remains constant during the sequence animation. 1.
4. Do one of the following: • In the Behaviors Inspector, click the Add pop-up menu, choose Format > Position, then use the Position value sliders to define the beginning (or ending) position of the text. You can also click the Add Keyframe button that appears when you position your pointer over the right side of the Position parameter row. • In the canvas, drag the selected text character to its beginning (or ending) position. A keyframe is added to the Position parameter. 5.
Sequence the distortion of 2D text in Motion In addition to using the sliders and value sliders in the Inspector, you can use onscreen controls to sequence the Four Corner parameter, creating warp effects that manipulate the text Face (color fill), Outline, Glow, and Drop Shadow parameters of text. In the following simple example, the distortion of the text glow is sequenced. Note: You cannot sequence the distortion of an appearance attribute for 3D text. Sequence the warping of a text glow effect 1.
Onscreen handles appear. 4. Do one of the following: • To distort the glow, drag a distort handle (any of the corner handles). Note: Some characters may not appear to be affected when you drag in the canvas. However, when you play the project, all characters are affected.
• To shear the glow, drag a shearing handle (any of the middle handles). You can also drag the value sliders in the Four Corner parameter for Glow in the Behaviors Inspector. Click the Four Corner disclosure triangle to show the individual Bottom Left, Bottom Right, Top Right, and Top Left controls. 5. Press the Space bar to play the project. The glow distortion is sequenced through the text, based on the settings in the Sequence Text behavior parameters.
Choose the Character Offset option to offset characters alphabetically or numerically. The amount of the offset is determined by the value set in the Character Offset slider. For example, if you begin with the text ABC, then set the Character Offset slider to 3, the text at the beginning of the sequence becomes DEF. In the following examples, Character Offset and Position are sequenced; the Character Offset slider is set to 3.
Sequencing controls Adjust these controls to set how the sequencing occurs. Specify the direction, scope, and speed of the sequencing action, and what happens when the sequencing action reaches the end of your text object. • • • Motion User Guide Sequencing: A pop-up menu to set how the sequence animation moves through the text unit. (A text unit can be a character, word, line, or an entire text object, as set in the Animate pop-up menu, described below.
• End: A slider (available when Animate is set to Custom) to define the ending point of the selection to be sequenced. • Select: Controls to set the range of characters affected by the animation defined in the Animate pop-up menu.
Motion User Guide • Ease Both: The sequence animation begins slowly, increases to normal speed as it moves toward the middle of the duration of the text, then slows as it reaches the end of the text. • Accelerate: The rate of the sequence animation increases as it moves through the text. • Decelerate: The rate of the sequence animation decreases as it moves though the text. • Custom: Lets you keyframe how the selection (the animation) moves through the text.
• End Offset: A slider to offset the end of the effect of the sequence behavior. By default, the sequence animation is in effect until the end of the behavior. For example, to stop the sequencing 60 frames from the end of the text object (or project), drag the End Offset slider to 60 or enter 60 in the adjacent value slider. Using this slider to stop the effect, rather than trimming the end of the behavior in the Timeline, freezes the end of the effect for the remaining duration of the object.
• Variance: A slider to fluctuate the values of the attributes assigned to sequence through the text. For example, if you add variance to an opacity sequence, the text opacity is randomized rather than moving strictly from the original Scale value to the Scale value defined in the sequence behavior. • Minimum: A slider to define the lower boundary of the variance for the sequenced parameter value.
• • End Point: When variance is applied, the values defined in the Sequence Text behavior (above the Add and Remove pop-up menus) at the start and end of the behavior are fixed to the last frame of the behavior. In the following images, the text position is sequenced. Fix is set to End Point.
• Position Type: A pop-up menu to specify whether an attribute is offset from the text uniformly or based on the size of text characters. There are two options: • Absolute: When offsetting attributes, such as glows, shadows, and so on from text objects, choose Absolute to create an even offset regardless of the size of the text characters. In the following image, the yellow glow is uniformly offset from the white text because Absolute is chosen from the Position Type pop-up menu.
Because vertical scrolling is the default option, the text shifts to below the canvas for the beginning of the scroll. You can change the direction, position, and speed of the scroll in the Behaviors Inspector or HUD. 2. In the timing toolbar, click the Play button (or press the Space bar). The text scrolls upward in the canvas. 3. To edit the text, double-click the text in the canvas.
Scroll Text controls in Motion Use the parameter controls in the Behaviors Inspector to adjust the direction, rate, and position of the scroll: • Scroll Direction: A pop-up menu to set the direction of the text scroll to Vertical or Horizontal. • Speed Control: A pop-up menu to set the speed of the scroll or crawl. There are three options: • Automatic: The speed of the scroll is determined by the length of the behavior in the Timeline.
• Allow Layout Override: A checkbox that, when selected, permits manual changes to the layout method (set in the Layout Method pop-up menu in the Layout pane of the Text Inspector). For example, when you apply the Scroll Text behavior to RTF text and set Scroll Direction to Horizontal, the text is placed in a single line. If you select the Allow Layout Override checkbox, the text retains its paragraph format. Note: This parameter is available only when the Scroll Text behavior is applied to a text object.
Text Tracking controls in Motion Use the Text Tracking parameter controls in the Behaviors Inspector or HUD to control the rate and end offset of the tracking animation: • Rate: A slider to control the rate of the change in tracking values. The higher the rate, the greater the tracking values. • End Offset: A slider to offset the end of the effect of the Tracking parameter. By default, text characters track to the end of the duration of text.
Increase the speed of the type on effect 1. In the Layers list or Timeline in Motion, select an applied Type On behavior. The Type On behavior bar is selected in the mini-Timeline and Timeline. 2. Do one of the following: • In the Timeline or mini-Timeline, trim Type On behavior by dragging the right end of its bar toward the left, to the frame where you want the animation to end. As you drag, a tooltip displays the duration and delta (amount of change) of the behavior.
Selecting the Transform Glyph tool activates glyph transform handles in the canvas and adds additional controls to the Text HUD. 3. In the Text HUD, ensure that the Attribute pop-up menu is set to Transform Glyph. The Transform Glyph option in the Attribute pop-up menu lets you modify and animate the position, rotation, and scale of text characters by dragging in the canvas.
An editable animation path is created for the keyframed glyphs. You can add and remove control points and change the shape of the path in the canvas. For more information on working with animation paths, see Modify animation paths in Motion. 7. Move the playhead back to the start frame and press the Space bar to play the project. The glyphs animate from their starting positions to their ending positions.
When to use keyframes to animate text in Motion As an alternative to animating with behaviors, you can animate most text parameters using keyframes. The text animation method you use (keyframing or behaviors) depends on your project, or more specifically, your timing needs: • Use keyframes if you need an action to happen at a specific point in time in your project.
Save a modified text behavior in Motion As with all modified behaviors, filters, generators, and so on, you can save a modified text behavior to the Library. Save a modified behavior to the Library in Motion 1. If necessary for organizational purposes, rename an applied text behavior by doubleclicking its name in the Layers list, typing a new name, then pressing Return. 2.
Draw shapes, masks, and paint strokes Intro to shapes, masks, and paint strokes in Motion Shapes, masks, and paint strokes are vector-based layers that you create in Motion. Shapes Shapes are primarily used to create visual elements in a composition. You can use a single shape as a background or color graphic in a composition, or you can create elaborate illustrations that combine many shapes. Shapes work like any other layer.
To begin using masks, see Intro to simple shapes and masks in Motion and Intro to complex shapes and masks in Motion. For more information about mask transparency, see Intro to masks and transparency in Motion. Paint strokes Like shapes, paint strokes are used to create visual elements in a composition. Paint strokes are drawn in the canvas in a single, continuous movement, or are created from existing shapes.
Draw simple shapes in Motion Use the Rectangle tool or the Circle tool to create simple shapes in the canvas. Use the Line tool to draw straight lines in the canvas. Draw a rectangle shape 1. In Motion, click the Rectangle tool in the canvas toolbar (or press R). The Rectangle Tool HUD appears. (If the HUD isn’t displayed, press F7.) To adjust the color, outline, and roundness of the rectangle before you draw the shape, use the controls in the HUD.
2. In the canvas, do any of the following: • Adjust corner roundness: Drag the roundness handle in the upper-left corner of the shape to smooth the corners of the rectangle. • Adjust size: Drag a size handle (on the side of the shape) to adjust the height or width of the rectangle. To scale the shape uniformly, drag the inner edge of the shape. The inner and outer edges overlap by default; you must drag the outer (feather) edge prior to dragging the inner (scale) edge.
Draw a circle or ellipse shape 1. In the canvas toolbar in Motion, click and hold the shape tools pop-up menu, then choose Circle (or press C). The Circle Tool HUD appears. (If the HUD isn’t displayed, press F7.) To adjust the color and outline of the circle before you draw the shape, use the controls in the HUD. Note: You can also edit the circle color and outline after you draw the shape. 2. Drag in the canvas until the resulting ellipse is the size you want, then release the mouse button.
2. In the canvas, do any of the following: • Adjust curvature: Drag the curvature handle in the upper-left corner of the shape to add angular corners. • Adjust size: Drag a radius handle (on the edge of the shape) to adjust the height or width of the ellipse or circle. To scale the shape uniformly, drag the inner edge of the shape. The inner and outer edges overlap by default; you must drag the outer (feather) edge prior to dragging the inner (scale) edge.
Draw a line 1. In the canvas toolbar in Motion, click and hold the shape tools pop-up menu, then choose Line. The Line Tool HUD appears. (If the HUD isn’t displayed, press F7.) To adjust the color and width of the line before you draw it, adjust the controls in the HUD. Note: You can also edit the line color and width after you draw the line. 2. Drag in the canvas until the resulting line is the length you want, then release the mouse button.
Add shapes from the Library in Motion The Shapes category in the Library contains pre-drawn shapes that you can add to a project. After you add a shape from the Library, you can edit the shape. Add a shape from the Library 1. In the Library in Motion, select the Shapes category. 2. Do one of the following: • Select a shape in the Library stack, then click Apply in the preview area. • Drag a shape from the Library stack into the canvas, Layers list, or Timeline.
Adjust the size, roundness, feathering, or rotation of a rectangle mask 1. In Motion, do one of the following: • In the canvas, double-click the mask. • In the Layers list, canvas, or Timeline, select the mask, then click and hold the transform tools in the canvas toolbar and choose Edit Rectangle. Simple shape transform handles appear in the canvas. 2.
The inner and outer edges overlap by default; you must drag the outer (feather) edge prior to dragging the inner (scale) edge. Note: You can also press and hold the Shift key while adjusting the radius handles to scale the mask uniformly. • Adjust softness: Drag the mask’s outer edge away from the rectangle to feather outward, or toward the center of the rectangle to feather inward. • Adjust rotation: Drag the rotation handle to rotate the mask.
Adjust the size, curvature, or feather of a circle mask 1. In Motion, do one of the following: • In the canvas, double-click the mask. • In the Layers list, canvas, or Timeline, select the mask, then click and hold the transform tools in the canvas toolbar and choose Edit Ellipse. Simple shape transform handles appear in the canvas. 2. In the canvas, do any of the following: Motion User Guide • Adjust curvature: Drag the curvature handle in the upper-left corner of the mask to add angular corners.
The inner and outer edges overlap by default; you must drag the outer (feather) edge prior to dragging the inner (scale) edge. Note: You can also press and hold the Shift key while adjusting the radius handles to scale the mask uniformly. • Adjust softness: Drag the mask’s outer edge away from the mask to feather outward, or toward the center of the mask to feather inward. • Adjust rotation: Drag the rotation handle to rotate the mask.
Edit control points on a line There’s no “simple” shape mode for a line shape, so you don’t need to convert the line to edit its control points. • In Motion, double-click the line in the canvas. Red control points appear on both ends of the line. See Intro to editing control points in Motion. Add complex shapes and masks Intro to complex shapes and masks in Motion In Motion, you can draw complex shapes and masks using splines. Splines are vector-based curves that allow for complex, customized shapes.
Because B-Spline controls are so simple, they’re easy to animate and manipulate. The tools you use for a specific task are largely a matter of personal preference. You can add a Bezier and B-Spline shapes and masks to a project in the following ways: • Use the Bezier tool or B-Spline tool to draw complex shapes with editable control points. • Use the Bezier Mask tool, B-Spline Mask tool, or Freehand Mask tool to draw complex masks with editable control points.
• Drag in the canvas to make a curved Bezier point, adjusting it to the shape you want. Press and hold the Shift key while making a curved point to constrain its tangents to 45-degree angles. Press and hold Command–Equal Sign (=) to zoom in for a closer look and Command-Hyphen (–) to zoom out. You can scroll around by pressing the Space bar as you drag in the canvas. If you have a trackpad, it’s even easier: pinch open or closed to zoom in or out, and use a two-finger swipe to scroll around. 4.
Draw a B-Spline shape or mask 1. In the canvas toolbar in Motion, click and hold the path shape tools pop-up menu, then choose B-Spline. Note: If the Bezier tool is selected, pressing B once selects the B-Spline tool. If another tool is selected, such as the Text tool, pressing B twice selects the B-Spline tool. The B-Spline Mask tool is located in the mask tools pop-up menu in the canvas toolbar. The B-Spline Tool HUD (or B-Spline Mask Tool HUD) appears. (If it doesn’t appear, press F7.
Note: You can press Esc to cancel the entire operation and delete the shape. Immediately after finishing a shape, the Shape HUD appears and the Edit Points tool is selected, which lets you edit the shape you’ve just created. Draw a freehand mask Freehand masks create a mask shape in one movement, rather than in a point-by-point fashion (like a Bezier or B-Spline shape). For best results, use a stylus and tablet when drawing freehand masks. 1.
Draw paint strokes Intro to paint strokes in Motion The easiest way to draw a paint stroke is in one continuous movement, rather than one point at a time. Depending on the effect you want, you may achieve better results using a stylus and graphics tablet. Additionally, many styles and brushes in Motion take advantage of stylus pressure and speed. There are two ways to create a paint stroke: • Use the Paint Stroke tool to draw a freehand stroke in the canvas.
The default brush type (in the Shape Style parameter) is Basic Solid. You can change the brush type by defining a paint stroke style. 2. Define a paint stroke style in the HUD: a. Click the Shape Style preset pop-up menu, then choose an option. b. Modify the Brush Color and Width settings. If a preset is not used, a Basic Solid stroke is created. You can still apply a preset to the stroke using the Inspector after the stroke is drawn. Presets do not override the width or color of the stroke set in the HUD.
• Apply a preset from the Shape Style pop-up menu to an existing stroke in the sketch area of the HUD. If the preset is an animated stroke, the stroke is automatically drawn in the sketch area. Press the Play button to see the stroke animation again. Change the style of an existing paint stroke 1. In Motion, select an existing paint stroke in the Layers list or Timeline. 2. In the Shape HUD or the Style pane of the Shape Inspector, click the Shape Style popup menu, then choose a different option.
Note: If the Create Layers At option in Motion Project Preferences is set to Current Frame, the paint stroke is created at the current playhead position. If set to Start of Project, the stroke is created at frame 1. For more information about the Create Layers At option, see If it’s your first import in Motion. 5. Press the Space Bar to play back your project. The stroke is “painted on” as the project plays. 6.
Convert outlines to paint strokes in Motion You can convert a shape outline into a paint stroke by modifying the brush type in the Inspector. After you assign a different brush type, paint stroke parameters become available. You can modify and animate the paint stroke’s brush parameters. Convert an existing shape into an editable paint stroke 1. In Motion, select an existing shape in the Layers list, canvas, or Timeline. 2. In the Shape HUD or Style pane of the Shape Inspector, select the Outline checkbox.
4. Use the controls in the Style, Stroke, and Advanced panes of the Shape Inspector to modify or animate your paint stroke. In the example below, the Additive Blend parameter is enabled in the Style pane. Additionally, the Color Over Stroke, Spacing Over Stroke, Width Over Stroke, Brush Scale, and Brush Scale Randomness parameters are modified in the Stroke pane.
Paint Stroke controls in the HUD in Motion When you select the Paint Stroke tool in the canvas toolbar, the Paint Stroke Tool HUD appears before you draw a stroke. Use this HUD to specify stroke-drawing settings before you draw. The Paint Stroke Tool HUD contains the following controls: Motion User Guide • Brush Color: Color controls that set the color of the brush. For more information on using these controls, see Use basic color controls in Motion.
Note: You can affect multiple parameters to a single stroke so that, for example, pressure affects both opacity and spacing. Choose an option, such as Opacity, before the stroke is created. After you create the stroke, apply a pen shape behavior to the stroke and apply the action to another parameter, such as Spacing. For more information on the pen shape behaviors, see Intro to Shape behaviors in Motion.
Edit shape control points Intro to editing control points in Motion Complex shapes, masks, and paint strokes are defined by Bezier splines and B-Splines, which are built with control points. The control points, which lie along the spline in connect-the-dot fashion, determine the shape of the spline. You can modify a spline by adjusting its control points in the canvas.
Note: Overlays must be enabled in the View menu (or in the View pop-up menu above the canvas) for control points and the spline of a shape to be visible. In addition, if Handles and Lines are disabled in the View > Overlays submenu (or in the View pop-up menu), Bezier or B-Spline control points will not be visible in the canvas. After you display a shape’s control points, select control points to edit them.
Note: In Edit Points mode, when you place the pointer over a control point, an info window appears identifying the control point name. When dragging a control point, the status bar displays the point’s name and coordinates. You can choose not to display the info window by opening the General pane of the Motion Preferences window and deselecting Show Tooltips. For more information on showing and hiding the status bar, see View dynamic canvas feedback in Motion.
Lock and unlock control points You can lock control points in a shape to fix them in place and prevent accidental modification. A shape with locked points can still be moved. In Motion, do one of the following: • Lock a control point: Control-click a control point, then choose Lock Point from the shortcut menu. • Unlock a control point: Control-click a locked control point, then choose Unlock Point from the shortcut menu.
Add control points to a shape In Motion, do one of the following: • Option-click or double-click the edge of a shape to add a new control point. Note: To add control points to a B-Spline shape, Option-click or double-click the B-Spline frame’s edge, rather than the edge of the shape itself. • Control-click the edge of a shape, then choose Add Point from the shortcut menu. Add control points to the end of an open shape 1.
The shape changes to adjust to the missing point. If you remove points from a closed shape, the shape remains closed. Important: If you delete a point from a shape that has a keyframed shape animation parameter in the Keyframe Editor, that control point is removed from the entire animation. Move control points to adjust shapes in Motion Because control points define the contours of a complex shape, you can move control points to change the shape.
Move control points In Motion, do one of the following: • Select control points on the shape in the canvas, then drag the points to a new position. As you drag selected control points, the rest of the shape stretches or curves to accommodate the change. • Select a control point, then press Command-Left Arrow, Command-Right Arrow, Command-Up Arrow, or Command-Down Arrow to nudge the point by one pixel (or Shift-Command to nudge by 10 pixels). Constrain the movement of selected control points 1.
Move a shape edge You can also select the line between two control points and drag the edge of the shape. 1. In the Motion canvas, drag any edge of a shape object. The control points on either side of the line are selected, and the line segment moves as you drag. The distance between the two points remains constant, but the line can be moved freely. Press and hold the Shift key to constrain the movement horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. 2.
Adjust a Bezier curve using a control point’s tangent handles Curved Bezier control points have two tangent handles that you use to adjust the curvature of the shape on either side of the control point. These handles can be adjusted in various ways to create symmetrical and asymmetrical curves. By default, these tangent handles are locked to one another at an angle of 180 degrees, but you can override this restriction to adjust each tangent handle independently. 1.
• Lock broken tangent handles to a custom angle: Option-drag a broken tangent handle point; or Control-click it and choose Link Handle from the shortcut menu. The tangent handles now maintain their relationship when moved and rotated. You can also press and hold the Command key while dragging a handle point so that two tangent handles with differing lengths scale proportionally.
Each B-Spline control point tugs on a section of the shape, pulling it toward itself. As a result, you manipulate a shape’s curve by moving its control points in the direction you want to pull the shape. For example, notice how every control point creating the S curve below is offset in the direction of the curve it influences. Note: You can show and hide the B-Spline frame lines that enclose B-Spline control points by choosing View > Overlays > Lines. By default, B-Spline shapes have no corners.
3. Do any of the following: • Drag away from the point to make the curve progressively sharper. • Drag toward the point to make the curve progressively looser. Note: After the handle appears, you can modify the curve without the Command key, by dragging the handle. 4. Optional: Command-click the handle to switch between three progressively sharper amounts of curvature. Alternatively, you can Control-click a B-Spline point, then choose Very Smooth, Smooth, or Linear from the shortcut menu.
4. In the canvas toolbar, click and hold the transform tools pop-up menu, then choose Edit Points. Note: In the canvas, you can also Control-click a shape and choose Edit Points from the shortcut menu. 5. In the canvas, drag a control point. Yellow guides appear when the selected control point aligns with the edges or center of the original shape, the edges or center of other objects, or the center of the canvas.
Edit fill, outline, and feathering in Motion After you draw a shape, you can adjust the fill, outline, and feathering to suit your needs. Because a line is really an outline, all Outline parameters in the Inspector apply to a line. For information on adjusting shape and mask splines and controls points, see Intro to editing control points in Motion. Turn a shape’s outline on or off 1. In Motion, select a shape in the Layers list, canvas, or Timeline. 2.
If the shape’s fill mode is set to a gradient, you can choose a gradient from the Gradient preset pop-up menu, or click the Gradient parameter’s disclosure triangle to display the gradient editor and create your own custom gradient. For more information on using gradient editors, see Gradient editor controls in Motion. Feather a shape 1. In Motion, select a shape in the Layers list, canvas, or Timeline. 2.
4. Optionally, you can also adjust the Falloff parameter in the Style pane of the Shape Inspector, which controls how steep the feathering is. Shape controls in the Inspector Intro to shape controls in Motion The Shape Inspector appears when you select a shape in the canvas, Layers list, or Timeline. This Inspector comprises four panes: • The Style pane contains controls to modify the fill color, opacity, feathering, and outline of a shape.
• Fill Opacity: A slider (available when Fill Mode is set to Color) that adjusts the opacity of the fill (independently of the outline, if the Outline parameter is enabled). • Gradient preset pop-up menu (unlabeled): A pop-up menu (available when Fill Mode is set to Gradient) that applies a preset gradient (from the Gradients category in the Library) to the selected shape. In addition to the preset gradients, any custom gradients you’ve saved to the Library appear in this list.
• Brush Color: Color controls that let you pick a color to use for the outline or paint dabs. These color controls are identical to the shape Fill Color controls (and all color controls throughout Motion). Note: When Stroke Color Mode (in the Stroke pane) is set to Color Over Stroke or Pick From Color Range, the Brush Color controls are not available. • Brush Opacity: A slider that defines the opacity of the entire stroke, regardless of the Brush Type setting.
Modify the Brush Profile opacity gradient to create new brush looks. • Width: A slider that changes the width of a shape’s outline or width of a paint stroke’s dabs. On paint strokes, width adjustments alter the size of the dab while also maintaining the spacing between each dab. Note: If you used the pressure parameters in the Paint Stroke Tool HUD to create variations in the stroke when the stroke was created, adjusting the Width parameter affects the width of the stroke uniformly.
• Spacing: A slider (available when Brush Type is set to Airbrush or Image) that defines the space between dabs. A lower number creates a more solid line, and a higher number creates a greater distance between dabs. • Additive Blend: A checkbox (available when Brush Type is set to Airbrush or Image) that composites all overlapping dabs together using the Additive blend mode. By default, dabs are composited together using the Normal blend mode.
Note: The Play Frames checkbox must be selected for playback to occur. If Play Frames is deselected, you can display different still frames over the length of the stroke. Click the Source Start Frame disclosure triangle to see the Stroke Length and Source Start Frame controls: • Source Start Frame Over Stoke: A slider that adjusts the value of the selected keyframe in the mini-curve editor. • Stroke Length: A slider that adjusts the value of the selected keyframe.
Stroke controls • Motion User Guide Stroke Color Mode: A pop-up menu that specifies how color is applied to the stroke over its length. There are three options: • Use Brush Color: Uses the color of the brush as defined by the Brush Color parameter in the Style pane. The stroke is a solid color over its length. • Color Over Stroke: Dabs are tinted based on their position over the length of the paint stroke.
• Spacing Over Stroke: A mini-curve editor that lets you customize the spacing of the dabs over the length of the stroke. You can create a curve that gradually increases the dabs’ spacing over the length of the stroke, create a curve that varies the dabs’ spacing over the length of the stroke, and so on. In the following images, the default Spacing Over Stroke value of 100% in the mini-curve editor creates an even distribution of the dabs—based on the value set in the Spacing parameter in the Style pane.
Two additional controls in the mini-curve editor let you fine-tune the values of selected points in the curve: • Spacing Over Stroke: A slider that adjusts the spacing between dabs at the selected keyframe. Increasing this parameter increases the spacing between each dab in the stroke. • Stroke Length: A slider that determines where along the range of the dabs within the stroke the Spacing Over Stroke value (for the selected keyframe) is applied.
• Brush Scale Randomness: A slider that defines an amount of variance in the scale of the stroke’s brush. A value of 0 results in no variance—all dabs in the stroke are the same size. A value greater than 0 introduces a variance. The scale for an individual dab is defined by the Scale parameter, plus or minus a random value falling within the Brush Scale, Width Over Stroke, and Width (in the Style pane) parameters. Click the disclosure triangle to adjust the X and Y values independently.
• Brush Angle Randomness: A dial that defines an amount of variance in the rotation of the stroke dabs. A value of 0 results in no variance—all dabs have the same rotational value. A value greater than 0 introduces a variance. The angle for an individual dab is defined by the Brush Angle and Angle Over Stroke parameters, plus or minus a random value falling within the Brush Angle Randomness. Using the default dial modifies the Z angle.
• Paint strokes do not receive reflections (controlled in the Properties Inspector) unless the Local 3D checkbox is deselected. • Paint strokes do not cast shadows (controlled in the Properties Inspector) unless the Local 3D checkbox is deselected. • Lighting does not affect paint strokes unless the Local 3D checkbox is deselected. Important: Even if the Local 3D checkbox is selected, paint strokes do not intersect with the “global” 3D world.
• • Stroke Length: A slider that determines where along the range of the dabs within the stroke the Jitter Over Stroke value (for the selected keyframe) is applied. Random Seed: Controls that vary the Jitter, Brush Angle Randomness, and Brush Scale Randomness parameters (in the Stroke pane) and the Life, Speed, and Spin Randomness parameters (in the Advanced pane).
• Life Randomness: A slider and adjacent value slider that define an amount of variance in the life of the paint dabs. A value of 0 results in no variance—all dabs from the selected stroke share the same life span. A value greater than 0 introduces a variance defined by the Life parameter, plus or minus a random value falling within the Life Randomness value. • Speed: A slider that defines initial speed, determining how quickly each dab flies away from the stroke.
Geometry pane controls in Motion The Geometry pane of the Shape Inspector contains controls to change the shape type, to close or open a shape, and to individually adjust the position of a shape’s control points. The Geometry pane controls are available for all shapes regardless of what is selected in the Brush Type pop-up menu in the Style pane. You can change a shape’s type at any time. Changing a shape’s type changes its form.
• B-Spline: Control points are all B-Spline points, with different degrees of curvature. B-Spline control points lie inside, outside, or on the edge of the shape, and are connected by the B-Spline frame. • Closed: A checkbox (available when a complex shape with control points is selected) that, when selected, connects the first and last points of an open shape. If you select a closed shape in the canvas, this checkbox is selected.
You apply a Shape behavior the same way you apply standard behaviors to any object in Motion. And after you apply a Shape behavior, you can modify its parameters in the Behaviors Inspector to create highly customized animations. Note: For general information about animating with behaviors, see Intro to behaviors in Motion. Add a Shape behavior in Motion Shape behaviors are applied like any other behavior in Motion.
• Min Pressure: A slider that adjusts the minimum threshold of pressure sensitivity. Pressure values below the minimum value are remapped to 0. For Opacity and Width, those remapped values do not appear. For Spacing, Angle, and Jitter, the values are not modified. If the Min Pressure and Max Pressure (described below) parameters are plotted on a graph, Min Pressure represents the minimum value, or 0. The area of the graph between Min Pressure and Max Pressure is remapped to the output values.
• Min Speed: A slider that adjusts the minimum threshold of speed sensitivity. Speed values below the minimum value are remapped to 0. For Opacity and Width, those values do not appear. For Spacing, Angle, and Jitter, the values are not modified. If the Min Speed and Max Speed (described below) parameters are plotted on a graph, Min Speed represents the minimum value, or 0. The area of the graph between Min Speed and Max Speed is remapped to the output values.
• Motion User Guide Calculate Tilt: A pop-up menu that sets how the tilt of the stylus affects the stroke. Pen tilt is measured on two axes: X and Y. X represents the stylus tilting to the right and left (toward the right or left side of the tablet); Y represents the stylus tilting up and down (toward the top or bottom of the tablet). There are five menu options: • Absolute: Takes the maximum tilt from any axis. • X Only: Measures the tilt only on the X axis.
Oscillate Shape behavior in Motion The Oscillate Shape behavior animates a shape by cycling its control points between two values. You can customize how wide apart the high and low values are, as well as the number of oscillations per minute. This behavior is useful for creating fluid shape movements that would be time-consuming to keyframe. When the Oscillate Shape behavior is applied to a shape, all control points of the shape are affected by default.
Randomize Shape behavior in Motion The Randomize Shape behavior animates the control points of a shape by applying a random offset to each point of the shape. When the Randomize Shape behavior is applied to a shape, all control points of the shape are affected by default. When the behavior is selected, affected control points appear blue with white dots in the center of the point. To disable control points, click the control points. A disabled point is blue with a dark dot in its center.
• Apply Mode: A pop-up menu that determines how values generated by this behavior are combined with other behaviors and keyframes that affect the same parameter. There are four options: • Add: Values generated by this behavior are added to other behaviors and keyframes that affect the same parameter. • Subtract: Values generated by this behavior are subtracted from other behaviors and keyframes that affect the same parameter.
For an example of using a sequence behavior, see Apply the Sequence Replicator behavior in Motion. Before any sequencing animation can occur, you must add at least one parameter to the behavior in the Inspector, then set a value for that parameter. Until a parameter is added, adjustments in the Inspector or HUD have no effect.
• Motion User Guide • Through: The sequence goes through a full animation cycle starting at the original value of the stroke, moving to the value set in the Sequence Paint behavior, then returning to the original value of the stroke. For example, if the original opacity value of a stroke dab is 100%, and opacity is set to 0% in the Sequence Paint parameters, the dabs begin completely opaque, become transparent, and then become completely opaque again.
• Loops: A slider that sets the number of times the animation sequences through the paint stroke over its duration. Note: Loops is not available when Traversal is set to Custom. • Location: A slider (available when Traversal is set to Custom) that defines the location of the stroke where the animation is in effect. For more information on using the Custom Traversal option, see Control sequence timing with keyframes in Motion.
• • Motion User Guide Apply To: A pop-up menu that defines where on the shape the behavior is applied. There are three options: • Points: The control points of the shape are wriggled, changing their position over the duration of the behavior. • Tangents: The control points’ tangent handles (rather than the control points) are wriggled. The control points stay in a fixed position while the curves between the points are animated.
Write On behavior in Motion The Write On behavior provides a quick way to draw a paint stroke or outline on the canvas over time. Write On lets you create a handwritten text effect, build the ever-popular oldtime serial travel map effect, create a hand-sketched alpha mask for a transition or reveal, and so on. The Write On behavior can be applied to a paint stroke created with the Paint Stroke tool or added to an existing shape.
• Decelerate: The stroke is drawn with decreasing speed. • Natural: The speed at which the stroke is drawn along the path is determined by the shape of the path. For example, if the stroke is a U-shape curve, the stroke is drawn along more quickly as it moves toward the low point of the U, and more slowly as it moves up the edges. • Recorded: This option appears only if there’s a recorded time over which the stroke was drawn.
Keyframe a shape’s control points 1. In the Layers list, canvas, or Timeline in Motion, select a shape. 2. In the canvas toolbar, click and hold the transform tools pop-up menu, then choose Edit Points. The selected shape’s control points appear in the canvas. 3. Click the Record button in the timing toolbar (or press A) to turn on keyframe recording. 4.
In the Keyframe Editor (press Command-8 to open it), a keyframe appears for each adjustment you make at a new frame. Note: Adjusting a shape while the playhead is on an existing keyframe adjusts the shape at that keyframe. 5. Continue advancing frames and making changes. Every time you make a change to the shape at a new frame, you create a keyframe in that shape’s animation channel. 6. When you’re done animating the shape, click the Record button in the timing toolbar to turn off keyframe recording.
Work with masks and transparency Intro to masks and transparency in Motion Masks are a special type of shape used to create regions of transparency in layers. When you create a mask to define transparency in a layer, you’re drawing a shape to use as that layer’s alpha channel. (For more information about drawing shapes and masks, see Draw simple masks in Motion and Draw complex shapes and masks in Motion.
Mask a layer in Motion You can add a mask to any image layer in a Motion project. After you add the mask, you can fine-tune its effect. Add a mask to a layer 1. In Motion, select a layer in the Layers list or canvas. 2. In the canvas toolbar, click and hold the mask tools pop-up menu, then choose a mask tool (Rectangle Mask, Circle Mask, Freehand Mask, Bezier Mask, or B-Spline Mask). Note: If you haven’t selected a layer, the mask tools are not available. 3.
The example below uses a Bezier Mask tool. Note: Unlike standard shapes, masks are always closed. After you finish drawing the mask, the following happens: • In the Layers list, the mask object you created appears nested underneath the layer it’s applied to. • In the canvas, the region of the layer outside the shape becomes transparent, in effect cutting out the background of the layer.
Show or hide the effect of a mask When a mask is attached to a layer, a mask icon appears in the Layers list and Timeline, to the right of the name of the layer. • In the Layers list or Timeline in Motion, click the mask icon to turn the mask effect on or off. View the alpha channel created by the mask in the canvas Masks apply an alpha channel (transparency) to a layer. You can view the alpha channel as a grayscale shape, isolating it for further modification.
• If the mask is a simple Rectangle Mask or Circle Mask, drag the outer edge of the mask inward or outward in the canvas. Mask a layer in a 3D project When working in a 3D project, you might want to mask a layer that’s already angled in 3D space. You can immediately switch an angled object into a “work view” using the Isolate command. After you add a camera to a project, the Isolate option becomes available for any layer, group, or camera in the project.
Add a mask to a 3D group You can apply masks to the layers in a 3D group, but not the 3D group itself—unless you flatten the 3D group). 1. Select a 3D group in your Motion project. 2. In the Group Inspector, select the Flatten checkbox. 3. Apply a mask to the group. Combining multiple masks in Motion Often you may find that it’s impossible to create the mask shape you need using only a single mask.
Applying filters or behaviors to masks in Motion You can apply filters and behaviors to masks. Masks remain editable even after the application of a filter or mask. Filters and masks Applying a filter to a mask is an extremely powerful way to further manipulate the alpha channel created by a mask. For example, you can apply the Crystallize filter to a mask to add stylized, jagged edges that resemble facets of crystal.
Use keyframes to rotoscope a mask Rotoscope a mask’s shape in Motion You can keyframe a mask’s control points to animate a changing shape over time. For example, you can animate a subtractive mask to change the shape of a hole in a foreground object, allowing other layers in the background to show through. A more conventional use of animated masks is to rotoscope a foreground subject. Rotoscoping is the process of manually tracing a foreground subject to isolate it from the background.
Rotoscope a subject by animating a mask 1. In Motion, choose View > Resolution > Full to ensure that you’re viewing the canvas at full resolution. Important: If the canvas resolution is not set to full, the outlines of objects and images may shift slightly. As a result, masks created to trace a subject at less than full resolution may not be accurate. 2. Move the playhead to the first frame where the mask animation should begin, then draw a mask that accurately isolates the subject.
Rotoscoping tips in Motion Use the following guidelines when rotoscoping: Motion User Guide • Find the frame with the most detail showing in the subject you’re masking and use that as your starting frame. For example, if you’re masking someone walking, choose a frame where that person’s arms and legs are extended in mid-stride. Doing so lets you specify how many control points to start with.
Mask controls in the Inspector in Motion A selected mask’s parameters appear in the Mask Inspector. These controls allow you to adjust how the mask is drawn, how each mask operates upon an object, and how masks are combined with one another. The Mask Inspector also lets you fine-tune mask control point positions.
• Add: Removes all pixels from areas outside the mask shape. Each new mask adds more transparency, letting more of the underlying image show through. The Add blend mode (the default for new masks) is useful for adding back regions of an image that other masks are cutting out or when masking multiple areas that do not intersect in a single image. In the following example, both the rectangle and circle masks remove areas outside of the mask shapes, revealing the underlying black canvas.
• Replace: Completely replaces the image object’s alpha channel as well as any other masks that appear beneath the mask in the Layers list. In the following example, the circle mask overrides the rectangle mask, because the circle mask (set to Replace) appears above the rectangle mask in the Layers list. See Combining multiple masks in Motion. • Intersect: Shows pixels only in regions where masks overlap. In the following example, only the overlapping areas of the rectangle and circle masks are visible.
Tip: You can apply different filters and effects to the foreground and background of an image by first masking the foreground subject, duplicating the layer and its mask, then inverting the duplicate layer’s mask. Effects applied to the background can then be completely isolated from the foreground, or vice versa. You can adjust the opacity of a mask in the Properties Inspector. • Feather: A slider that softens the edges of a mask.
You can add filters to image masks to further manipulate the transparency effect. You may be able to improve an image mask by using Color filters such as Brightness, Contrast, and Gamma to manipulate the effect, enhancing or reducing detail to create the transparency you need. See Applying filters or behaviors to masks in Motion. You can also apply behaviors to image masks to create animated transparency effects. See Applying filters or behaviors to masks in Motion.
Important: Click and drag in one movement to successfully drop a layer in an image well. If you select the layer to use as the source, then release the mouse button, you lose the selection. In this example, text is used as the image mask. 4. In the Mask Inspector, click the Source Channel pop-up menu and choose the color channel (red, green, blue, alpha, and so on) you want to use to create transparency. For more information about choosing a color channel, see the following task.
• Hold Frame: A checkbox (available when you use a movie or an image sequence as the assigned image) that, when selected, freezes the frame specified in the Frame parameter. That frame is then used as the mask for the masked layer’s total duration. • Offset: Value sliders that offset the X and Y values of the mask’s position, relative to the layer being masked, allowing you to change which part of the layer is masked.
• Stencil: A checkbox that preserves the layer’s geometric transforms. If you’re creating a mask with transformed Scale, Position, Rotation, or other parameters, select this checkbox to use the modified layer. • Stretch: A checkbox (available when Stencil is deselected) that stretches the mask to fit the boundaries of the image and centers the mask on the layer’s center point.
Convert a shape to mask its enclosing group You can convert a shape into mask and apply that mask to its parent (enclosing) group. 1. In Motion, use any of the shape tools to create a shape. 2. In the Layers list, select the shape layer and do one of the following: • Drag the shape onto the group and pause, holding the mouse button; when the drop menu appears, choose Move Mask To Group, then release the mouse button. • Choose Object > Convert to Mask. Convert a shape to a mask another shape 1.
Using filters and masks with shapes in Motion Filters You can apply filters to individual shapes or to a group that contains a number of shapes. You can use filters to stylize shapes far beyond the options available in the Shape Inspector. When you apply a filter to a shape, the shape remains editable. See Intro to filters in Motion. Important: After you apply a filter to a shape, you can no longer smoothly increase the size of that shape using the object’s transform controls.
Copy shape styles in Motion After modifying the fill or outline of a shape, you can apply that shape style to another shape in the project. Apply a shape’s style to another shape 1. In the Layers list in Motion, drag the stylized shape object onto another shape object and pause, holding the mouse button. A drop menu appears. 2. When the drop menu appears, choose Copy Style To Shape, then release the mouse button. The shape’s fill and outline are copied to the other shape.
Save a shape style to the Library 1. In Motion, with the shape selected, click the Shape Style pop-up menu in the Style pane of the Shape Inspector (or in the Shape HUD), then choose Save Shape Style. 2. Enter a name for the style in the Save Preset to Library dialog, then click Save (or press Return). The custom style is saved to the Library in the All subcategory of the Shape Styles category. You can move the preset into an existing subcategory, or create your own folders to organize your custom styles.
Create graphics with generators Intro to using generators in Motion You can add generators to a project to create instant graphical treatments such as color backgrounds, bars, stripes, noise, or gradients. Some generators create animated patterns. However, most generators default to static, patterned images that you can animate using behaviors or keyframes.
Add a generator in Motion There are two ways to add generators: by dragging a generator from the Library to your project or by using the Add Object pop-up menu in the toolbar. After you add a generator, it becomes a layer in the Layers list (and Timeline) and appears in the canvas. The generator is set to the duration and size of your project by default. For example, if you’re working on an NTSC D1 project and you add a generator, the generator has a 720 x 486 (.90) pixel aspect ratio.
Customize a generator Modify or animate a generator in Motion You can modify an applied generator in the Inspector or HUD, or by using onscreen transform controls. You can animate generator parameters with keyframes or behaviors, and you can use a generator as the basis for a particle system. After you customize a generator, you can save it to the Library for future use. While each generator is unique, there are a small set of controls that are shared between all generators.
3. In the canvas, drag the Center control or the Offset control to a new position. The Offset or Center parameter is adjusted accordingly in the Generator Inspector. Tip: Always adjust transform-related generator parameters (such as center and angle) using onscreen controls (or using the controls in the Generator Inspector) rather than from the Properties Inspector; the equivalent controls in the Properties Inspector cause the generator to be resampled, resulting in a lower-quality output.
Animate a generator using behaviors As with all other objects in Motion, you can apply Basic Motion, Parameter, or Simulation behaviors to a generator. The following example applies the Random parameter behavior to randomize the opacity of the Star generator, creating a flickering star. 1. Add the Star generator to your Motion project. 2. In the Generator Inspector, move the pointer over the right side of the Spike Opacity parameter row. The Animation menu (a down arrow) appears. 3.
Because the Randomize parameter behavior is applied to the opacity of the star spikes, the star appears to flicker. When a Parameter behavior is applied to a parameter in a generator, a behavior icon (a gear) appears in the Generator Inspector in the row for the affected parameter. In this example, the behavior icon appears in the Spike Opacity parameter row. 6. To increase or decrease the effect of the flicker, adjust the Randomize parameters (in the Behaviors Inspector).
Use a generator as a particle cell source As with other objects, generators can be used as a source for particle cells. The following example uses the Soft Gradient generator. To give your particle system more flexibility and reduce processing strain on your computer, scale the generator down in the Generator Inspector. 1. Add the Soft Gradient generator to your Motion project. 2. In the HUD or Generator Inspector, reduce the Radius value. This example uses a Radius value of 40. 3.
After you add an emitter to the project, the new Emitter object is selected In the Layers list; a duplicate of the source object (the Soft Gradient generator) becomes an emitter cell for the new particle system; and the original source object (the Soft Gradient generator) is disabled. In the canvas, the emitter bounding box appears. You can transform the bounding box using the onscreen controls or controls in the Inspector. The particle appears in the canvas in the same location as the original object.
You can change the particle color, emitter shape, scale, emission angle, birth rate, and so on in the Emitter Inspector or HUD. For more information on working with particles, see Intro to particles in Motion. Controls common to all generators in Motion All image generators have common controls, located in the Generator Inspector. For lists of controls specific to each type of image generator, see Intro to image generators in Motion.
• Pixel Aspect Ratio: A pop-up menu that sets the aspect ratio of the pixels drawn by the generator. Options include Square, NTSC D1/DV, NTSC D1/DV Anamorphic, PAL D1/DV, PAL D1/DV Anamorphic, Anamorphic 2:1, D4/D16, D4/D16 Anamorphic, HD (960 x 720, 1440 x 1080), HD (1280 x 1080), or Custom. When you select a value other than Custom, the Pixel Aspect Ratio of that selection appears in a value field next to the pop-up menu. Enter values from 0 to 10000 in the value field.
• Overlapping Circles generator in Motion creates orbs of two different colors that overlay each other. • Radial Bars generator in Motion creates bars of equal width that extend from a center point to the edge of the canvas. • Soft Gradient generator in Motion creates a soft-edged, radial gradient. • Spirals generator in Motion creates a repeating circular spiral pattern. • Spiral Drawing generator in Motion draws overlapping geometric curves like the toy from your youth.
Cellular generator in Motion The Cellular generator creates an animated pattern that looks like cells moving under a microscope. You can change the color, size, and speed of the cells. Adjust this generator using the controls in the Generator Inspector: • Size: A slider that sets the size of cells in the pattern. Values range from 3 to 64. • Speed: A slider that sets the speed of movement of cells. Values range from 0 to 2. • Gradient: Controls that set the color gradient used for cells.
• Center: Value sliders that set the center of the generator. (You can also use the Adjust Item tool to adjust this parameter via onscreen controls. See Modify or animate a generator in Motion.) • Color 1: Color controls that set the first color in the checkerboard. For more precise color selection, click the disclosure triangle to display Red, Green, Blue, and Opacity sliders. • Color 2: Color controls that set the second color in the checkerboard.
Clouds generator in Motion The Clouds generator creates an animated cloud pattern. You can modify or animate the color, scale, speed, and strength of the cloud layers. Adjust this generator using the controls in the Generator Inspector: Motion User Guide • Horizontal Scale: A slider that simulates zooming into or out of the cloud pattern by horizontally scaling the generator. • Vertical Scale: A slider that simulates zooming into or out of the cloud pattern by vertically scaling the generator.
Color Solid generator in Motion The Color Solid generator creates a single-color object. You can adjust the color of the solid, as well as keyframe the color to create an animated texture of changing colors. The Color Solid generator is compatible with 360° projects. Note: To create and animate a small, color-filled box or shape, use the Shape tools to draw a vector-based shape rather than creating and masking a Color Solid generator. This is more efficient in terms of processor performance and workflow.
• Dot Shape: A pop-up menu that sets the shape of the pattern elements. There are three choices: • Circles: Creates round polka dots. • Polygons: Creates polygons. When selected, the Number of Sides, Dot Rotation, and Align Dots parameters become available. • Stars: Creates stars. When selected, the Number of Points, Dot Rotation, Align Dots, and Star Radius parameters becomes available. • Contrast: A slider that controls the transition between the dot and background colors.
• Outer Cutoff: A slider that defines an outer stopping area for the generator. The lower the value, the more the outer edges of the generator are cut off. Objects composited below the generator in the project appear in the cutoff areas. • Color Type: A pop-up menu that specifies color type. There are two choices: • 2 Color: Creates two-color concentric shapes. • Gradient: Adds additional gradient parameters to the Inspector: the Gradient editor and Gradient Handling pop-up menu (described below).
Gradient generator in Motion The Gradient generator initially creates a linear gradient. You can change the gradient type from linear to radial, add and remove colors in the gradient, and change the gradient start and end points. You can save a modified gradient to the Gradient category in the Library and apply it to shapes, text objects, or particle cells. Additionally, gradient controls can be keyframed to create a moving, color-changing gradient. The Gradient generator is compatible with 360° projects.
Grid generator in Motion The Grid generator creates a grid pattern made of two color lines. By default, theyʼre white lines on a black background. Using the controls in the Inspector, you can customize the colors and line widths of the grid, and add graph paper lines. Adjust this generator using the controls in the Generator Inspector: Motion User Guide • Offset: Value sliders that set the coordinates of the center of the grid.
Japanese Pattern generator in Motion The Japanese Pattern generator creates a pattern of overlapping waves or congruent circles. Adjust this generator using the controls in the Generator Inspector: • Motion User Guide Japanese Pattern: A pop-up menu that selects the generator pattern. There are two choices: • Seigaiha (Waves): Creates a pattern of radial gradients. • Shippo: Creates a pattern of overlapping circles that are divided into quarters.
Lens Flare generator in Motion Lens flares result from a bright light source pointed right at a lens, refracting off multiple elements in the lens assembly of a camera. This generator adds a simulated lens flare. Adjust this generator using the controls in the Generator Inspector: Motion User Guide • Center: Value sliders that set the position of the center of the lens flare. (You can also use the Adjust Item tool to modify this parameter with onscreen controls.
• Publish OSC: A checkbox that, when selected, ensures that if this generator is sent to Final Cut Pro as part of a template, the onscreen controls are accessible in Final Cut Pro. For more information about publishing onscreen controls and other parameters, see Intro to Final Cut Pro templates in Motion. Manga Lines generator in Motion The Manga Lines generator creates radial or linear Manga-style graphic lines.
• Background Color: Color controls that set the color appearing behind the lines. • Contrast: A slider that controls the transition between the line color and the background color. A value of 1 creates the highest contrast between the colors; lower values create less contrast, softening the lines. • Number of Lines: A slider that sets how many lines appear in the generator. • Waviness: A slider that warps the lines into waves. For more waves, adjust the Number of Waves parameter.
Noise generator in Motion The Noise generator creates a random, color static pattern. To make animated noise, you can keyframe the Random Seed parameter in the HUD or Generator Inspector. When filters are applied to an animated Noise generator, you can create unique textures. In the second image below, the Stripes distortion filter is applied to an animated Noise generator to create a vibrant, electric light-type texture.
• Color Variance: A slider that sets how much the colors differ from each other. • Divisions: A slider that sets the number of divisions in the ray pattern. • Rotation: A dial that sets the rotation of the whole pattern from the center point. • Sharpness: A slider that defines the hardness of the edges of the rays. Values range from .25 to 1. • Waviness: A slider that warps the rays into waves. Values range from –10 to 10.
• Color 2: Color controls that set the second color of the pattern. Click the disclosure triangle to display Red, Green, Blue, and Opacity sliders for more precise color selection. • Contrast: A slider that sets how sharp or blurred the division is between the lines and the background. • Wavelength 1: A slider that sets the frequency of the wave up and down. • Wavelength 2: A slider that sets the frequency of the wave from left to right. • Amplitude: A slider that sets the amplitude of the waves.
Op Art 3 generator in Motion This generator creates mathematically oriented patterns using a repetition of simple shapes. Although some static patterns create a visual illusion of movement, you can build truly moving moiré patterns by keyframing Op Art parameters. Adjust this generator using the controls in the Generator Inspector: • Line Thickness: A slider that sets the thickness of the lines in the pattern. • Color 1: Color controls that set the first color of the generator.
• Color 2: Color controls that set the second color of the generator. For more information on using the color controls, see Use basic color controls in Motion. • Background Color: Color controls that set the background color of the generator. If the background color is not visible, adjust the Circle Offset parameter. • Size: A slider that adjusts the size of the circles. • Circle Offset: A slider that adjusts the space between the circles.
• Classic: Creates bars that appear to extend inward from the edges of the canvas, meeting in the center with an offset overlap. Soft Gradient generator in Motion The Soft Gradient generator creates a soft-edged, radial gradient. The gradient contains an alpha channel, so you can place the generator over another image in the project. You can change and keyframe the color, size, and position of the gradient.
Spirals generator in Motion This generator creates a repeating circular spiral pattern. Adjust this generator using the controls in the Generator Inspector: • • Motion User Guide Type: A pop-up menu that specifies whether a modern or classic spiral is created. There are two menu items: • Modern (Linear): Creates a modern spiral pattern, with the color swirls evenly spaced as they move toward the center of the spiral.
• Motion User Guide Color Type: A pop-up menu that specifies whether the spirals are two-color or a gradient fill. • 2 Color: Creates two-color spirals. When 2 Color is selected from the Color Type pop-up menu, the Color 1, Color 2, and Contrast parameters become available. • Gradient: Lets you add colors to the spiral, creating soft transitions between colors. Spiral colors are determined by the Gradient editor. You can create a custom gradient or apply a preset gradient to the spirals.
Spiral Drawing generator in Motion Like a toy from our youth, the Spiral Drawing generator draws curves based on a “pen” that’s locked to a point on a gear (a rotor) that rolls within—or without—a larger ring (a stator). While the pattern draws, the ring remains in a fixed location, and the gear rolls along the inner edge or outer edge of the ring. For an example using the Spiral Drawing generator, see Use Spiral Drawing onscreen controls in Motion.
• Ring Teeth: A slider that controls the number of teeth on the outer drawing ring. • Gear Teeth: A slider that controls the number of teeth on the inner gear. A lower Gear Teeth value results in a more complex drawing. (You can also use the Adjust Item tool to modify this parameter with onscreen controls.) • Gear Location: A pop-up menu that sets whether the drawing occurs outside or inside the ring. There are two choices: • Inside Ring: All drawing occurs within the radius of the ring.
• Drag the white circle in the gear to adjust the location of the pen and the rotation of the gear. For a complete description of the Spiral Drawing parameters, see Spiral Drawing generator in Motion. Star generator in Motion The Star generator creates a glowing star shape that contains an alpha channel. The scale, width, angle, epsilon (which fine-tunes the size of the star spikes), and opacity of the spikes can be modified and keyframed, as can the position, color, and radius of the star.
• Color: Color controls that pick the color of the halo around the star. Click the disclosure triangle to display Red, Green, Blue, and Opacity sliders for more precise color selection. • Radius: A slider that sets the radius of the circle at the center of the star. Values range from 0 to 300. • Spike Scale: A slider that sets the size of the star spikes. Values range from 0 to 100. • Spike Angle: A dial that sets the angles of the star spikes.
Sunburst generator in Motion The Sunburst generator creates “beams” that radiate from a center point. Adjust this generator using the controls in the Generator Inspector: Motion User Guide • Center: A slider that sets the center of the generator pattern. • Color: Color controls that set the color of the sunburst. • Background Color: Color controls that set the color (and opacity of that color) that appears behind the sunburst.
Truchet Tiles generator in Motion The Truchet Tiles generator creates a two-color pattern based on simple shapes in different orientations, such as quarter-circles or white squares with black diagonal lines. You can also use an image layer to create a custom tile pattern. Adjust this generator using the controls in the Generator Inspector: Motion User Guide • Center: A slider that sets the center of the generator pattern. • Size: A slider that sets the scale of the tiles.
Two Color Ray generator in Motion The Two Color Ray generator creates a ray pattern alternating between two colors. You can select the colors, the number of divisions represented, and rotation of the pattern. Adjust this generator using the controls in the Generator Inspector: Motion User Guide • Offset: Value sliders that set the coordinates of the center of the ray pattern. Coordinates are calculated from the center of the object, which is the coordinate origin.
Text generators Intro to text generators in Motion Text generators use text characters to create text-and-number-based animations, such as timecode, time-and-date, or countdown animations. The Inspector for each Text generator contains four panes: Format, Appearance, Layout, and Text Generator. The first three panes (Format, Appearance, and Layout) control the font, size, color, outline, glow, drop shadow, and other standard text attributes.
• Custom: Defines the speed of appearance and disappearance of the text by setting keyframes for the text from 0 to 100 percent using the Custom Speed slider, described below. In other words, you determine the rate of the appearance and disappearance of the text over time. • Custom Speed: A slider (available when Speed is set to Custom) that lets you keyframe the timing of the appearance or disappearance of the text.
• Scientific: Scientific numbers are used for the generator. • Spell Out: Numbers are spelled out in the generator. • Binary: The binary numeral system is used for the generator. The binary system uses two symbols (0 and 1) to represent numeric values. • Hexadecimal: Hexadecimal numerals are used for the generator. This system uses 16 symbols. The symbols 0 to 9 represent the numbers 0 to 9, and the letters A through F represent 10 to 15.
Time Date generator in Motion The Time Date text generator displays the date and time based on settings in the Inspector. You can create a countdown or count-up animation by defining start and end values. You can also specify time units, as well as time and date format. The default date and time are based on the computer’s system clock at the time the generator is added to the project. This can be changed in the Inspector by manually entering a value or clicking the Set Current Time button.
• Motion User Guide • Medium: Displays the time in hours, minutes, and seconds. • Long: Displays the time in hours, minutes, seconds, and time zone. Date Format: A pop-up menu that sets the date format used in the generator. Choose one of five options: • None: Displays no date in the generator. (The time appears in the generator if any option other than None is chosen from the Time Format pop-up menu.) • Short: Displays the month, day, and year in all-numeral style.
Timecode generator in Motion The Timecode text generator displays timecode based on the current project or the settings in the Inspector. You can specify a specific timecode value, an offset to the current timecode, the timecode format, and the timecode base. You can also customize the color of the text and the color and opacity of the background.
The modified generator is saved in the Generators category and appears organized alphabetically in the stack. Custom items saved in the Library are identified with a user badge in the lower-right corner of the icon. See Save custom objects to the Library in Motion and Manage Library folders and files in Motion.
Add effects with filters Intro to filters in Motion Filters are special effects used to modify the appearance of images and video clips. You can apply filters to create artistic effects (blurs, distortions, glows, stylized looks), to perform image corrections (color balancing, deinterlacing, sharpening), and to create sophisticated compositing effects (green screen keying). For information on keying filters, see Intro to color keying in Motion.
Browse and preview filters in Motion Filters appear in the Filters category in the Library, organized into subcategories specific to their function (such as Color, Blur, and Tiling). After you select a filter in the Library stack, a preview and brief description of the filter appears in the Library preview area. Browse for a filter 1. In the Library in Motion, click the Filters category. A list of subcategories appears on the right side of the sidebar. 2. Click a filter subcategory.
Apply or remove filters in Motion Filters are applied to image layers (still images, video clips, shapes, and so on) or groups in the canvas, Layers list, or Timeline. An applied filter appears in the Layers list nested underneath its target layer or group. When applied to a group, a filter affects all layers inside the group. The more filters you use in a project, the more you impact the performance of Motion. Important: Some filters can cause a group to be rasterized.
In Motion, do one of the following: • Select an image layer or group in the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas; select multiple filters in the Library; then click Apply. Tip: Shift-click to select multiple contiguous filters. Command-click to select multiple noncontiguous filters. • Select multiple filters in the Library, then drag them onto an image layer or group in the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas. The filters are applied to the image layer in the order they’re selected.
Adjust filters Intro to adjusting filters in Motion After you apply a filter to a layer or group, the filter is represented in the following places in the Motion project window, allowing you to make adjustments: • In the Filters Inspector, where you can turn the filter’s effect on or off, select and delete the filter, or adjust its parameters using sliders and other controls. See Adjust filters in the Inspector or HUD in Motion.
3. Adjust the parameter controls to modify the filter. For a complete list of parameter controls in each filter, see Intro to filter types in Motion. Adjust a filter in the HUD 1. In Motion, select a filter in the Layers list or Timeline. 2. In the toolbar, click the HUD button. The HUD appears, containing a subset of parameter controls for the currently selected filter. (To access all of a filter’s parameter controls, use the Filters Inspector.) 3. Adjust the parameter controls to modify the filter.
Types of onscreen filter controls in Motion Several onscreen controls are common to many filters. Other onscreen controls are unique to specific filters. The following list provides examples of the types of controls available. If you’re unsure of an onscreen control’s function, drag it in the canvas while viewing the Filters Inspector to see which parameter value changes. Motion User Guide • Center: The most common filter onscreen control.
In the Prism filter, drag the arrow handle inward or outward to adjust the Amount parameter. (Dragging the arrow in an arc adjusts the Angle parameter.) Motion User Guide • Angle: An onscreen control with different representations, depending on the filter. In the Page Curl Filter, drag the circular middle handle to adjust the Angle parameter. In the Kaleidotile filter, drag a corner handle to adjust the Angle parameter.
• Radius/Thickness/Size/Falloff: An onscreen control with different representations, depending on the filter. In the Disc Warp and Circle Blur filters, drag the large ring inward and outward to adjust the Radius parameter. In the Droplet and Ring Lens filters, drag the inner ring to adjust the Radius and Thickness parameters simultaneously. Drag in the area between the inner and outer rings to adjust the Radius parameter. Drag the outer ring to adjust the Thickness parameter.
Filter types and parameters Intro to filter types in Motion There are 13 filter types in Motion: • 360° filters are designed to work with 360° footage. • Blur filters create design effects or simulate the real-world blurring that occurs due to the depth of field in photographed material. • Border filters frame layers in a composition in various ways. • Color filters create design effects or fix a problem with contrast, color, gamma, or brightness.
• Gradient Blur creates a graduated blur between two points. • Prism blurs and refracts the image as if seen through a prism, creating a rainbow effect. • Radial Blur creates a rotational blur centered on a point. • Soft Focus duplicates and blurs an image. • Variable Blur creates a tunnel focus effect with a blur applied inside or outside a circular region. • Zoom Blur creates a blur that simulates a fast camera zoom-in to a point.
Circle Blur filter in Motion Creates a circular blur within an image. A center point sets the center of the blur effect, and a radius value sets the size of the affected region. You can also customize the amount of blur in the affected area. Use Circle Blur to blur a limited area in an image. For more sophisticated control of the image region to be blurred, use the Compound Blur filter.
Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Amount: Sets the radius of the blur. • Blur Map: An image well to set the map image. Drag a layer (an image, shape, text object, and so on) from the Layers list into the well. Note: You can also apply or replace the blur map by dragging the source layer onto the filter in the Layers list. • Map Channel: Sets the channel to be blurred: red, green, blue, alpha, or luminance. • Invert Map: Sets whether the blur map is inverted.
• Crop: Sets whether the filtered image is sharply cropped at its original boundaries. When this checkbox is deselected, the filter affects the edges of the image. • Mix: Sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the blurred image. Directional Blur filter in Motion Blurs an object along a specific angle, to create a blurred streaking effect. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Amount: Sets the radius of the blur.
Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Amount: Sets the radius of the blur. • Horizontal: Sets the percentage of the Amount parameter applied in the horizontal direction. • Vertical: Sets the percentage of the Amount parameter applied in the vertical direction. • Crop: Sets whether the filtered image is sharply cropped at its original boundaries. When this checkbox is deselected, the filter affects the edges of the image.
Prism filter in Motion Blurs and refracts the image as if seen through a prism, creating a rainbow effect. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Amount: Sets the radius of the blur. Drag the arrow onscreen control in the canvas inward and outward to adjust the amount (and angle) of the blur. • Angle: Sets the angle of refraction. Drag the arrow onscreen control in the canvas in an arc to adjust the angle of the blur.
• Crop: Sets whether the filtered image is sharply cropped at its original boundaries. When this checkbox is deselected, the filter affects the edges of the image. • Mix: Sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the blurred image. • Publish OSC: Publishes the filter’s onscreen controls in Final Cut Pro. For more information on creating content for use in Final Cut Pro, see Intro to Final Cut Pro templates in Motion.
Variable Blur filter in Motion Creates a tunnel focus effect with a blur applied inside or outside a circular region. If the inner radius of the circle is larger than the outer radius of the circle, the blur is applied inside the circle. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Center: Sets the position of the center of the circle. Drag the center onscreen control in the canvas to adjust the center position. • Amount: Sets the percentage of the blur.
Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Look: Sets the type of blur operation. This pop-up menu has two options: • Variable: The blur increases toward the edges of the image. This option is faster when using high blur values. • Uniform: The blur is consistent from the center of the image outward. • Amount: Sets the radius of the blur. Drag the small circle (above the Center onscreen control) in the canvas to adjust the blur amount.
Bevel filter in Motion Creates a beveled border around the edges of an image by superimposing an angled frame over the original image. You can adjust the simulated direction of reflected light and the opacity of the bevel to vary the effect. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Light Angle: Sets the angle at which the light hits the bevel. • Bevel Width: Sets the width of the bevel as a percentage of the area of the layer.
• • Outside: Draws the border along the outer edge of the image. Mix: Sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the bordered image. Stroke filter in Motion Creates a solid color or gradient color outline of variable width around the edge of an image or object based on its alpha channel (such as a color-keyed clip, a shape, or a text object). Using the gradient controls, you can create multiple strokes within a single filter.
• Gradient: Defines the gradient of the stroke. This parameter becomes available when Type is set to Gradient or Outline Gradient. See Intro to using the gradient editor in Motion. • Width: Sets the thickness of the stroke. • Position: Sets where the stroke is drawn on the edge of the alpha channel. This pop-up menu has three options: • Outside: Draws the stroke over the outer edge of the alpha channel. • Centered: Draws the stroke over the inner and outer edges of the alpha channel.
Widescreen filter in Motion “Letterboxes” an object by masking it horizontally at the top and bottom to simulate different video and film aspect ratios. Because the image is masked, the layer beneath it in the composition (or the background color of the project) appears in the border space above and below the image. You can add a border to the masked image and customize the color and size of the border.
• Color Reduce reduces the full range of color in an image to two, three, or four colors. • Color Wheels adjusts color in an image using four color wheels (Global, Shadows, Midtones, and Highlights). You can also adjust the image brightness and saturation levels using sliders on the sides of the color wheels. • Colorize substitutes the blacks and whites in an image with colors you select. • Contrast adjusts the difference between the lightest and darkest parts of an image.
Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Brightness: Sets the multiplying brightness value applied to the image. • Mix: Sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the color-corrected image. Channel Mixer filter in Motion Cross-mixes the red, green, blue, and alpha channels into one another.
Motion User Guide • Blue - Green: Sets the amount of input green added to the output blue. The default value is 0, which leaves the blue channel unmodified. As this value increases, the output value of blue increases by the amount of input green multiplied by the value of Blue - Green. • Blue - Blue: Sets the amount of input blue added to the output blue. The default value is 1.0, which leaves the blue channel unmodified.
Color Balance filter in Motion Color balance refers to the relative strength of the red, green, and blue channels that constitute an image. For example, a blue-tinted image has a strong blue channel and weaker green and red channels. For an example of using the Color Balance filter to match two composited layers, see Example: Color-balance two layers in Motion.
The Color Balance filter doesn’t just let you rebalance the overall strength of an image’s three color channels, it also lets you rebalance color specifically in three tonal zones of an image: shadows, midtones, and highlights. Three correspondingly named color controls let you make color balance adjustments in each zone of image tonality. To make an adjustment to a zone, click the corresponding color well to open the macOS Colors window, then drag in the color wheel. As you drag, the image updates.
Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Shadows: Adjusts color channels in the darkest regions of the image. Click the color well to open the Colors window, then adjust the color balance of the darkest portion of the image. An eyedropper lets you sample any color in the canvas for use in balancing the image. You can also click the disclosure triangle to reveal individual red, green, and blue channel sliders, with a numeric range from 0 (no color) to 0.
Although the key is successful, the light illuminating the woman doesn’t quite match the light that illuminates the background. You can fix this using the Color Balance filter. Match a foreground subject to a background image using the Color Balance filter 1. In Motion, open the Library, click the Filters category, then click the Color category to reveal the color-correction filters in the stack. 2.
Stop adjusting when the color of the foreground layer’s highlights matches the color of similar highlights in the background. Tip: You can also use the eyedropper tool in the Highlights color control to sample a highlight color in the background layer. (Click the eyedropper, then click a color in the background.) This can be a simpler adjustment, but it can also be tricky to sample the best color for a natural-looking match.
Use the Color Curves filter in Motion You can use color curves to adjust the components of individual color channels in an image. You can adjust the global luma channel as well as the red, green, and blue color channels. You can also select a custom color in a clip and adjust its intensity, or select a mix of different colors in a clip and adjust their intensities at the same time.
The vertical axis in the graph represents the luminance changes you make to the color channel, by dragging up or down at any point along the diagonal line. So, for example, in the Red curve control, dragging up on the left side of the diagonal line increases the intensity of red in the shadows—making the dark areas look more intensely red. Dragging down on the left side of the line reduces the intensity of red in the shadows—making the dark areas look more blue-green.
• All Curves: Displays all four curves (Luma, Red, Green, and Blue) at once. • Single Curves: Displays one large curve at a time. In Single Curves view, click a button above the curve to display a specific curve. To color-correct the image, follow the instructions below. Adjust the intensity of a primary color channel or luma channel 1. In Motion, apply a Color Curves filter to a clip or image, as described in the previous task. 2.
3. Drag the control point up to increase the intensity of the color or luma value, or down to decrease the intensity. To constrain the control point to vertical or horizontal movement, press and hold the Shift key as you drag. To make fine adjustments, press and hold the Option key as you drag. Adjusting the image with a single control point affects most of the midtones as well as some shadows and highlights. 4. To narrow the tonal range for your adjustments, add more control points.
To reset the values for a color curve, click its reset button (the curved arrow). To reset the values for all color curves and value sliders, move the pointer over the upper-right corner of the filter controls, then click the Animation pop-up menu (the down arrow that appears) and choose Reset Parameter. 6. At the bottom of the filter controls, adjust any of the following: • Preserve Luma: Select this checkbox to maintain the overall brightness of a clip despite changes in one or more color channels.
Reduce color cast in a clip If a clip wasn’t white-balanced properly during shooting, it may exhibit a strong color cast (a bluish or other hue). Oftentimes, you can correct or reduce this issue using the Color Curves filter. 1. In Motion, apply a Color Curves filter to the clip or image. 2. Click the eyedropper tool at the top of one of the color curves, then click or drag in the canvas over an area of the image that’s supposed to be white, such as a white sheet of paper.
• Replace With: Picks the color to replace the color shown in the previous Match Color control. • Mix: Sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the color-corrected image. Color Wheels filter in Motion Provides four color wheel controls to adjust color in your images. You can also adjust a clip’s brightness and saturation levels using sliders on the sides of the color wheels. To learn how to use the controls described below, see Use the Color Wheels filter in Motion.
Use the Color Wheels filter in Motion The Color Wheels filter contains four color wheel controls (Global, Shadows, Midtones, and Highlights) to adjust color, brightness, and saturation in clips and images. When you apply the Color Wheels filter, its settings appear in the Filters Inspector: Note: Because you can apply multiple color filters to an image, you’re not required to follow all of the steps below, nor the order of those steps.
3. In the Filters Inspector, click the View pop-up menu at the top of the filter controls and choose a display option: • All Wheels: Displays all four color wheels at once. • Single Wheels: Displays one large color wheel at a time. In Single Wheels view, click a button above the curve to display a specific wheel. The Global color wheel adjusts the entire tonal range of the image; the other color wheels adjust only the shadows, midtones, or highlights. 4.
To make fine adjustments, press and hold the Option key as you drag a control in a color wheel. 5. Use the controls under the color wheels to adjust any of the following: Motion User Guide • Temperature: Adjust the color temperature, in degrees kelvin, so that the image looks as natural as possible. Color temperature describes the color value of light when the image was shot (not the light’s heat value). Drag the slider to the left to increase blue tones, or to the right to increase yellow-red tones.
To reset the values for a color wheel, click its Reset button. To reset the values for all color wheels and value sliders, click the down arrow (in the upper-right corner of the filter controls) to open the Animation pop-up menu, then choose Reset Parameter. Note: You cannot publish the Color Wheels filter as a Final Cut Pro custom effects template. Colorize filter in Motion Substitutes the blacks and whites in an image with colors you select.
Contrast filter in Motion Adjusts the difference between the lightest and darkest parts of an image. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Contrast: Sets the amount of contrast to be applied to the image. • Pivot: Sets the point around which the contrast is adjusted. The point of contrast adjustment is the level that’s displayed if Contrast is set to 0. • Smooth Contrast: Smooths the falloff on both the low and high ends of the contrast change.
Custom LUT filter in Motion Applies a lookup table (LUT) to an image. A lookup table (LUT) is a set of data that enables a numeric transformation of pixel values to change the way an image looks. A common use of LUTs is to stylize video clips with a particular “look.” Beyond just matching some objective model of exposure, you can subtly mix color to enhance the story you’re telling with your project. Color adjustments can alter the audience’s perception of the scene being played, changing a program’s mood.
Use the Custom LUT filter in Motion The Custom LUT filter in Motion applies stylized film and video “looks” (such as Summer, Old Timey, Sci-Fi, and so on), camera LUTs, or tone mapping (to convert footage from one color space to another). To use LUTs in Motion, add the Custom LUT filter to a layer in your project, import thirdparty LUTs into the filter, then choose the LUT you want to apply to your footage. Note: Stylized LUT effects are available from a variety of third-party sources.
7. Click the Input pop-up menu and choose the color space the LUT converts from. This color space was determined when the custom LUT was created. Note: Camera LUTs and custom LUTs typically include the names of the input (source) color space and intended output (target) color space in the LUT filename. If you’re not sure which color space to choose, see the LUT creator for more information. 8. Click the Output pop-up menu and choose the color space the LUT converts to.
Gamma filter in Motion Adjusts the relative distribution of brightness in the midtones of an image, without adjusting the white and black points. The perceived result is to brighten and darken the areas of medium brightness in an image, while leaving the highlights and shadows untouched. This avoids a washed-out effect. This is one of the most useful filters for correcting poor exposure in images, and should almost always be used first before trying the Brightness filter.
• Repeats: Sets the number of times the gradient repeats over the course of its range. • Repeat Method: Sets the method by which the gradient is mapped when repeating. Values can be set to Mirror (default) or Wrap. This parameter affects the filter when Repeats is set to a number greater than 1. • Map Channel: Sets the channel used to determine how the image is colorized. Values can be selected from the following: Luminance (default), Red, Green, Blue, or Alpha.
Hue/Saturation filter in Motion Provides controls to adjust hue, saturation, and value levels in an image. The Hue control is an angular representation of the color values in an image. By rotating the Hue dial, you uniformly remap the colors throughout an image, similar to the effect of turning the hue or phase knob of a broadcast monitor.
Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • View: Sets the layout of the curves. This pop-up menu has two options: • All Curves: Displays all six curves at once. • Single Curves: Displays one large curve at a time. In Single Curves view, click a button above the curve to display a specific curve. • Hue vs Hue: A curve control to change the color (hue) of any range of hues in the image. • Hue vs Sat: A curve control to change the saturation of any hue in the image.
Apply the Hue/Saturation Curves filter 1. In Motion, open the Library, click the Filters category, then click the Color category to reveal the color-correction filters. 2. Drag the Hue/Saturation Curves filter to the layer in the Layers list you want to adjust. The Hue/Saturation Curves controls appear in the Filters Inspector. 3. In the Filters Inspector, click the View pop-up menu at the top of the filter controls and choose a display option: • All Curves: Displays all six curves at once.
Adjust the hue, saturation, or brightness of a color 1. In Motion, apply a Hue/Saturation Curves filter, as described in the previous task. 2. In the Filters Inspector, click the eyedropper for the curve that you want to use: • Hue vs Hue: Changes the color (hue) of any range of hues in the image. • Hue vs Sat: Changes the saturation of any hue in the image. • Hue vs Luma: Changes the brightness of any hue in the image. 3.
4. Drag the control point with the vertical line to modify the selected color range. Each curve modifies a selected color in a different way: • Hue vs Hue: Dragging the control point up or down moves the selection through the hues of the spectrum. When the orange control point is moved, the curve adjusts on both sides of the graph. This is because the buffer range of hues adjacent to the orange control point wrap around the curve.
• Hue vs Sat: Dragging the control point up increases the selected color’s saturation, and dragging the control point down decreases the saturation. • Hue vs. Luma: Dragging the control point up increases the selected color’s brightness, and dragging the control point down decreases the brightness. Note: To make fine adjustments, press and hold the Option key as you drag a control point. To constrain the control point to vertical or horizontal movement only, press and hold the Shift key as you drag. 5.
Adjust the saturation for a range of brightness You can use the Luma vs Sat curve to create special looks and to make a clip broadcastsafe by reducing oversaturation. 1. In Motion, apply a Hue/Saturation Curves filter, as described above. 2. In the Filters Inspector, click the eyedropper for the Luma vs Sat curve. If all six curves are shown in the Inspector, you may need to scroll to see the Luma vs. Sat curve. In Single Curves view, click the LvS button at the top to display the curve. 3.
Note: You can also create control points by clicking the curve, but the eyedropper method is generally more precise. To delete a control point, select the point, then press the Delete key. 4. Drag the control point with the vertical line up to increase color saturation in the selected range of brightness, or down to decrease the color saturation. Note: To make fine adjustments, press and hold the Option key as you drag a control point.
6. To adjust the saturation for a different range of brightness, click the curve to add control points, then adjust them as needed. Add and adjust control points on the left end of the curve to adjust shadows; add and adjust control points in the middle of the curve to adjust midtones; or add and adjust control points on the right end of the curve to adjust highlights. Drag any control point up or down to increase or decrease saturation for that region of brightness.
Note: You can also create control points by clicking the curve, but the eyedropper method is generally more precise. To delete a control point, select the point, then press the Delete key. 4. Drag the control point with the vertical line up to increase the color saturation in the selected saturation range, or down to decrease the saturation. Note: To make fine adjustments, press and hold the Option key as you drag a control point.
Adjust the saturation of a specific color at any point along its range of brightness You can use the Orange vs Sat curve to adjust a specific color’s saturation at any point along its range of tonality from darkest to brightest. Note: The default color for the curve is orange (because it aligns with skin tone), but you can select any color and adjust its saturation. 1. In Motion, apply a Hue/Saturation Curves filter, as described above. 2.
You can also change the color of a curve by clicking its name (in the top-left corner of the curve) and then clicking or dragging in the color wheel to select a color. 4. Click the curve to add control points, then drag them up or down to increase or decrease the saturation of the selected color. To delete a control point, select the point, then press the Delete key. To make fine adjustments, press and hold the Option key as you drag a control.
Animate color changes over time with keyframes You can animate color changes over time using keyframe recording. Note: You can also animate color changes using behaviors. 1. In Motion, apply a Hue/Saturation Curves filter, as described above. 2. Navigate to the frame you want to color animation to begin. 3. In the Filters Inspector, do one of the following: • Position the pointer in the upper-right corner of the filter, then click the Add Keyframe button (a plus sign in a gray diamond).
5. In the Filters Inspector, drag the color’s control point to change the hue of the selected color. 6. Move the playhead to the next frame where you want a keyframe. 7. Repeat steps 5–6 until you finish. You can also simultaneously animate all parameters of the Hue/Saturation Curves filter. For more information about animating filters, see Animate filter parameters with keyframes in Motion or Animate filters using behaviors in Motion.
Negative filter in Motion Inverts color and brightness in an image. This filter can be used to turn a scanned negative image into a positive. Adjust this filter using the control in the Filters Inspector: • Mix: Sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the color-corrected image. OpenEXR Tone Map filter in Motion Applies tone mapping to an OpenEXR image, reducing the dynamic range of the image so that it can be viewed on your display.
Sepia filter in Motion Tints a layer with a sepia tone. The black and white points are remapped to dark and light sepia colors. You can adjust the tinting amount to achieve a subtle mix of the original and tinted colors, or a completely tinted image. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Amount: Sets the amount of sepia tone applied to the image. • Mix: Sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the color-corrected image.
• Correct For Alpha: Renders semitransparent pixels correctly. Enable this setting if the edges of the filtered image show artifacts. • Mix: Sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the color-corrected image. Tint filter in Motion Tints an image with a single color. Shadows and highlights are less affected, but all midrange colors in the image are gradually replaced with the tint color as the Intensity parameter is increased.
• Fun House simulates the distortion caused by an imperfectly shaped mirror, similar to those in a carnival fun house. • Glass Block cuts an object into a series of tiles, creating a duplicated pattern effect. • Glass Distortion simulates the effect of the object being deformed as it shows through a piece of glass. • Insect Eye maps a repeating hexagonal distortion pattern to an image, mimicking the POV of an insect.
Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Center: Sets the position of the center of the black hole. You can also drag the Center onscreen control in the canvas. • Amount: Sets the amount of force pulling on the layer. Default values range from 0 (no gravity) to 3000 (the entire layer is pulled into the black hole). • Mix: Sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the distorted image.
Bump Map filter in Motion Uses a source object to define a bump pattern that can be used to deform an image, with parameters to control the amount of displacement. You can use any image, movie, or shape as the source object. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: Motion User Guide • Map Image: Displays a thumbnail of the map chosen. To add a map image or replace the current one, drag an object (image, shape, text, and so on) into the well.
Disc Warp filter in Motion Stretches the image outward around a circular region. As the radius of the warping region increases, the image is warped outward with a greater amount of distortion. The color of the resulting disk is determined by the color value of the pixel where the center is placed. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Center: Sets the position of the center of the disk. You can also drag the Center onscreen control in the canvas.
Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Center: Sets the position of the center of the droplet effect. You can also drag the Center onscreen control in the canvas. • Radius: Sets the radius of the droplet effect. You can also drag the inner circle of the onscreen controls in the canvas. Drag between the inner and outer circles to adjust the Radius and Thickness parameters simultaneously. • Thickness: Sets the width of the rippling waves from the droplet.
Fisheye filter in Motion Distorts an image as if it were seen through a fisheye lens. The result is an extremely wideangle warping effect also known as barrel distortion. Use the Fisheye filter with a negative Amount value as an imprecise way to correct for barrel distortion in images shot using a wide-angle lens. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Radius: Sets the radius of the fisheye lens effect. • Amount: Sets the amount and nature of the distortion.
Fun House filter in Motion Simulates the distortion caused by an imperfectly shaped mirror, similar to a mirror in a carnival fun house. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Center: Sets the position of the center of the fun house mirror. You can also drag the Center onscreen control in the canvas. • Width: Sets the width of the fun house mirror. • Amount: Sets the amount of distortion of the fun house mirror.
• Tile Size: Sets the size of the glass blocks. • Mix: Sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the distorted image. • Publish OSC: Publishes the filter’s onscreen controls in Final Cut Pro. For more information on creating content for use in Final Cut Pro, see Intro to Final Cut Pro templates in Motion. Glass Distortion filter in Motion Simulates an image being deformed as if through a pane of glass.
Insect Eye filter in Motion Maps a repeating hexagonal distortion pattern to an image, mimicking the POV of an insect. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Size: Sets the size of the hexagons, in pixels. • Refraction: Sets the amount of distortion present in each hex. • Border Size: Sets the width, in pixels, of the border of each hex. • Border Color: Picks the color of the border of the hexagons.
Page Curl filter in Motion Animates an image as if it’s a page peeling away from an upper corner of the canvas. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: Motion User Guide • Direction: Sets the animation of the page curl to Open or Close. • Angle: Defines the angle of the page turn. Alternatively, use the Angle onscreen control (the small circle between the center circle and arrow) with the Rotate control (the arrow) to set the direction of the page turn.
Poke filter in Motion Distorts an image by bowing the top, bottom, and sides inward, and appears to push the image into the canvas at the specified Center point. As the value of the Amount parameter increases, the more the sides bow in. The Black Hole filter has a similar effect but also removes part of the image at the center point. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Center: Sets the position of the center of the poke.
Tip: This filter works well with layers containing horizontal or vertical lines, such as the Stripes or Checkerboard generators. A similar effect can be created with any image by adding the Line Screen or other related filters. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Center: Sets the center point of the distortion from Polar to Rectangular or Rectangular to Polar. You can also drag the Center onscreen control in the canvas.
• Height Map: Displays a thumbnail of the height map chosen. The height map is used to determine the edges along which the image is refracted. • Map Channel: Sets the channel used to determine how the image is refracted. If a height map is present, the channel is selected from the height map; otherwise the channel is selected from the source object. Values can be selected from the following: Luminance (default), Red, Green, Blue, or Alpha.
Ripple filter in Motion Creates animated ripples over the surface of an image, to create an undulating effect. The amplitude can be adjusted to increase or decrease the rippling effect. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Center: Sets the position of the origin of the effect. You can also drag the Center onscreen control in the canvas. • Amplitude: Sets the width of the waves. • Crop: Sets whether the filtered image is sharply cropped at its original boundaries.
• Amount: Sets the ramping of the number of pixels spread across the range of the scrape. Values range from 0 (very gradual) to 200 (hard edge). • Mix: Sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the distorted image. • Publish OSC: Publishes the filter’s onscreen controls in Final Cut Pro. For more information on creating content for use in Final Cut Pro, see Intro to Final Cut Pro templates in Motion. Sphere filter in Motion Simulates the effect of an image wrapped around a sphere.
Starburst filter in Motion Radiates solid-color streaks from the center of an image. The colors are derived from pixel values around the selected center point, with the number of colors used determined by the Radius parameter. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Center: Sets the position of the center of the starburst. You can also drag the Center onscreen control in the canvas. • Radius: Sets the radius of pixel sampling for ray color determination.
• Offset: Sets the angle of pixel sampling used for sampling pixel color values. • Mix: Sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the striped image. • Publish OSC: Publishes the filter’s onscreen controls in Final Cut Pro. For more information on creating content for use in Final Cut Pro, see Intro to Final Cut Pro templates in Motion. Target filter in Motion Draws bands of concentric circles outward from the center point value.
Although you can apply the Tiny Planet filter to any type of footage, applying it to 360° video provides the best results. This is because the entire 360° sphere can be mapped onto a flat plane so that the image edges align seamlessly when the globe effect is created. If you apply the Tiny Planet filter to normal (non-360°) images, a seam appears where the image edges meet, similar to the result of applying the Polar filter.
Twirl filter in Motion Twirls an image like a fork twisting a plate of spaghetti. The image appears to stretch from the sides to the center in a spiral. The amount of spiraling is determined by the Twirl parameter. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Amount: Sets the radius of the twirl. Larger values affect more of the image. Values range from 0 (none of the image is affected) to 1.00 (largest amount of the image is affected).
Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Size: Sets the size of the ripples in the water. The smaller the number, the more ripples there are in the water simulation. • Speed: Sets the speed at which the distortion is animated. • Refraction: Sets the amount that the image is distorted. • Repeat Edges: Sets whether the edges of the object are repeated. • Mix: Sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the distorted image.
• Dazzle adds glowing star-shaped accents to the highlights in an image. • Glint adds a bloom effect and rays of light to the brightest portions of an image. • Gloom creates a muted, dark glow. • Glow creates a basic glow effect. • Light Rays creates light rays shining through an image from a specified point. • Outer Glow creates glow around the outside of an image. • Overdrive creates an animated glow by compositing numerous glowing tinted duplicates of the original image.
Bloom filter in Motion Simulates the effect of extremely overexposed highlights on film. Highlights above a specific threshold are blurred, brightened, and recomposited with the original. Unaffected regions of the image interact with the glow effect, but otherwise retain their detail. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Amount: Sets the amount of the bloom. • Brightness: Sets the brightness of the bloom.
• Brightness: Sets the amount of brightness of the glow. • Threshold: Sets the luminance threshold of the glow. • Spike Count: Sets the number of spikes coming off of glows. • Clip to White: Any color channel exceeding the maximum value of 1 is clipped to 1. • Crop: Sets whether the filtered image is sharply cropped at its original boundaries. When this checkbox is deselected, the filter affects the edges of the image.
Gloom filter in Motion Creates a muted, dark glow. The image is darkened, and areas of detail are evened out into larger regions of color. It’s spooky. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Radius: Sets the radius of the gloom. • Amount: Sets the amount of gloom. Values range from 0 (no gloom) to 2 (maximum gloominess). • 360° Aware: Eliminates seams created when the filter is applied to 360° media (in a 360° environment).
Light Rays filter in Motion Uses a zoom blur rather than a Gaussian blur to distribute a glow. The resulting effect is that of light rays shining through an object from a specified point. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Amount: Sets the amount of the light ray effect. Larger values extend the length of the rays. • Center: Sets the position of the center point of the light source. You can also drag the center onscreen in the canvas.
• Inner Color: Picks the inner color of the glow. Click the disclosure triangle to display Red, Green, and Blue sliders for more precise color selection. • Outer Color: Picks the outer color of the glow. • Range: Sets the gradient position between the glow colors. • Horizontal: Sets the amount of horizontal glow. • Vertical: Sets the amount of vertical glow. • Crop: Sets whether the filtered image is sharply cropped at its original boundaries.
Looks filters Intro to Looks filters in Motion The Looks filters apply stylish visual treatments to image layers. In addition to all the filters available in the Photos app, Looks filters in Motion include cinematic color grades, such as Bleach, New York, and Chrome. Looks filters use look up tables (LUTs) to apply a color transform to an image layer. Each Looks filter contains a single parameter control—Mix, which sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the filtered image.
California filter in Motion Simulates the colors of a warm, golden day at the beach. The California filter has a single parameter control—Mix, which sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the filtered image. Chrome filter in Motion Creates a more saturated and brightened image, simulating the look of 35mm film. The Chrome filter has a single parameter control—Mix, which sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the filtered image.
Fade filter in Motion Creates the look of an old photograph, lightening the image and lowering its color saturation. The Fade filter has a single parameter control—Mix, which sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the filtered image. Instant filter in Motion Simulates the nostalgic look of instant film, with faded, washed-out colors. The Instant filter has a single parameter control—Mix, which sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the filtered image.
Nevada filter in Motion Simulates the colors of a sun-bleached day in the desert. The Nevada filter has a single parameter control—Mix, which sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the filtered image. New York filter in Motion Simulates the cool color wash of a city at dusk. The New York filter has a single parameter control—Mix, which sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the filtered image.
Process filter in Motion Simulates the look of cross-processed film, where one type of film is purposely processed using chemicals intended for another type of film. This usually creates a strong color cast. The Process filter has a single parameter control—Mix, which sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the filtered image. Sixties filter in Motion Simulates the look of a photograph shot in the 1950s or 1960s, retaining but subduing bright colors.
Transfer filter in Motion Simulates the appearance of film-to-video transfer (also known as Telecine). The Transfer filter has a single parameter control—Mix, which sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the filtered image. Sharpen filters Intro to Sharpen filters in Motion Sharpen filters sharpen images by creating a high contrast overlay that emphasizes edges in the image. There are two Sharpen filters: • Sharpen sharpens an image.
Unsharp Mask filter in Motion Creates an effect similar to Sharpen, but provides more options to refine and control the amount of sharpening applied to the image. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Radius: Sets the amount of the mask’s effect. • Amount: Sets the amount of the multiplier used to sharpen the layer’s edges. • Threshold: Sets the threshold of luminance difference to be considered as a high contrast range, between 0 and 1.
• Edges creates an edge-detection effect. • Extrude gives an object simulated depth. • Fill fills a layer with a solid color or gradient. • Halftone simulates the halftone screening method for print. • Hatched Screen simulates a halftone pen-and-ink method of shading an image. • Highpass stylizes the colors in an image to create a psychedelic display. • Indent creates a shiny, bump-mapped effect, giving the appearance of depressed and flat areas.
Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Amount: Sets the amount of noise added to the image. • Type: Sets the type of noise added to the image. Values include Pink Noise (TV Static), White Noise (Uniform), Gaussian Noise (Film Grain), and Blue Noise, which reduces banding. • Monochrome: Sets whether the added noise is monochrome or color. • Blend Mode: Sets the blend mode used to add noise to the image.
• Scratch Color: Sets the color of the film scratches. The color controls can be expanded with the disclosure triangle to include Red, Green, Blue, and Opacity sliders to more precisely select the color. • Hairs: Simulates hairs on film. The higher the value, the more hairs. • Dust: Simulates dust or dirt on film. The higher the value, the more dirt. Tip: Hair, dust, and scratches occur with random variance and may not appear on every frame.
• Color Synch: Sets the amount of horizontal RGB channel offset applied to the image. • Saturate: Sets the amount of color saturation applied to the image. Negative values reduce saturation; positive values add saturation. • Scan Line Brightness: Sets the brightness of the video field scan lines added to the image. • Scan Line Percentage: Sets the thickness of the video field scan lines added to the image. • Number of Scan Lines: Sets the amount of scan lines added to the image.
Circles filter in Motion Adds elliptical facets to an image, giving it a mosaic-like appearance. Each facet takes a color sample from the center of itself. Unlike other mosaic filters, the edges of the facets do not join, allowing parts of the untouched image to be visible between facets. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Size: Sets the size of the facets. • Falloff: Sets the amount of alpha blending done at the edges of each facet.
Comic filter in Motion Modifies an image to look like a hand-drawn comic book panel. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Motion User Guide Style: Sets the overall appearance of the comic look. This pop-up menu has three options: • Color: Sets the comic look using the colors of the original image. • Gray: Sets the comic look to grayscale. • Black & White: Sets the comic look to black and white. • Ink Color: Picks the color of the ink lines.
Crystallize filter in Motion Simulates the effect of viewing an image through a pane of glass with irregular facets patterned into it. These mosaic-like facets give an image a crystallized appearance. This filter is automatically animated, and the facets appear to shift and turn according to the value in the Speed parameter. To prevent the facets from moving, set the Speed to 0. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Size: Sets the size of the facets.
Extrude filter in Motion Gives an image simulated depth, by creating a front and back side, and then offsetting them and extruding the edges so they connect. Note: Because this filter only simulates depth, an object with the Extrude filter applied does not interact with 3D aspects of Motion. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: Motion User Guide • Angle: Sets the angle at which the image is extruded. Drag the onscreen control to adjust its value in the canvas.
Fill filter in Motion Fills an image layer or alpha channel with a solid color or gradient. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • • Fill With: Sets how the image or alpha channel is filled. This pop-up menu has two options: • Color: Fills the image or alpha channel with a solid color. For more information on using color controls, see Use basic color controls in Motion. • Gradient: Fills the image or alpha channel with a gradient.
• Mix: Sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the filtered image. • Publish OSC: Publishes the filter’s onscreen controls in Final Cut Pro. For more information on creating content for use in Final Cut Pro, see Intro to Final Cut Pro templates in Motion.
Highpass filter in Motion Emphasizes areas of detail in an image and stylizes the colors in the resulting image to create a mind-blowing psychedelic display. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Radius: Sets the amount of variance of detail to consider. Values range from 0 (entire range of color) to 100 (only the most detailed portions). • Amount: Sets the amount of emphasis. • Mix: Sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the filtered image.
• Height Map: Displays a thumbnail of the height map chosen. If present, the height map is used to determine the flat and raised areas of the layer. • Map Channel: Sets the channel from the image used to determine the flat and raised areas of the image. If a height map is present, the channel is selected from the height map. Otherwise, values include Luminance (default), Red, Green, Blue, or Alpha. • Stretch To Fit: Sets whether the Height Map is stretched to fit the dimensions of the filtered layer.
Line Screen filter in Motion Reduces an image to a high-contrast grayscale version of itself, then screens the image using a pattern of straight lines, simulating an etched screening technique. The image is represented by varying thicknesses in the pattern of the parallel lines. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Center: Sets the position of the center of the line screen. You can also drag the Center onscreen control in the canvas.
Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Mode: Sets the mode of the effect. The following modes are available: Minimum and Maximum. • Radius: Sets the radius of the effect. • Mix: Sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the filtered image. Noise Dissolve filter in Motion The Noise Dissolve filter dissolves an image by adding a pattern of noise to it.
• Mix: Sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the filtered image. • Publish OSC: Publishes the filter’s onscreen controls in Final Cut Pro. For more information on creating content for use in Final Cut Pro, see Intro to Final Cut Pro templates in Motion. Posterize filter in Motion Reduces the number of colors in an image to a set number per color channel, adjustable using the Levels parameter.
• Back: Sets the position of the center point of the back of the height map, determining the direction from which height vertices are projected. Values are coordinates. Drag the inner or outer onscreen controls in the canvas to adjust this value. • Back Size: Sets the size of the back of the height map, as a proportion of its original size. • Fuzziness: Sets the amount of fuzziness applied to the height vertices. The higher the value, the softer the edges of the height vertices.
• Mix: Sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the filtered image. • Publish OSC: Publishes the filter’s onscreen controls in Final Cut Pro. For more information on creating content for use in Final Cut Pro, see Intro to Final Cut Pro templates in Motion. Slit Tunnel filter in Motion Simulates a circular version of the slit scan process used to create “warp tunnel” images in science fiction films. This filter is automatically animated to create a fly-through effect.
Texture Screen filter in Motion Uses a source object specified by the Map Image parameter to screen the target image. The source object can be any image, movie, or shape. By default, Texture Screen behaves as if there were a black image applied to the Map Image well, which makes the target appear desaturated and washed out. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: Motion User Guide • Map Image: Displays a thumbnail of the map chosen to generate the screen.
Vignette filter in Motion Simulates the light fall-off and corner-blurring effect characteristic of images viewed through some camera lenses. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: Motion User Guide • Size: Sets the size of the vignette. The larger the size, the more area of the object is affected by the vignette. You can also adjust this parameter in the canvas, by dragging the inner ring of the onscreen control.
Wavy Screen filter in Motion Reduces an image to a high-contrast grayscale version of itself, then screens the resulting image using a pattern of angled lines, simulating an etched screening technique. The image is represented by varying thicknesses in the pattern of the zigzagging lines. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Amplitude: Sets the amplitude of the waves. • Wavelength: Sets the wavelength. • Scale: Sets the scale of the waves.
Kaleidoscope filter in Motion Simulates the effect of looking at an image through a kaleidoscope. This filter isn’t automatically animated, but by animating the Offset Angle parameter you can simulate rotating kaleidoscope imagery. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Center: Sets the position of the center of the kaleidoscope. You can also drag the Center onscreen control in the canvas. • Segment Angle: Sets the angle at the tip of each triangular tile.
Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Center: Sets the origin of the kaleidotile effect. You can also drag in the center of the onscreen control (the box) in the canvas. • Width: Sets the width of the panels of the kaleidotile effect. You can also adjust the Width parameter by dragging the right or left center handle of the onscreen control in the canvas. Drag a corner handle to adjust the Width and Height parameters simultaneously.
Parallelogram Tile filter in Motion Simulates looking through a kaleidoscope with facets made of parallelograms. This filter is not automatically animated, but by animating the Angle parameter you can simulate twisting kaleidoscope imagery. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Center: Sets the position of the origin of the parallelogram tiles. You can also drag the Center onscreen control in the canvas. • Angle: Sets the angle of rotation of the panels.
Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Top Left: Sets the position of the top-left corner of the grid. • Top Right: Sets the position of the top-right corner of the grid. • Bottom Right: Sets the position of the bottom-right corner of the grid. • Bottom Left: Sets the position of the bottom-left corner of the grid. Note: Drag the onscreen control handles to adjust the Top Left, Top Right, Bottom Right, and Bottom Left values.
Tile filter in Motion Tiles an image. The number of tiles depends on the value of the Scale parameter. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Center: Sets the position of the origin of the tiles. You can also drag the Center onscreen control in the canvas. • Skew: Sets the amount of skew applied to tiles. • Scale: Sets how much tiles are scaled. • Stretch: Sets the amount tiles are stretched vertically. • Angle: Sets the angle of rotation of tiles.
• Mix: Sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the filtered image. • Publish OSC: Publishes the filter’s onscreen controls in Final Cut Pro. For more information on creating content for use in Final Cut Pro, see Intro to Final Cut Pro templates in Motion. Time filters Intro to Time filters in Motion Time filters manipulate layers temporally. Time filters are most often used to modify moving footage.
• Frame Blending: Turns the blending between frames on and off. • Mix: Sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the filtered image. Strobe filter in Motion Strobes the image by holding frames for a set duration. As a result, moving images appear to skip frames as they play. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Strobe Rate: Controls the number of frames played back per second.
Broadcast Safe filter in Motion Reduces the luminance and chrominance levels that exceed the broadcast-legal limits for either standard gamut or wide color gamut spaces. Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector: • Amount: When you export a Motion project to a compressed video format, compression artifacts may push bright pixels above—or dark pixels below—broadcast-legal limits.
Animate filter controls Animate filter parameters with keyframes in Motion Although several Motion filters are animated (Bad Film, Bad TV, and Overdrive, for example), most are not. However, it’s easy to create filter animations by using keyframes to change parameters over time. Animate filter parameters using the Record button 1. In Motion, select an applied filter in the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas. 2.
• Position the pointer over the right side of the parameter row, click the down arrow to open the Animation pop-up menu, then choose Add. • Control-click the parameter name, then choose Add from the shortcut menu. A keyframe is added at the current playhead position. 4. In the Inspector or HUD, or via the onscreen controls (if available), adjust the parameter value. 5. Move the playhead to the next frame where you want a keyframe. 6. Repeat steps 4–5 until you finish.
Globally animate all parameters of a Color Curves, Color Wheels, or Hue/ Saturation Curves filter Using a special global Add Keyframe button, you can simultaneously keyframe all parameters of the Color Curves filter, the Color Wheels filter, or the Hue/Saturation Curves filter. 1. In Motion, select an applied Color Curves, Color Wheels, or Hue/Saturation Curves filter in the Layers list. 2. Move the playhead to the frame where you want to add a keyframe. 3.
Animate filters using behaviors in Motion Animating filter parameters is easy using Parameter behaviors, a special class of behaviors that animate a single parameter of an object. For example, if you have a layer with an applied Circle Blur filter, you can use a Parameter behavior to randomize the amount of blur applied to the object over time. Animate a filter parameter using a Parameter behavior 1. In Motion, in the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas, select an applied filter. 2.
Publish Motion filter parameters to Final Cut Pro When you create effects templates in Motion for use in Final Cut Pro, you can choose which parameter controls are available in the special effect, title, transition, or generator when it’s applied to a clip in Final Cut Pro. For example, if you create a Final Cut effect template using a Scrape filter, you might choose to export only the Rotation control to Final Cut Pro (and not the Amount or Mix sliders).
Review parameters set to be published in your template 1. In the Layers list in Motion, click the Project object (at the top of the list). 2. In the Project Inspector, click Publishing. All parameters (for all object types) set to be published appear in the Publishing pane. Note: Published filter onscreen controls do not appear in the Publishing pane.
For example, if you’ve applied a keying filter, you can use the following filters to modify the resulting alpha channel even though no mask appears for that layer in the Layers list or Timeline: • Channel Blur: This filter, found in the Blur category of the Filters library, lets you selectively blur the alpha channel. You can set the amount of horizontal and vertical blur independently.
Third-party party effects and obsolete filters Many third-party companies offer FxPlug filters and effects. If you install a third-party product, additional effects appear in the Filters list, usually in a separate, custom-named category. If you open a project created in a previous version of Motion containing filters or media that are no longer available, an alert message appears listing the missing or obsolete items.
Composite with color and luma keys Intro to color keying in Motion Keying is the process of isolating a foreground subject against a background area of uniform color or brightness to generate an alpha channel (a matte) based on the shape of the color area. Keying is commonly performed on subjects photographed against a blue or green background, but keys can be based on any color (color or chroma keying) or on a specific range of brightness values (luma keying).
Use the Keyer filter Intro to the Keyer filter in Motion The Keyer filter is intended for subjects shot in front of a blue screen or green screen. However, you can also use this filter to “pull” chroma keys from any range of color within a shot. The keyed portions of the image are rendered transparent, allowing background images to show through. At its default settings, the Keyer filter attempts to work as automatically as possible.
If the automatic guess is incorrect (for example, if you want to key on red), you can manually set the color you want to key. See Override automatic color sampling and set your own key colors, below. The background layer shows through as long as the View control in the Filters Inspector is set to Composite. Note: If the clip you add a Keyer filter to is not visible in the canvas, the initial key is pulled based on the first or last frame in which the subject appears, whichever is closest to the playhead.
Override automatic color sampling and set your own key colors Although the Keyer filter automatically samples your keying color, you can override that sampling and set the key colors manually. You might want to do this if you use a background screen color other than green or blue, or if the green screen or blue screen was unevenly lit. 1. In Motion, select an applied Keyer filter in the Layers list, then open the Filters Inspector or HUD. 2. Set the Strength slider to 0.
Most of the color screen should disappear and be replaced by the image in the layer underneath the foreground layer in the Layers list. You can add as many selection rectangles as necessary to sample areas of the color screen (for example, highlights or shadows on the color screen) to achieve a better result. If the edges of the foreground subject are too sharp, use the Edges tool to soften the foreground edges.
• To remove a Sample Color or an Edges control, Option-click anywhere in the sample control you want to delete, or click to select a sample control, then press the Delete key. Refine a key using the Color Selection controls 1. With the Keyer filter selected in the Layers list in Motion, set the View mode in the Filters Inspector to Matte. Matte mode lets you see how your adjustments affect the transparency of the image.
4. Depending on the mode you selected in the previous step, adjust the controls to alter your matte: • In Scrub Boxes mode, drag any side of the outer graph in the Chroma control to alter the range of hue and saturation contributing to the matte’s edge softness (transparency around the edges of the key). Note: In Scrub Boxes mode, you can also drag the two lower handles of the Luma control to alter the range of lightness and darkness contributing to the matte’s edge softness.
In either mode, expanding the Chroma graph or Luma handle outward increases the regions of transparency in the keyed image. Dragging the side of a Chroma graph or a Luma handle inward diminishes the transparent regions in the keyed image. In the example below, the top image shows the holes in the matte that result from increasing edge softness using the outer graph of the Chroma control. The bottom image shows how reducing edge softness closes these holes. 5.
Refine a key using matte tools 1. With the Keyer filter selected in the Layers list in Motion, set the View mode in the Filters Inspector to Matte. Matte mode lets you see how adjustments affect the transparency of the image.
5. Drag the Soften slider right to blur the matte overall, resulting in softer edges throughout the matte. 6. Drag the Erode slider right to soften the matte from the edge inward, while preserving the original matte outlines as a translucent outer boundary.
Refine Key tools Use the Refine Key tools—Sample Color and Edges—to manually sample regions of an image to modify the tolerance (core transparency) of the generated key. • Sample Color: A button that activates an onscreen control to select regions of the image to be turned transparent. Click the Sample Color tool, then drag a selection rectangle in the canvas to define a range of color to key.
Note: To remove a Sample Color selection rectangle or Edges control line, select the rectangle or control line in the canvas, then press Delete. Alternatively, Option-click inside the selection box or control line. Additional key controls • Strength: A slider to adjust the tolerance (core transparency) of the Keyer filter’s automatic sampling. The default value is 100%. Reducing this value narrows the range of color sampled, resulting in less transparency in the keyed image.
• Fill Holes: A slider to adjust solidity in regions of marginal transparency throughout a key. This control is useful when you’re satisfied with the edges of your keyed matte, but you have unwanted holes in the interior of the foreground subject that you can’t eliminate using the Strength parameter without ruining your edges. Higher slider values fill more holes in the solid areas of the keyed subject.
Color Selection controls Click the disclosure triangle in the Color Selection row to reveal controls for adjusting the tolerance (core transparency) and softness (edge transparency) in the chroma and luma channels of the keyed region. Available controls vary depending on the Graph mode (Scrub Boxes or Manual) you select. These controls are meant to be used after you begin creating a key using automatic sampling or the Sample Color and Edges tools.
Important: After you switch to Manual mode, it’s inadvisable to switch back to Scrub Boxes mode. For best results, begin keying an image using the Sample Color and Edges tools in Scrub Boxes mode. Switch to Manual mode afterwards if you feel it’s necessary to refine your matte using the Chroma and Luma controls. However, after you switch to Manual mode, do not switch back to Scrub Boxes mode.
By default, the slope of the left and right sides of the Luma graph has a slight “S” curve. You can modify the shape of the curve by adjusting the Luma Rolloff slider (described below). Note: The luma softness handles may extend past the outer boundaries of the Luma control. This is due to the floating-point precision of the Keyer filter, and is an expected behavior.
• Black, White, Bias: Click the disclosure triangle in the Levels row to reveal sliders for the Black, White, and Bias parameters. These sliders, which mirror the settings of the Levels handles described above, allow you to keyframe the three Levels parameters (via the Add Keyframe button to the right of each slider). Keyframing the Black, White, and Bias parameters may yield a better key, one that adapts to changing blue screen or green screen conditions.
• Black, White: Click the disclosure triangle in the Spill Contrast row to reveal sliders for the Black and White point parameters. These sliders, which mirror the settings of the Spill Contrast handles described above, allow you to keyframe the Black point and White point parameters (via the Add Keyframe button to the right of each slider). • Tint: A slider to restore the natural color of the keyed foreground subject.
Important: If the layer is set to the Light Wrap blend mode and you increase the Light Wrap parameter in the Keyer filter above 0, the Light Wrap parameters of the Keyer filter take precedence (and the Light Wrap blend mode in the Properties Inspector is ignored). However, the Light Wrap blend mode in the Properties Inspector for a group overrides the Light Wrap parameters of any Keyer filters applied to layers in that group.
Animating color key parameters in Motion If necessary, you can animate the parameters of the Keyer filter to account for changes in the background screen youʼre keying. For example, if thereʼs uneven lighting in the background, and the camera pans along with a moving subject as she walks from a bright part to a darker part of the color background, you can animate the Keyer filter parameters to adjust to this change. There are two ways of doing this.
Use the Luma Keyer filter Intro to the Luma Keyer filter in Motion The Luma Keyer filter pulls a key from an image or clip based on a selected range of image lightness. Although typically used to key out a white background behind a foreground subject, the Luma Keyer filter can also be used to generate creative effects by turning a narrow range of image brightness transparent. The Luma Keyer filter can also isolate rasterized logo and text graphics from a black or white background.
Luma Keyer filter controls in Motion After you apply the Luma Keyer filter to a video or image layer in your project, you can refine the keying parameters in the Filters Inspector, which contains the following controls: Basic controls Motion User Guide • Luma: A grayscale gradient control with handles to adjust tolerance and softness in the matte.
Matte Tools controls Click the disclosure triangle in the Matte Tools row to reveal controls for post-processing the transparency matte generated by the previous sets of parameters. These parameters do not alter the range of values sampled to create the keyed matte. Instead, they alter the matte generated by the Luma and Luma Rolloff controls, letting you shrink, expand, soften, or invert the matte to achieve a better composite.
Light Wrap controls Click the disclosure triangle in the Light Wrap row to reveal controls for blending color and lightness values from the background layer of your composite with the keyed foreground layer. Using these controls, you can simulate the interaction of environmental lighting with the keyed subject, making it appear as if background light wraps around the edges of a subject.
Additional controls • Preserve RGB: A checkbox that, when selected, preserves smooth graphics and text. Some images may be rendered as if they have an alpha channel, even though they don’t. A good example is white text on a black background. Rasterized text in most images is anti-aliased properly, and further modification to the RGB channels by the Luma Keyer can degrade the quality of the edges.
Crop background with a garbage mask in Motion After you apply a key, you may need to crop unwanted background elements that can’t be keyed, such as the edge of a blue screen stage, lighting rigs, or tape that appears in the background. Using the Mask tool, you can create a garbage mask that removes unwanted elements. You can also use a garbage mask to conceal parts of the background too difficult to key without the loss of foreground detail.
Restore foreground with a holdout mask in Motion Sometimes, while pulling a key, you lose part of the image you’re trying to keep. This can happen when the color of the subject’s clothing is too close to the color of the background being keyed out, or when you need to use keying values that are too aggressive. In this example, small parts of the bird’s head and wings are getting removed with the key, rather than just the blue sky.
In the following image, a clean key is created within the mask by removing the “dirt” left by the original key. 6. As an optional step, you can nest the originally keyed layer and the holdout mask you just created inside a dedicated group so you can manipulate the entire subject as a single object. Matte Magic filter in Motion The Matte Magic filter lets you manipulate the edges of a matte by shrinking, feathering, and eroding them to improve difficult keys.
Spill Suppression filter in Motion When you key an image that was shot against a blue screen or green screen, some color will have reflected from the screen to illuminate the edges, or even the interior, of the foreground subject. This unwanted coloration of the subject is called spill, and can be difficult to eliminate from the foreground subject you’re trying to preserve.
Apply multiple keys in Motion In some instances, it may be difficult to key an entire subject with a single keying filter while retaining fine details. For example, uneven lighting or background color might mean that the best settings to key a subject’s hair may not work elsewhere. In such cases, you can use masks to isolate different parts of a subject, and then apply different keying settings to each area. Segment a subject into separate keying zones 1.
Work with 3D objects Intro to 3D objects in Motion Motion lets you add 3D models to your projects. 3D models simulate natural lighting, shading, and texture effects. You can choose 3D models from a collection of ready-made 3D objects in the Motion Library or you can import 3D models in the USDZ file format created with 3D software or 3D scanning. Motion supports both individual 3D objects and groups of 3D objects called scenes.
Add a 3D object in Motion There are two ways to add a 3D object to a Motion project: • Choose a preset from the 3D Objects category of the Library. • Import your own custom 3D object (in the USDZ file format). Add a premade 3D object from the Library 1. In the Library in Motion, select the 3D Objects category, then select a subcategory, such as Education, Nature, or Sports. 2. In the Library stack under the categories and subcategories, select a 3D object. 3.
• Drag the 3D object to the track area of the Timeline or mini-Timeline. When you reach the frame where you want the new 3D object to start, release the mouse button. The 3D object appears in the canvas, composited above objects that are below it in the Layers list. Depending upon the 3D object, the anchor point may not be located in the center of the layer. Because all transformations occur around each object’s own anchor point, you may want to reposition the anchor point.
Move and rotate a 3D object in Motion 3D objects have multiple spatial properties, including faces (flat or curved surfaces on a 3D shape), edges (edges where two faces meet), and vertices (points or corners where edges meet). When you first add a 3D object to your project, the face and edges you see depend on the orientation of the object as it was saved in the 3D application. You can move or rotate a 3D object by dragging in the canvas or HUD.
Move or rotate a 3D object using onscreen handles 1. In the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas in Motion, select a 3D object. 2. In the canvas toolbar, click the 3D Transform tool. 3D transform controls appear on the selected 3D object in the canvas. 3. To change the position of the object, do any of the following: • Move the 3D object horizontally along its X axis: Drag the red arrow. • Move the 3D object vertically along its Y axis: Drag the green arrow.
• Rotate the 3D object around its Z axis: Move the pointer over the rotation handles until a blue rotation ring appears, then drag the blue ring. Move or rotate a 3D object using HUD controls 1. In the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas in Motion, select a 3D object. 2. In the canvas toolbar, click the 3D Transform tool. 3. Click the HUD button in the toolbar or press F7 to open the HUD (if it’s not already open). 4. In the HUD, drag in the Move or Rotate squares.
Reposition a 3D object’s anchor point in Motion When you add a 3D object to a Motion project, its anchor point may be located at the object’s center, bottom, or other position. Because the anchor point is the spot around which a layer rotates or scales, you may want to reposition the anchor point. Selecting the Anchor Point tool in the toolbar activates canvas controls to adjust the point. Adjust the anchor point of a 3D object in the canvas 1. In Motion, select a 3D object in the Layers list or canvas.
For more information on coordinate axes, see Transform layers in 3D space in Motion. 3. Do one of the following: • Drag the white circle to move the anchor point vertically or horizontally. • Drag a color arrow to move the anchor point along the corresponding axis. As you drag the anchor point, a line stretches from the center of the object to the anchor point’s current position.
Modify 3D object properties Intro to modifying 3D objects in Motion When you add a 3D object to a project, Motion treats the object similarly to image and video files. You can make the following adjustments to 3D objects in the Inspector: • Modify 3D object properties in Motion including position, rotation, scale, anchor point, and blend mode, in the object’s Property Inspector. • Modify 3D object environment lighting at the project level in the Project Properties Inspector.
3. Adjust the Transform, Blending, Lighting, Media, or Timing controls. Note: The Lighting parameter is not available if the 3D object is contained within a 2D group. The Lighting section of the Properties Inspector controls how layers react to lights that you add to a Motion project (Ambient, Directional, Point, or Spot lights). To change the intensity of light reflected on the surface of 3D objects, see the following task.
2. In the Rendering section of the Project Properties Inspector, drag the 3D Object Environment slider to the right to increase the environment intensity or to the left to decrease the environment intensity. The 3D Object Environment parameter is a global control—all 3D objects within the Motion project are uniformly affected. Other layers in the project are not affected. You can also access the 3D Object Environment parameter in the 3D Object Inspector.
• You import multiple 3D objects (especially from different sources) with varying scales or orientations Adjust the unit size of a 3D object 3D modeling applications use real-world units of measure, such as inches, meters, feet, and so on. When a 3D object is added to a project, Motion normalizes the size of the object so that it properly scales within the pixel-based units of a Motion project. 1. In Motion, select a 3D object in the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas. 2.
Change the orientation of a 3D object 1. In Motion, select a 3D object in the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas. 2. In the Inspector, click 3D Object (if it’s not already selected). 3. Click the disclosure triangle to reveal separate dials for rotating around the X, Y, and Z axes, then adjust the dials (or enter specific amounts in the value fields). Changing the X, Y, and Z Orientation values does not affect the 3D object’s Rotation parameter values in the Property Inspector.
3D object intersection and layer order in Motion Use the following intersection and layer order guidelines when working with 3D objects: • 3D objects intersect only with other 3D objects, and do not intersect with 3D text. • For 3D objects in the same group to intersect, they must be contiguous in the Layers list (with no other layers separating the layers containing the 3D objects).
Modify 3D object timing in Motion Just like video clips, animated 3D objects have multiple frames. When you add an animated 3D object to your project, you can set it to loop once it reaches its last frame. Additionally, if you want to use only the 3D object and not its inherent animation, you can isolate a single frame in the object layer by adjusting its timing controls. Loop an animated 3D object When a looped 3D object reaches its last frame, it starts playing again from its first frame. 1.
Select a specific frame of an animated 3D object 1. In a Motion project that contains at least one animated 3D object, use the playback controls to locate the frame of the animated 3D object you want to use, then note the frame number. Tip: Press the Right Arrow key or Left Arrow key to move the playhead to the next and previous frames. 2. In the Layers list, select the animated 3D object. 3. In the Properties Inspector, move the pointer over the right side of the Timing row, then click Show. 4.
Using cameras and lights with 3D objects in Motion Although the built-in environment controls in Motion simplify the process of adjusting the amount of light reflected in the surface of all 3D objects in a project, you can manually add light objects to illuminate your 3D objects in more complex or specific ways. And in 3D projects, you can add and animate cameras to enhance the depth and scope of compositions.
Save custom 3D objects in Motion After you import and modify 3D object, you can save it as a preset in the 3D Objects or Favorites category of the Library for future use. Save an imported 3D object to the Library 1. In Motion, open the Library and select the 3D Objects, Favorites, or Favorites Menu category. Note: For organizational purposes, you may find it useful to create a folder of your own in the Favorites or Favorites Menu category. 2.
• If you download and import 3D objects from sources other than the Motion Library (even in the USDZ file format), you may see unexpected results due to issues with the 3D file, such as missing textures. Objects that appear problematic in Motion also appear incorrect when viewed in the Finder or in Xcode. For more information on using Xcode with imported 3D objects, see Working with imported 3D objects in Motion.
Work with 360-degree video Intro to 360° video in Motion 360° video (sometimes called spherical video) is footage captured by special cameras that point lenses in all directions to create a panoramic sphere of video. A viewer can watch 360° video in any of several ways: • Through a virtual-reality (VR) headset, a hardware device that displays video on a small face-mounted screen that updates dynamically to show different parts of a scene as the viewer turns their head.
360° video can be monoscopic (2D) or stereoscopic (3D). Stereoscopic video is more challenging to capture and process because each field of view is divided into an additional left-eye image and right-eye image to create the illusion of depth. In Motion, you can work with 360° monoscopic video in equirectangular format. In Final Cut Pro, you can work with 360° stereoscopic video and 360° monoscopic video in equirectangular format.
About 360° projects in Motion When you create a new 360° project, Motion places an object called a 360° environment in the Layers list. Like a group, a 360° environment is an enclosing object that contains other objects. However, a 360° environment has special requirements: • Equirectangular media must reside in a 360° environment; otherwise, the spherical projection will not render correctly. • Only image-based media and filters should reside in a 360° environment.
With the Camera pop-up menu in the canvas set to 360° Look Around, you can drag the Orbit control to “look around” inside the 360° projection. Note: When you drag the Orbit control in a non-360° project (with Projection set to Normal), the checkerboard image appears flat in the canvas. • The Layers list includes a single 360° environment to contain 360° media, images, and filters (but not objects such as shapes, text, or replicators).
• The canvas is automatically set to side-by-side viewports, and the zoom level is set to Fit. 360° Look Around is the selected camera view in the left viewport, and 360° Overview is the selected camera view in the right viewport. • The project contains a single Viewpoint camera. (A 360° project must contain at least one camera.) • When you add an additional camera to the project, the Camera Type pop-up menu in the Camera Inspector is set to Viewpoint.
• Choose Custom, click the Projection pop-up menu and choose 360° Monoscopic, then manually set the resolution, frame rate, and duration. Use the frame size that matches the resolution of your 360° source footage, or of the output you intend to share. 4. Click Open. A new, untitled 360° Motion project is created containing a 3D group, a Viewpoint camera, and a 360° environment. The canvas viewport layout is set is to two-up split view.
For information on the differences between camera types, see Cameras and views in Motion. Create a project prepopulated with specific 360° media files 1. In Motion, do one of the following: • Choose File > Import As > Project (or press Shift-Command-I). • Open the Project Browser, then click Import as Project. 2. In the dialog that appears, navigate to and select one or more 360° media files. 3. Click Options. Format settings appear at the bottom of the dialog.
4. If it’s not already selected, select Import as 360°. Note: If the media contains the correct 360° metadata, the Import as 360° checkbox is automatically selected. 5. Click Import as Project. A new 360° project populated with the 360° media you selected opens. Convert a normal project to a 360° project You can convert a normal project to a 360° project by making a few adjustments. 1. In the Layers list in Motion, click the Project object. 2.
3. Click Add Object in the toolbar, then choose 360° Environment. A new 360° environment is added to the Layers list. 4. In the Layers list, move the 360° environment to the bottom of the list. Although not required, this step sets up the project to add and composite elements above the 360° environment. 5. Do one of the following: • If your project does not contain a camera, click Add Object, then choose Camera. A new Viewpoint camera is added to your project.
8. In the right viewport, click the Camera pop-up menu and choose 360° Overview. The canvas displays the entire 360° scene as a flat, equirectangular image alongside the spherical viewer. This image represents the final output of your project. When you convert a normal project to a 360° project, normal footage already in the project is not projected in 360°. Other objects in the project also need to be adjusted.
• Drag the file or files to the canvas. • Drag the file or files into a 360° environment in the Layers list or into the empty lower area of the Layers list. If added to a 360° environment, the imported files appear as new layers in that container, placed above existing layers in the environment. If added to the empty area, the imported files are added to the topmost 360° environment. • Drag the file or files into the Timeline.
View and navigate 360-degree projects View 360° projects in Motion When you create a 360° project, Motion divides the canvas into side-by-side viewports, with the spherical projection of your 360° footage in the left viewport and the equirectangular overview in the right viewport. You view and navigate 360° video by using the Orbit control in the canvas to pan and tilt the camera. To display the camera controls in the canvas, make sure Show 3D Overlays in the View menu in the canvas has a checkmark.
2. In the canvas, drag the Orbit control in any direction to pan and tilt the camera. The view is rotated and other areas of the spherical projection become visible. Your media’s default orientation (what viewers will see in the VR headset) is not altered. (To alter the default orientation, see Reorient 360° media in Motion.) You can also use the Orbit control to navigate 360° media during playback. The spherical projection may appear sharper at the top and bottom.
Reset the view After you pan the 360° Look Around view using the Orbit control, you can reset the view to its default orientation. • In the Motion canvas, do one of the following: • Click the Camera pop-up menu, then choose Reset View (or press Control-R). • Double-click the Orbit control. • Choose View > 3D View > Reset View. The footage returns to its default orientation.
See Use rulers and guides in Motion. • Choose Grid from the View menu in the upper-left corner of the canvas. You can customize the grid settings in the Canvas pane of Motion Preferences (press Command-Comma to open Preferences). Change the camera’s angle of view When the camera is set to 360° Look Around view, you can zoom the 360° image. 1. In the Layers list in Motion, select the camera. 2.
View 360° video in an attached VR headset If you have a VR headset connected to your Mac (and properly configured), you can use it to view the output of your Motion project. 1. Connect a VR headset to your Mac. For setup instructions, see Use a VR headset with Final Cut Pro and Motion. 2. Choose Window > Output to VR Headset (or press F10). The 360° video appears in the VR Headset display. Note: The VR headset does not work in non-360° Motion projects. 3.
Integrate graphics in 360-degree projects Intro to graphics in 360° projects in Motion As with normal projects, you can add 2D or 3D elements to 360° projects to create complex scenes. The same layering rules that govern normal projects apply to 360° projects, but there are some additional considerations when integrating layers with 360° projects: Motion User Guide • You can add any type of object to a 3D group in a 360° project, including 2D or 3D text, replicators, flat images, lights, and so on.
• Nonequirectangular images such as logos or standard video clips should be placed in a normal 3D group, where they can be positioned in 360° space as a flat element. Adding such images to a 360° environment stretches the image to fill the entire 360° sphere, causing it to look distorted. You can convert a normal image into an equirectangular image so it can be placed directly in a 360° environment without distortion. See Create an equirectangular image.
In certain situations, images in a 360° Look Around viewport may not represent your project’s final output. When in doubt, choose 360° Overview from the Camera pop-up menu in the canvas to display your project. • You can’t add a mask directly to 360° footage in a 360° environment. You can, however, use a clone layer to mask 360° footage. (Adding a clone layer is only recommended when masking 360° images. Cloning other objects may yield unexpected results.
Use graphics in 360° projects in Motion You can integrate graphics and other elements into a 360° project. Elements are added to 360° projects in the same way as in normal projects. Integrate an image into a 360° project • In Motion, add your text, shape, particle emitter, or other object to a 3D Group in the Layers list. The object is added to the scene. As you navigate the 360° scene, the layer floats at the origin (where the Position parameters are X = 0, Y = 0, and Z = 0) in 3D space.
A clone layer is created and appears in the canvas on top of the original layer. Any further adjustments you make to the mask will be applied to the clone layer. See Clone a layer. 5. In the Layers list, deselect the checkbox of the 360° layer with the applied mask. Make sure you don’t deselect the checkbox of the mask layer. 6. Drag the clone layer into the 360° environment. As you navigate the 360° media, the mask is integrated into the scene.
Create an equirectangular image Non-360° image layers such as text or logos must be contained in a 360° environment for blend modes to operate correctly between layers. When you import an equirectangular image into a 360° project, the image is automatically added to the 360° environment. You can create equirectangular images in Motion by importing a normal image into a 360° project, then exporting the image. 1. Create a new 360° project in Motion, then click Import. 2.
The image is saved with the equirectangular projection “baked in” and with the correct aspect ratio (2:1). When you import the equirectangular still image back into your 360° project, Motion adds it directly to the 360° environment. You can now apply blend modes to the image. Convert 360° video into flat video You can export a 360° equirectangular video with a single field of view for watching on traditional display devices. 1. In a normal Motion project, click Import. 2.
• Select the 360° media in the Layers list, click Filters in the toolbar and choose 360° > 360° Reorient, then adjust the filter’s parameters in the Filters Inspector. Note: You can also use a combination of a camera and a Reorient filter to select the field of view you want to export, and to keyframe camera zooms, pans, and tilts. For details about the 360° Reorient filter parameters, see Change the default orientation of 360° media. 6.
3. In the Library preview area, click Apply. The particle emitter is added to the 3D group. 4. In the canvas, click the gray box in the top-right corner, then choose the fourth arrangement in the list (two viewports above, large viewport below). The Top view of the 3D scene is displayed in the lower viewport. If necessary, drag the Dolly and Pan controls in the canvas to adjust the view so that the camera and particle emitter are both visible. 5.
6. In the canvas, click the Camera pop-up menu in the lower viewport, then choose a side view (Left or Right). 7. In the Layers list, select the Emitter, then do one of the following: • In the canvas, drag the green arrow up to move the emitter vertically along the Y axis. • In the Properties Inspector, increase the Y Position parameter. 8.
Create a tiny planet effect in Motion You can use the Tiny Planet filter (in the Distortion filter category in the Motion Library) to convert 360° video into a stereographic “tiny planet” (or inverted tiny planet) projection. For the best results, import your 360° footage into a standard (non-360°) project or group. See Tiny Planet filter in Motion.
Reorient 360° media using the camera You can also direct the viewer’s focus to a particular area of the 360° footage by adjusting the Transform parameters of the camera. Using these controls, rather than the 360° Reorient filter, is handy for reorienting multiple layers of 360° video simultaneously. 1. In the Layers list in Motion, select the camera. 2. In the Properties Inspector, click the Rotation disclosure triangle to reveal the X, Y, and Z parameters. 3.
• If a normal, non-360° title template is applied to a 360° project in Final Cut Pro, the 360° Transform controls are available in the Final Cut Pro Video inspector. • If a 360° title template is applied to a 360° project in Final Cut Pro, the Reorient parameters are available in the Final Cut Pro Video inspector. For more information on working with titles in Final Cut Pro, see the Final Cut Pro User Guide.
Export and share 360° projects in Motion When you complete and export your 360° project, you can publish it to a variety of videosharing and social-media websites including YouTube’s VR channel, Vimeo 360, and more. Motion includes the appropriate 360° metadata in the output media file so that it’s recognized and displayed appropriately by the video-sharing sites. For information about exporting projects, see Intro to sharing Motion projects.
Guidelines for better 360° projects in Motion To get the best results when working in 360° projects, consider the following suggestions: Motion User Guide • Make sure your 360° media is formatted for equirectangular projection. • Try to use images that match the resolution of your project. Low-resolution media may stretch and scale incorrectly, yielding undesirable results. • You can add clone objects to a 360° environment—however this is only recommended when you’re masking 360° media.
Track motion in clips Intro to tracking in Motion Motion tracking is a method of recording the movement of an element (a shape or reference point in a movie clip) in the canvas, then applying that recorded movement data to another element in the canvas.
During the analysis, the tracker advances to each subsequent frame, sampling many positions in the search region around the center point of the tracker. Some of those positions fit the designated reference pattern more closely than others; the tracker finds the position where the search region most closely matches the reference pattern (with subpixel accuracy). For every frame analyzed, the tracker assigns a correlation value by measuring how close the best match is.
Stabilize Removes unwanted motion in a video clip, such as camera jitter (horizontal movement, vertical movement, or both). Because the Stabilize behavior analyzes the entire frame of a clip, you don’t need to use onscreen trackers. Stabilize lets you smooth jittery clips while preserving the general motion of the camera, or lock down video clips, stabilizing the camera as if it were on a tripod. See Stabilize a shaky clip in Motion.
Analyze motion in a clip The Analyze Motion behavior analyzes and stores tracking data from a clip. Analyze Motion data tracks are meant to be referenced by other tracking behaviors. For a full description of Analyze Motion parameters, see Analyze Motion controls in Motion. Note: Tracking in one pass rarely yields perfect results. For information on tracking methods and tips, see Basic tracking strategies in Motion. Generate a tracking data using the Analyze Motion behavior 1.
5. Drag the additional trackers to the reference points you want to use. Note: You can specify a portion of a clip to be analyzed. See Use a range of frames for analysis in Motion. 6. Click the Analyze button in the Behaviors Inspector or HUD. When the tracking analysis begins, a progress window opens, and track points appear on a motion path in the canvas. The track point at the current playhead position is emphasized. The tracking keyframes contained in the behavior appear in the Keyframe Editor.
Match move an object to a background clip Intro to match moving in Motion The Match Move behavior analyzes the movement of a source object, then applies that movement data to a destination object. For example, using the Match Move behavior, you can lock a foreground graphic to the side of a moving bus, “pin” foreground video to a background TV screen, or mask a moving element for color-correction purposes.
Important: When applying the Match Move behavior to a group, make sure the footage being analyzed resides outside of the group being tracked. A single onscreen tracker (a red crosshair in a circle) is added to the canvas. Because the default Match Move tracker records position data, it’s known as an anchor tracker. 3.
In the Layers list, the Match Move behavior appears directly under the particle emitter. Because the animated source object (the spinning magic wand) is below the Match Move behavior in the Layers list, the source animation data is automatically loaded into the Source well in the Behaviors Inspector. If you don’t see the animated object in the Source well, drag the animated object from the Layers list into the Source well. 3.
The particles match the movement of the wand. Two-point tracking in Motion When you use two trackers in the Match Move behavior (two-point tracking), Motion analyzes and records not just the position parameter, but also the scale and rotation parameters. You can manually disable any of these parameters (in the Adjust row of the Behaviors Inspector) to achieve different effects.
In the next example, Position, Scale, and Rotation are enabled in the Adjust row of the Behaviors Inspector. Consequently, the white elliptical shape changes its position, scale, and rotation based on the position of the two trackers, matching the camera’s push toward the picture frames and preserving the illusion that the shape is physically attached to the picture frame. Note: When using four-point tracking (corner pinning), scale and rotation are applied to the corner-pinned object.
2. In the Behaviors Inspector, click the Type pop-up menu, then choose Four Corners. In the canvas, a tracker appear at each corner of the foreground object’s bounding box. In the Inspector, the Anchor and Rotation-Scale checkboxes are replaced with the Top Left, Top Right, Bottom Right, and Bottom Left checkboxes; each checkbox activates or deactivates a tracker in the canvas. 3. In the canvas, drag each tracker to a corner of the background element (in this example, the corners of the picture frame).
4. Click the Analyze button in the Behaviors Inspector or HUD. The foreground element is pinned to the background element; four motion paths show the transformation occurring at each corner. 5. If necessary, make minor adjustments to the foreground element (such as modifying scale or rotation) by doing the following: a. Click the Transform pop-up menu in the Behaviors Inspector, then choose Mimic Source.
Note: For four-point analysis, the trackers should be positioned in a clockwise order, starting in the upper-left corner. This ensures the proper alignment of your element when the transformation is applied. 3. In the Behaviors Inspector, click Add to add a second tracker, then drag the second tracker (Track 2) to a reference pattern in the top-right corner of the background element. 4. Add another tracker (Track 3), then drag it to a reference pattern in the bottom-right corner of the background element.
Combining animation and tracking data in Motion When the destination object in a match move operation has no animation of its own, it precisely follows the motion of the source object. However, if the destination object is also animated (has its own applied behaviors or keyframes), more complicated motion effects can be achieved by combining motion paths. You can specify whether the animation of the destination object is ignored by or added to the Match Move behavior.
Stabilize a clip using the Stabilize behavior 1. In Motion, apply a Stabilize behavior to the video clip you want to stabilize. Note: Unlike other behavior workflows, the Stabilize behavior’s automatic mode analyzes the entire clip from its first frame, rather than from the current playhead position. Additionally, onscreen track points are not created when using the default motion analysis in the Stabilize behavior. 2. In the Behaviors Inspector, set the options for the analysis: a.
d. Enable or disable the Adjust buttons, as follows: • Position: Enable this button to apply the analyzed position data to the clip. (The X and Y position changes in the footage are smoothed or stabilized.) To stabilize the X and Y position of the shot and leave scale or rotation changes intact, enable Position and disable Scale and Rotation. • Scale: Enable this button to apply any analyzed scale data to the clip. (Scale changes in the footage are smoothed or stabilized.
• Change the angle of the track region: Drag the rotation handle in the center of the track region. 4. After defining the track region, click the Analyze button in the Behaviors Inspector. Because analysis takes place in the defined track region, the clip is analyzed more quickly. Unstabilize a clip in Motion Use the Unstabilize tracking behavior to reapply camera shake or movement into a finished clip.
Use a range of frames for analysis in Motion With the exception of the Stabilize behavior, the tracking behaviors begin their analysis at the current playhead position. (The Stabilize behavior’s automatic analysis mode starts from the beginning of a clip, regardless of the playhead’s position.) You can specify what portion of a clip is analyzed by setting In and Out points for the clip, or by trimming the tracking behavior in the Timeline or mini-Timeline.
Load existing tracking data in Motion If you’ve already recorded tracking data (using the Analyze Motion behavior, for example), you can load that data into a Match Move, Stabilize, or Unstabilize behavior in your project. Likewise, if your project contains animation (keyframes or an applied behavior), you can load that animation data into a tracking behavior. When you do so, motion data from one object is applied to another object in your project. 1.
Track shapes, masks, and paint strokes in Motion The Track Points behavior (located in the Shape Behaviors category) is designed for use with shapes, masks, and paint strokes.
Trackers appear for each control point on the shape. The trackers are arrayed in the same order that the shape was drawn: Control Point 1 is Track 1, Control Point 2 is Track 2, and so on. 4. Drag the trackers to fine-tune their positions on the reference patterns of the background footage. As you drag, a magnified inset view of the area around the tracker appears. 5. To disable a tracker, deselect its checkbox in the Behaviors Inspector.
As with all behaviors, you can drag or copy (by Option-dragging) a Track Points behavior to a new shape in the Layers list. When you apply the behavior to a new shape, the trackers are applied to the control points of the new shape. If the new shape has more control points than the originally tracked shape, only the original track points are applied.
The spinning animation of the line is applied to the Bezier shape, which spins and changes shape because the vertex tangents match the transformation of the source animation. 5. To align the tangents to the transformation of the source object, select the Align Tangents checkbox in the Behaviors Inspector. The spinning animation of the line is applied to the Bezier shape, which now spins and but does not change shape because its vertex tangents remain aligned at their original angles along the shape.
Track a filter’s position parameter in Motion The Track behavior (in the Parameter category of behaviors) lets you track a position parameter of an object. For example, you can track the center of a Light Rays filter to a moving light in a clip. Note: This behavior applies only to filters with position parameters, such as Scrape, Ring Warp, Light Rays, Slit Tunnel, and so on. For a full description of adjustable controls in the Track behavior, see Track controls in Motion.
Adjust onscreen trackers in Motion Many tracking behaviors use onscreen trackers (a crosshair in a circle, shown below) that you can position to analyze an area of pixels (a reference pattern). The default onscreen tracker color is red. Depending on the color of your subject, you might need to change the color of the tracker to see the tracker in the canvas.
As you drag in the preview area, the tracker in the canvas also updates. If you use rotated footage, the rotation is not reflected in the Tracker Preview area in the Inspector. However, the rotation is reflected in the magnified visual aid in the canvas. • At the bottom of the Behaviors Inspector, click the track’s disclosure triangle, then use the Position controls to numerically adjust the tracker’s position. Note: You can Option-drag in the Tracker Preview area to override the pattern search size.
Change the color of the onscreen tracker 1. Select the tracker in the Motion canvas. 2. In the Behaviors Inspector, move the pointer over the parameter row of the track you want to modify, then click Show. The track’s controls are displayed. 3. Adjust the Color controls to change the color of the tracker. See Use basic color controls in Motion.
Manually modify track points If you’re not satisfied with the location of a track point on a post-analysis motion path, you can drag an individual point to adjust its position. 1. In Motion, position the playhead at the frame you want to modify. The track point at the playhead position is highlighted. 2. Do one of the following: • Drag the highlighted track point in the canvas to adjust its position. • Drag in the Tracker Preview area in the Behaviors Inspector.
Tip: When dealing with multiple problem trackers, you can turn off the trackers you’re not correcting to simplify your view in the Keyframe Editor. Additionally, when fine-tuning tracks in the Keyframe Editor, you can simplify what appears in the graph. The following image displays all curves for a three-tracker analysis. To solo a curve, Option-click the parameter’s checkbox in the Keyframe Editor’s parameter list. To unsolo the curve, Option-click the parameter’s checkbox again.
4. Do one of the following: • Press Delete to delete the track point at the current position of the playhead. • Move the playhead to the frame where you want to begin deleting track points, and press Delete. Each press of the Delete key removes one track point. Only active track points are deleted. Tip: The direction in which track points are deleted is determined by the Reverse checkbox in the Behaviors Inspector.
Sharpen a clip’s reference area A sharp, high-contrast pattern can provide a good tracking reference area. You may be able to sharpen the reference pattern of a clip by applying a filter to a clip before tracking. The tracker analyzes the clip, but not the result of a filter applied to the clip. 1. In Motion, apply the Sharpen filter to the clip and adjust its parameters in the Filters Inspector. 2. Export the clip, reimport the clip into your project, then delete or disable the original (exported) clip. 3.
2. Adjust the sliders to smooth the curve: • Error Tolerance: Drag right to reduce the number of keyframes used in the curve. • Smoothing (frames): Drag right to create smoother curves between keyframes. The Smoothing (frames) control modifies the curve by calculating the average of each track point plus its neighboring track points. In other words, if you set Smoothing (frames) to 5, when the value of frame 12 is computed, frames 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 are considered.
Define look-ahead frames When using the Analyze Motion behavior, you can direct a tracker where to look in a later frame for its reference pattern.
Note: Look Ahead Frames can be used when tracking in reverse. When the Reverse checkbox is selected in the tracking behavior’s parameters and you use the Look Ahead Frames parameter, you’re looking at previous frames rather than future frames. The Reverse checkbox is available only for the Analyze Motion, Track (in the Parameter behaviors category), and Track Points (in the Shape behaviors category) behaviors.
Additional parameter controls for the track appear. 7. Click the Fail Behavior pop-up menu, then choose Use Existing Keyframes. 8. Go to the first frame of the clip, then click the Analyze button in the Behaviors Inspector. Note: You can also use the Tracker Preview in the Behaviors Inspector to reposition trackers in the canvas. Edit the analysis data If none of the prior solutions helps, you can review the analysis data in the Keyframe Editor, then manually adjust or delete problem tracking point data.
Track obscured or off-frame points in Motion In addition to experimenting with tracker parameter settings, there’s a basic technique to correct track points that become obscured by moving offscreen or by an object passing in front of them. When a reference pattern becomes obscured, use the Offset Track checkbox to move the tracker, picking a new reference pattern in a different area from the original reference pattern.
Tracking retimed footage in Motion When working in a project that combines tracking behaviors and retiming operations, use the following guidelines for more successful results: • Because the Motion tracker analyzes in a project’s frame rate, ensure that the frame rate of the footage you plan to track matches the frame rate of your project. For example, to track 24 frames-per-second (fps) footage, your project’s frame rate should be 24 fps.
Modify smoothing parameters If you’re trying to smooth the motion in a stabilized clip, first try adjusting the smoothing parameters (without reanalyzing the clip). • In the Behaviors Inspector in Motion, click the Method pop-up menu, choose Smooth, then adjust the Translation Smooth, Rotation Smooth, and Scale Smooth sliders. Reanalyze the clip at a higher-quality setting • Before analyzing a clip in Motion, open the Behaviors Inspector, click the Quality popup menu, then choose Better.
Distort the edges of the clip You can experiment with filters to stretch the edges of the image to fill gaps. The following example uses the Scrape filter. (This solution is highly dependent on the type of image and may introduce other image artifacts that may not be acceptable.) 1. In Motion, select the group containing the stabilized clip. In this example, the project background is white to better illustrate the clip’s shift in position due to the stabilization. 2.
By masking the image being tracked, you can include only the portion of the image you want to fit in the frame. Although the mask is attached to the foreground image, you might need to animate changes in the mask’s position and scale to accommodate changes in the background clip over time. Note: As an alternative to using masks, you can also crop an object with applied tracking data using Crop controls in the Properties Inspector.
• Tracker Preview: A preview providing a magnified view of the tracking reference area for a selected tracker. The preview updates as you adjust the position of the tracker in the canvas. You can also drag in the preview area to adjust the position of the tracker. When you do so, the image in the preview area moves around the red crosshair representing the tracker, and the tracker moves in the canvas.
• Fail Tolerance: A slider to set the amount of tolerance for error, or confidence value, of the tracker. In other words, Fail Tolerance defines a threshold score at which the tracker determines it can match a reference feature. When the analysis yields a score above the Fail Tolerance value, the tracker accepts the match. When the score is below the value, the tracker rejects the match.
Match Move controls in Motion The Match Move behavior analyzes the movement of a source object, then applies that movement data to a destination object (a video clip, group, camera, shape, particle emitter, or other object in Motion). Important: When you apply the Match Move behavior to a group, make sure the footage being analyzed resides outside of the destination group. For information on using the Match Move behavior, see Match move an object in Motion.
Important: When you apply the Match Move behavior to a 3D group or to a mask, the Four Corners option is not available. To corner-pin a 3D group, select the Flatten checkbox in the Group Inspector. • Direction: A pop-up menu to specify the dimension in which the recorded movement is applied to the destination object: Horizontal and Vertical (X and Y), Horizontal (only X), or Vertical (only Y). • Transform: A pop-up menu to set how the destination object moves.
• Mimic Source: Allows the destination object to “mimic” the recorded track or animation of the source object. You can preserve preexisting animation in the destination object by using the Adjust buttons (Position, Scale, and Rotation), available when the Type pop-up menu (described above) is set to Transformation. Note: Although the destination object is “attached” to the movement of the source object, the position of the destination object can be changed (offset from the source object).
• Auto-Zoom: A pop-up menu to choose a magnification level when positioning the tracker in the canvas. You can zoom in on the canvas when searching for an ideal tracking reference pattern. There are four choices: None, 2x, 4x, and 8x. • Auto-Zoom Mode: A pop-up menu to set the display of the auto-zoomed tracker in the canvas. There are three choices: • Normal: Displays a normal pattern. • Contrast: Displays the tracker pattern with contrast detection.
• • Motion User Guide Fail Behavior: A pop-up menu to specify what happens if the track confidence value falls below the Fail Tolerance amount. There are six menu options: • Smart Retry: The tracker attempts to find the reference pattern in a larger search area. If the pattern still cannot be found, the tracker switches to the Predict option (described below). Smart Retry is the default Fail Behavior setting. • Stop: The analysis stops when the tracker loses the reference pattern.
Stabilize controls in Motion The Stabilize behavior uses a sophisticated motion analysis to track every pixel from one frame to the next to smooth shaky motion in a video clip or image sequence. Unlike the Match Move and Analyze Motion behaviors, the Stabilize behavior does not use onscreen trackers to analyze motion. However, if the result of the analysis requires additional correction, you can manually add onscreen trackers to noncontiguous segments of the clip.
• Translation Smooth: A slider (available when Method is set to Smooth) to smooth motion in the X and Y dimensions. • Rotation Smooth: A slider (available when Method is set to Smooth) to smooth image rotation. • Scale Smooth: A slider (available when Method is set to Smooth) to smooth an uneven zoom. Note: Don’t set the Scale Smooth value above 0 unless you’re positive the clip is being zoomed. • Borders: A pop-up menu to set how moving border artifacts are handled.
Unstabilize controls in Motion The Unstabilize behavior applies movement data recorded in a Stabilize behavior, but does not perform its own tracking analysis. You can apply the Unstabilize behavior to many object types, including groups, cameras, shapes, particle emitters, and so on. For information about using the Unstabilize behavior, see Unstabilize a clip in Motion.
• Mimic Source: Allows the destination object to “mimic” the recorded track or animation source. You can preserve preexisting animation in the destination object by using the Adjust buttons (Position, Rotation, or Scale). Note: The destination object can be offset from the source object. • Align Tangents: A checkbox that, when deselected, forces tangents to remain aligned at their original angles.
• Track 1, Track 2, and so on: A list displaying the trackers in the behavior. To disable a tracker, deselect its checkbox. A deselected tracker is not analyzed. To remove a tracker, click its adjacent Remove button.
• Color: A color control to set a new color for the onscreen tracker. The default tracker color is red. A selected tracker is yellow. When a tracker is being positioned, its center crosshair is yellow and the border of its magnified inset is the color set in the color well. To adjust individual color channels, including the tracker’s opacity, click the disclosure triangle. For more information about color controls, see Use basic color controls in Motion.
• Reverse: A checkbox that, when selected, reverses the analysis direction, going from the current playhead position to the first frame of the clip (or the first frame of the tracking behavior). Note: You must move the playhead to the frame where you want the reverse analysis to begin. • Tracker Preview: A preview area (available when the Source well contains source footage) providing a magnified view of the tracking reference area for the selected tracker.
• Track Size: A slider to set (in pixels) the pattern search size for the tracker. As you adjust the tracker size, the Tracker Preview is updated to show the new pattern search size. However, there’s no visual change in the canvas tracker. Alternatively, you can adjust the Track Size parameter by Option-dragging left or right in the Tracker Preview area. • Search Size: A slider to set search area size for the tracker.
Save tracks to the Library in Motion As with all behaviors in Motion, you can save tracking behaviors to the Library. However, a tracking behavior must reference the tracked source object. Therefore, it may make more sense to save the group that contains the tracking behavior, as well as the source footage, to the Library. Save a group to the Library 1. In Motion, open the Library and select the category where you want to save the group, such as the Favorites category. 2.
Work with audio Intro to audio in Motion You can view the audio elements in your project in several places in the Motion interface. You can import audio and video files into Motion, and then adjust individual audio tracks or the overall sound mix in your project. The workflow for adding and adjusting audio tracks in Motion is similar to the basic video workflow: Motion User Guide • Add audio files to your project (or add video files that contain audio). • Select and preview specific tracks.
View audio files in Motion The Audio list, located in the Project pane, displays audio tracks in your project, as well as the Output audio track, which controls your projectʼs overall audio mix. You can adjust the settings for each track using controls in the Audio list (see Adjust audio in Motion). You can view additional information about your audio files in the Audio Timeline, in the Keyframe Editor, in the Media list, and in the Audio Track Inspector.
The Audio Timeline opens (in the Timing pane), displaying a green bar containing the waveform of the file. (If the bar does not show a waveform, adjust the height of the tracks (see Customize the Timeline in Motion). Important: In a multichannel audio file, all audio channels in the file appear in the Audio Timeline. Show waveforms in the Keyframe Editor You can also view an audio track in the Keyframe Editor, to compare the waveforms of the track to keyframe placement in your project. 1.
View individual tracks in the Keyframe Editor in a multitrack project If there are multiple audio tracks in the project, by default only the waveform of the Output audio track appears in the Keyframe Editor. Use the waveform pop-up menu to select a different track. • In Motion, click the waveform pop-up menu at the top-right side of the Keyframe Editor, then choose a track name.
• Control-click in the Audio list, choose Import Audio, locate and select an audio file, then click Import. The audio file is added to the project and appears in the Audio Timeline, Audio list, miniTimeline, and Media list (but does not appear in the Layers list). Important: Audio tracks from files with more than two tracks of audio (such as 5.1 surround audio) are imported as individual audio objects. Add an audio file from Music 1.
Add multi-channel audio from a QuickTime movie You can import multi-channel audio from QuickTime files as a single stereo track or as individual tracks. 1. In Motion, choose File > Import (or press Command-I). 2. In the dialog, select a QuickTime movie file that contains stereo or multi-channel audio tracks. 3. Click the Audio pop-up menu at the bottom of the Import Files dialog, then choose an import option: • Mix to Stereo: Imports the movie file as a single stereo track.
Edit audio Intro to audio editing in Motion There are multiple ways to edit audio in your project.
• Set how sound is distributed in the stereo field: In the Audio list, adjust the Pan dial, or, in the Audio Track Inspector or Audio Track HUD, drag the Pan slider. • Mute a track, temporarily silencing it during playback: In the Audio list, click the track’s Mute button (the speaker icon on the right side of the row). Muted audio tracks remain silent during playback, but are still part of the mix when you export your project.
Duplicate an audio track • In the Audio list in Motion, select an audio track, then do one of the following: • Choose Edit > Duplicate (or press Command-D). • Control-click the track, then choose Duplicate from the shortcut menu. The duplicate appears below the original file in the Audio list. Delete an audio track There are two ways to remove an audio track from your project. • In the Audio list in Motion, do one of the following: • Select an audio track, then press Delete.
Show the Audio Timeline In Motion, do one of the following: • Choose Window > Audio Timeline (or press Command-9). • Click the Show/Hide Audio Timeline button in the timing toolbar (above the Timeline). Slide an audio track Slide an audio track to change its position in the Timeline. In Motion, do one of the following: • In the Audio Timeline, drag an audio track’s green bar left or right.
As you drag, the pointer becomes a slip pointer, a dimmed bar representing the full range of the audio clip appears over the green bar, and a tooltip appears, showing the In and Out points of the audio clip. Note: You can only slip media that has had its In or Out points trimmed, leaving unused audio available on either side or both sides of the green bar. Trim an audio track visually Trim an audio track to reduce track length or to have it start or end at a specific point in time.
Use markers with audio in Motion When you add project markers to the Timeline, they’re visible in the ruler at the top of the Timing pane. You can use project markers to designate “hit points” as you play the project, to jump to a specific point, or to highlight points to synchronize visual and audio events. For information on adding and deleting markers, moving markers, editing marker information, and using markers, see Intro to Timeline markers in Motion.
Reset the clipping indicators On the right side of the Output audio track controls, a pair of stereo level meters displays the combined level of all audible tracks. If either of the two red dots above the level meters (called clipping indicators) illuminates during playback, your output audio levels are too high, causing distortion, known as clipping. You need to find where clipping is occurring and lower the level. Play the project and observe where the clipping indicators illuminate.
• Set the Output audio track channel: In the Audio list, click the output channel pop-up menu in the Output audio track area, then choose 5.1 Surround or Stereo. Animate audio level and pan in Motion You can use keyframes to automate level and pan changes over time. Audio keyframes for level and pan changes are visible in the Audio Timeline and Keyframe Editor.
The Level and Pan parameters are adjusted using different numeric ranges: • Level curves range from –96 to 6 with 0 equivalent to 0 dB (unity gain). • Pan curves range from –100 to 100. Because Level and Pan curves each use a different scale, it can be difficult to frame them at the same time in the Keyframe Editor. Delete an audio keyframe In Motion, do one of the following: • In the Audio Timeline, select a Level or Pan keyframe, then press delete.
5. Move the playhead to the point where you want the audio completely faded in, then do one of the following: • If you used the Record button method in previous steps, set the Level slider to the level you want. • If you used the Add Keyframe button method in previous steps, click the Add Keyframe button again, then set the Level slider to 0. A keyframe is added at the current frame. If you used the Record button method in previous steps, click the Record button again to turn off keyframe recording.
Retime audio in Motion Motion lets you retime audio tracks in your project, to speed them up, slow them down, or play them at a different speed. There are several ways to retime audio tracks: • Adjust the Timing controls in the Properties Inspector to modify an audio track’s playback speed, In and Out points, duration, and end condition (whether the track stops, loops, or “ping-pongs” back and forth).
• • Hold: The audio stops at the loop point. End Duration: Drag the slider to set the number of frames by which the track is extended at the end of its duration. This control is available only when End Condition is set to a value other than None. Change the audio track’s duration and playback speed in the Audio Timeline Motion lets you change the timing of audio tracks in the Audio Timeline.
Automate effects with audio behaviors Intro to audio behaviors in Motion You can use audio behaviors to automate common audio effects such as pans and fades, as well as create sophisticated audio-driven animations. There are three audio behaviors: • Audio Auto Pan behavior automates commonly used panning effects in an audio track. • Audio Fade In/Fade Out behavior automates the fading in and out an audio track.
• Gain: A slider that sets the target gain used for volume. Values range from –96 dB to +6 dB. • Loops: A slider that sets the number of times the auto pan effect repeats. Values range from 1 to 30. • Apply Volume: A pop-up menu that sets how audio levels change when the Auto Pan effect repeats. Choose Once Per Loop or Over Entire Duration. If you choose Once Per Loop, the Auto Pan affects audio level changes each time a loop barrier is met.
Audio parameter behavior in Motion The Audio parameter behavior performs an analysis of a specific property of an audio track, then applies an animation curve to a parameter of another object in your project based on that analysis. You can apply the Audio parameter behavior to parameters of filters, replicators, shapes, particle systems, lights, text, and even other behaviors to make your visuals pulse in sync to the beat of a soundtrack.
• Floor: A slider that sets the minimum value of audio input, below which results are ignored. Values range from 0 to 1. • Ceiling: A slider that sets the maximum value of audio input, above which results are ignored. Values range from 0 to 1. • Smoothness: A slider (available when Respond To is set to Amplitude) that sets the window size to smooth the result curve. Any value other than 0 triggers a keyframe reduction with an error tolerance of 1%. Values range from 0 to 10.
• Apply Mode: A pop-up menu that sets the method by which the audio analysis affects the curve. Choose Add, Subtract, Multiply, or Add and Subtract. • Delay: A slider that sets a delay in frames to offset the resulting keyframes. • Scale: A slider that sets the scale factor to affect the result of the audio analysis. • Apply To: A parameter assignment pop-up menu that sets the object parameter to which the audio behavior is applied.
Apply the Audio parameter behavior from the Behaviors pop-up menu 1. In the Layers list, Timeline, or canvas in Motion, select an object. 2. In the toolbar, click Behaviors, then choose Parameter > Audio. The Audio parameter behavior is applied to the selected object. However, you still need to assign a parameter to be animated and apply source audio to drive the animation. 3.
Share Motion projects Intro to sharing Motion projects Motion provides a variety of preconfigured export settings, called destinations, that you can use to output your project. For example, you can export a project as a QuickTime movie, export it for viewing on Apple devices such as iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, or export it as an image sequence. You can also export a single frame or export a single selection as a movie. Each of these options uses a different destination.
Destination Use to Apple Devices Export files for Apple devices, such as iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and Apple TV. See Export to Apple devices in Motion. Email Create an email message in the macOS Mail app and include your movie as an attachment. See Export to email in Motion. Add Destination Create your own customized destination. See Create and modify share destinations in Motion.
3. In the Settings pane of the Export Movie window, choose your preferred export settings: • Format: Choose whether to export video only or video and audio. Note: You can also select a publishing format, including Apple Devices (such as iPhone and iPad), Computer (for playback on Mac and PC), and Web Hosting (such as YouTube or Vimeo). Your choice of format determines the options in the pop-up menus below. • Video Codec: The source codec is chosen by default, but you may choose another codec.
Note: If you change the destination’s settings, the changes are saved as the default settings for the destination. See Create and modify share destinations in Motion. 4. In the Render pane of the Export Movie window, specify additional Motion-specific export options. For a description of each setting in the Render pane, see Render settings in Motion. 5. Click Next. 6. Enter a name and choose a save location for the exported file, then click Save. Share a selected object from your project as a movie file 1.
• Video Codec: The source codec is chosen by default, but you may choose another codec. • Resolution: The default frame size, defined by the Project Properties. • Color Space: The range of color used in the exported movie. The default option (“Use canvas setting”) applies your project’s color space, but you can choose a different color space. For more information about color space, see Intro to wide color gamut and HDR in Motion.
Export audio only in Motion You can export your project’s audio using the Export Audio command. You might want to do this to create a single audio file that contains a mix of all the project’s audio tracks. Note: When using Export Audio, Motion’s audio export is limited to 44.1 kHz. Share your project’s audio by itself 1. In Motion, do one of the following: • Choose File > Share > Export Audio. • On the right side of the toolbar, click Share, then choose Export Audio. 2.
• Action: Choose what you want to happen after the export is complete. See Export File destination in Motion. The default application depends on the selected Audio Format: • AAC and MP3 files open in Music. • AIFF, CAF, and WAVE files open in QuickTime. • AC3 files open in Compressor (or in the application set by the Finder as the default application for AC3 files). For more information on the Finder, see macOS Help (in the Finder, choose Help > macOS Help).
3. In the Settings pane of the Save Current Frame window, choose your preferred export settings: • Export: Choose an export file type, such as Photoshop, PNG, or TIFF. • Scale image to preserve aspect ratio: Leave this checkbox selected unless your project uses a nonsquare pixel format (such as 1440 x 1080) and you want to use the exported still image in another video project with the same nonsquare pixel properties. • Color Space: The range of color used in the exported image.
Export an image sequence in Motion You can export your project’s visuals as an image sequence—a set of sequentially numbered still-image files that are compatible with many professional finishing, compositing, and grading applications—using the Export Image Sequence command. Share your project as an image sequence 1. In Motion, do one of the following: • Choose File > Share > Export Image Sequence. • On the right side of the toolbar, click Share, then choose Export Image Sequence. 2.
• Color Space: The range of color used in the exported image sequence. The default option (“Use canvas setting”) applies your project’s color space, but you can choose a different color space. For more information about color space, see Intro to wide color gamut and HDR in Motion. • Color Channels: Choose whether to output color channels (RGB) only, or color channels plus an alpha channel (transparency). Note: Not all file types in the Export menu support an embedded alpha channel.
Export to Apple devices in Motion You can export your project for playback on an Apple device such as iPhone or iPad, or on a home theater system using Apple TV. You can use the default export settings or customize the settings to suit your needs. For information about customizing settings, see Create and modify share destinations in Motion. Share to Apple devices 1. In Motion, do one of the following: • Choose File > Share > Apple Devices.
• Resolution: Choose a frame size (for example 1920 x 1080 for HD or 3840 x 2160 for 4K). If the Motion project is a lower resolution than the setting you choose here, the exported file uses the project resolution. • Color Space: The range of color used in the exported movie. The default option (“Use canvas setting”) applies your project’s color space, but you can choose a different color space. For more information about color space, see Intro to wide color gamut and HDR in Motion.
Export to email in Motion You can create an email message in the macOS Mail app and include your movie as an attachment. Share a project using email 1. In Motion, do one of the following: • Choose File > Share > Email. • On the right side of the toolbar, click Share, then choose Email. 2. In the Info pane of the Email window, view or modify project attributes, such as the title and description. 3.
4. To specify additional Motion-specific options, click Render. See Render settings in Motion. 5. Click Share. If this is your first time sharing to email, a permissions message appears. Click OK to allow Motion access to the Mail app. After rendering is complete, the Mail app opens and an email is created with the Subject field filled in and the movie attached. Important: Many email services limit the file size for attachments.
3. In the Info pane of the share window that appears, view or modify project attributes, such as the title and description. 4. In the Settings pane of the share window, choose your preferred export settings: • Change: Click to select a different Compressor setting. • Duration: Select whether to export the entire project or a play range set in the Timeline. • Export selected layer only: Select to export a single layer selected in the project.
Create and modify share destinations in Motion In the Destinations pane of the Motion Preferences window, you can add new destinations, modify existing destinations, delete destinations, and create destination bundles, which allow you to export multiple types of output at once. You can also revert to the default set of destinations that were available when you first opened Motion. For information about sharing projects and clips from Motion, see Intro to sharing Motion projects.
2. In the Destinations pane of the Preferences window, do one of the following: • Drag a destination from the area on the right to the Destinations list on the left (or double-click a destination on the right). • Control-click a destination in the list on the left, then choose Duplicate. The new destination appears selected in the list on the left, and the settings for the destination appear on the right. 3. Specify settings for the new destination.
For descriptions of the controls in each destination, see Intro to Destinations preferences in Motion. For information on using each default destination, see the previous topics in this chapter. Here are some tips for setting up various types of destinations: • Use the Export File destination to export a movie, a single layer as a movie, or an audio file, or if you want to share to Apple devices. Choose an option from the Format pop-up menu in the Export File settings.
3. Restore a destination to its original settings: Control-click a destination in the Destinations list, then choose Revert to Original Settings. 4. Rename a destination: Double-click a destination in the list on the left, then type a new name. 5. Change the order of destinations in the list: Drag a destination to a different location in the list. For descriptions of the controls in each destination, see Intro to Destinations preferences in Motion.
Revert to the set of destinations that came with Motion 1. Choose Motion > Preferences, then click Destinations at the top of the window. 2. Control-click an empty area in the list on the left, then choose Restore Default Destinations from the shortcut menu. Any custom destinations are deleted, and the default set of destinations appears. For a list of the default destinations, see Intro to sharing Motion projects. Share destinations between Motion users 1.
Render settings in Motion When sharing a Motion project, you can choose from different Motion-specific export options to balance image quality versus rendering time. These settings are listed in the Render pane of the share window. The share window appears after you choose a destination from the right side of the toolbar (or from the File > Share submenu).
3D rendering options Use these options to choose whether 3D effects, such as lighting, shadow, and reflections, appear in your 3D project’s output. • Camera: A pop-up menu to choose the cameras used to render your project, when your project contains 3D layers. • Lighting: A checkbox that turns on lighting rendering. Turning this option off reduces rendering time (and eliminates lighting effects from the output). • Shadows: A checkbox that turns on shadow rendering.
Cancel the share • In the Background Task List in Motion, click the Cancel button next to the process you want to stop. Share notifications in Motion As you work in Motion, the macOS Notification Center provides a convenient way to receive alerts when your background share operations are complete (or have failed). These settings are controlled in macOS System Preferences. Set Motion Share alerts in macOS System Preferences 1. Choose Apple menu () > System Preferences. 2.
Video files and formats Media file formats Popular video codecs in Motion In Motion, you can use video compressed with nearly any video codec. However, it’s best to use high-quality codecs with a minimum of compression. Codecs that highly compress files, such as MPEG-4 or Sorenson, are less suitable for creating high-quality work. Not all codecs support alpha channels. Alpha channels are useful if you’re delivering an effects shot for use in someone else’s composition.
• Apple ProRes 4444 XQ: The highest-quality version of Apple ProRes for 4:4:4:4 image sources (including alpha channels), with a very high data rate to preserve the detail in high-dynamic-range imagery generated by today’s highest-quality digital image sensors. Apple ProRes 4444 XQ preserves dynamic ranges several times greater than the dynamic range of Rec. 709 imagery—even against the rigors of extreme visual effects processing, in which tone-scale blacks or highlights are stretched significantly.
MXF MXF (Material eXchange Format) is an industry standard container format for video and audio. Similar to QuickTime files, a metadata wrapper describes the media within the MXF file. This information can include frame rate, frame size, creation date, and custom data created by a camera operator, assistant, or archivist. Third-party codecs Numerous video-editing solutions use different codecs, some of which may be available for installation to encourage interoperability.
Change footage field order • In Motion, select the clip in the Media list of the Project pane, then click the Field Order pop-up menu in the Media pane of the Inspector and choose an option. Pixel aspect ratio in Motion Square versus nonsquare pixels Pixel Aspect Ratio (PAR) is the ratio of the width of a pixel to its height. When you’re preparing to import graphics into Motion, be aware of the pixel aspect ratio you’re using and whether your project requires you to work with square or nonsquare pixels.
High-resolution graphics in Motion When you need to pan and zoom in or out of an image (such as a scanned map or photograph), use a high-resolution image. There won’t be any image degradation because you typically won’t need to zoom more than 100 percent. Scaling video and still images up to more than 100 percent creates artifacts: individual pixels become noticeable, causing a stair-stepping effect on high-contrast diagonal lines.
Work smarter Intro to preferences and shortcuts in Motion This chapter covers information and techniques that will help you work more efficiently in Motion, including how to: • Customize Motion Preferences • Access all Motion menu commands • Use keyboard shortcuts • Create custom keyboard shortcuts • Use Touch Bar shortcuts • Move projects, objects, or presets to another computer • Use color and gradient controls • Learn how rasterization impacts a project • Work in wide gamut HDR • Wor
• Cache preferences in Motion affect memory management and disk usage for projects. • Canvas preferences in Motion customize your canvas view. • 3D preferences in Motion customize various aspects of working in the Motion 3D workspace. • Presets preferences in Motion set a default project type to open whenever you create a new project. • Destinations preferences in Motion create new share destinations and manage existing share destinations.
Interface • Drop Menu Delay: A slider that sets how long you must wait before the drop menu appears when dragging to the Timeline, Layers list, or canvas. The drop menu provides additional choices for editing and importing objects into the project. • Show Tooltips: A checkbox that, when selected, turns tooltips on across the application. Tooltips provide explanatory information such as names and basic usage techniques. They appear when you pause the pointer over tools and controls.
Appearance preferences in Motion Appearance preferences affect visual elements of the Motion interface. Timeline • Timebar Display: A pop-up menu that sets the Timeline display. There are three options: • Name: Displays bars in the Timeline track area by object name. • Name Plus Thumbnail: Displays bars in the Timeline track area by name and with a thumbnail image representing the first frame of the layer. This setting is the default.
Thumbnail Preview • • Background: A pop-up menu that sets the background for thumbnail previews in the Layers list when layers are partially transparent (contain an alpha channel). There are two options: • Checkerboard: Displays a checkerboard pattern over transparent pixels. • Color: Displays a solid color over transparent pixels.
Project preferences in Motion Project preferences affect project and layer duration and other project options. Default Project Settings These controls determine default values for new projects. (These settings take effect in new projects created after you quit, then reopen Motion.) To change the settings of an open project, use the Properties Inspector (press Command-J to open the Properties Inspector). • Project Duration: A value field that sets the default duration for new projects.
Still Images & Layers These settings control the default duration, placement, and size of still images and imported layers, as well as layers created in Motion, such as text, shapes, and masks. • • • Default Layer Duration: Buttons that set the duration of still images, generators, and other layers that lack an inherent duration. There are two options: • Use project duration: Sets all layers to have the same duration as the project.
Time Display These controls set how time is counted in the canvas toolbar’s timing display. • • Display Time As: A pop-up menu containing the following two items: • Frames: Shows incrementing frame numbers in the timing display. • Timecode: Shows eight-digit timecode numbers in the timing display. Frame Numbering: A pop-up menu that sets whether frame counts begin at 0 or 1. Playback Control • • Time View Updating: A pop-up menu that sets how the Timeline updates when you play a project.
Cache preferences in Motion Cache preferences affect memory management and disk usage for projects. Memory & Cache • Project Cache: A value field that specifies the percentage of your total system memory to use for the project cache. Enter a larger number to make more memory available to Motion to cache frames, to ensure consistently smooth playback. Autosave These settings control how frequently projects are saved, as well as the location of the saved files. Saved projects are time- and date-stamped.
Optical Flow Retiming When you retime footage, Motion stores the retiming files on your computer. The settings in this section specify the storage location. • Save Retiming Files: Two buttons that set the storage location of retimed footage: • In folder with source media: When enabled, this button tells Motion to save the retiming files in the same location as the source footage. • In this folder: When enabled, this button sets a custom storage location.
• • Snap Objects At Their: A pop-up menu that defines how objects are aligned with other objects when moved in the canvas. There are three options: • Center: Aligns objects at their centers. • Edges: Aligns object at their edges. • Center and Edges: Aligns objects at their centers and edges. Ruler Location: A pop-up menu the sets the position of the ruler in the canvas. There are four options: Bottom Left, Top Left, Top Right, and Bottom Right.
• • Academy Standard 4:3 • Custom Film Zone Color: Controls that set the color of the film zone guides. 3D preferences in Motion The 3D preferences affect various aspects of working in the Motion 3D workspace. General 3D • • Display Inset View: A pop-up menu that sets when the Inset view (a temporary window that displays a camera view) appears in the canvas. Inset View must be enabled in the View menu or View pop-up menu (in the upper-right corner of the canvas) for the Inset view to appear.
Presets preferences in Motion Presets preferences let you select a default project preset, which determines the settings assigned when you create a project. You can change any of these settings while you work by selecting the Project object in the Layers list, then clicking Properties in the Inspector.
Destinations preferences in Motion Intro to Destinations preferences in Motion You create and modify share destinations in the Destinations pane of Motion Preferences. The destinations in the Destinations list (on the left side of the Destinations pane) also appear in the menu that appears when you click the Share button in the toolbar. When you first open Motion, a default set of destinations appears in the Destinations list, but you can add other destinations and customize destinations.
• Duration: Sets whether to export the entire project or a play range set in the Timeline. • Export selected layer only: When selected, exports a single layer selected in the project. If no layer is selected, or if an object that does not render is selected (such as a rig, a light, or a camera), this option is dimmed. Save Current Frame destination in Motion Use this destination to export a still image of any video frame in your project.
The Export File destination includes the following settings: • Format: Sets the mastering format (Video and Audio, Video Only, Audio Only) or publishing formats, including Apple Devices (such as iPhone and iPad), Computer (for playback on Mac and PC), and Web Hosting (such as YouTube or Vimeo). Your choice of format determines the options in the pop-up menus below. • Video Codec: Sets the codec to use for the exported file. Available choices are based on the source clip or project media format.
Compressor Settings destination in Motion Use this destination to export a project using settings from Compressor, the professional transcoding application designed to work directly with Motion. Note: The Compressor Settings destination does not appear by default. To add it to the Destinations list, see Create and modify share destinations in Motion. Exporting a project with a Compressor setting provides many of the benefits of Compressor without requiring you to open your project in Compressor.
Note: Locked presets cannot be edited. If you attempt to edit a locked preset, an alert dialog appears, a duplicate copy of the preset is made, and your edits are applied to the duplicate. The Project Preset Editor contains the following settings: • Name: An editable field containing the name for the preset. • Description: A field containing descriptive text to identify the preset. You can enter your own descriptive text in this field.
• The Window menu in Motion contains controls to show and hide the panes in the Motion interface. • The Help menu in Motion provides access to resources for learning more about Motion. Note: Many commands have shortcut keys that allow you to perform the same action from the keyboard. In this chapter, these shortcuts are listed in parentheses after the command description.
File menu in Motion The File menu contains functions and commands for managing Motion files. • New: Opens either the Project Browser or a new default Motion project (if you’ve already set a default project). (Command-N) • New from Project Browser: Opens the Project Browser. (Option-Command-N) • Open: Opens a dialog to select a Motion project to open. (Command-O) • Open Recent: Opens a submenu that lists the most recently opened files. • Close: Closes the current project.
• Apple Devices: Exports your project using presets that allow you to watch it on Apple TV, or download it to iPad, iPhone, or iPod. See Export to Apple devices in Motion. • Email: Opens the Mail application and attaches your project as a rendered movie file. See Export to email in Motion. • [Custom Compressor Setting]: If you’ve created a custom Compressor setting (in the Compressor app), exports your project using that predefined export setting. See Export from Motion using Compressor.
Motion User Guide • Paste: Adds the current Clipboard selection to the project based on the current selection. This command is not available if nothing is on the Clipboard or if the contents of the Clipboard cannot be pasted to the current selection—for example, text cannot be pasted onto a keyframe.
Mark menu in Motion The Mark menu contains commands to set the beginning and end points of your objects, add markers to the Timeline, navigate through your project, and control the animation of effects. • Mark In: Sets the beginning frame of the play range to the current playhead position if no object is selected. If an object is selected, this command trims the In point for that object to the current playhead frame.
• • Project End: Moves the playhead to the last frame of the project. (End) • Play Range Start: Moves the playhead to the project In point. (Shift-Home) • Play Range End: Moves the playhead to the project Out point. (Shift-End) • Previous Frame: Moves the playhead backward by one frame. (Left Arrow) • Next Frame: Moves the playhead forward by one frame. (Right Arrow) • 10 Frames Back: Moves the playhead backward ten frames.
Motion User Guide • New Drop Zone: Adds a new drop zone to your project. Drop zones allow you to replace footage in a project by dropping clips onto the canvas. See Intro to drop zones in Motion.(Shift-Command-D) • New Rig: Adds a new rig to the project. Rigging lets you create complex animations that are easy to modify, by aggregating many separate parameters into a single control, such as a slider or pop-up menu. See Intro to rigging in Motion.
Motion User Guide • Distribute Far: Spreads the selected objects evenly between each object’s farthest point. • Distribute Near: Spreads the selected layers evenly between each object’s nearest point. • Distribute Horizontal Centers: Spreads the selected objects evenly between the leftmost and rightmost objects based on their horizontal center points. • Distribute Vertical Centers: Spreads the selected objects evenly between the topmost and bottommost objects based on their vertical center points.
• Make Particles: Uses the selected layer as a cell source for a new particle emitter. (E) • Replicate: Replicates the selected layer. (L) • Make Clone Layer: Creates a clone of the selected layer or group. See Add and remove layers and groups in Motion. • Reveal Source Media: Opens the Media list and highlights the item that corresponds with the selected object. (Shift-F) Favorites menu in Motion The Favorites menu remains empty until you create your own favorite effects.
• Active Camera: Shows the view from the active camera. Cameras added to your project appear in this list as Camera, Camera 1, Camera 2, and so on. (Control-A) • Perspective: Shows the perspective camera view. • Front: Shows the front camera view. • Back: Shows the back camera view (the view from the back of the scene). • Left: Shows the left camera view (the view from the left of the scene). • Right: Shows the right camera view (the view from the right of the scene).
• • • Red: Sets the canvas to display only the red channel as a range of black to white. (Shift-R) • Green: Sets the canvas to display only the green channel as a range of black to white. (Shift-G) • Blue: Sets the canvas to display only the blue channel as a range of black to white. (Shift-B) • Alpha: Sets the canvas to display the alpha (transparency) channel of the layers in the canvas. (Shift-A) • Inverted Alpha: Sets the canvas to display an inverted view of the alpha (transparency) channel.
• Render Color Space: Opens a submenu of color space settings that determine the appearance of images you see in the canvas. This setting also determines the color space and appearance of your exported project (the output media file) when “Use canvas setting” is selected in the Settings pane of the share window. The submenu contains the following options: • Automatic: Automatically sets the render color space based on the Color Processing parameter (in the Project Properties Inspector).
• Show Rulers: Turns display of rulers in the canvas on and off. (Shift-Command-R) • Overlays: Opens a submenu to enable or disable various indicators, guides, and grids in the canvas. The submenu contains the following options: • Motion User Guide • Grid: Turns the display of a grid on and off. You can customize the grid in the Canvas pane of Motion Preferences. (Command-Apostrophe) • Guides: Turns the display of guides on and off.
• • Motion User Guide • 3D Grid: Turns the 3D grid on and off. The 3D grid helps you stay oriented while working in 3D space and can be used to guide the placement of objects in your project. (Shift-Command-Apostrophe) • 3D Scene Icons: Turns all 3D scene icons, such as lights and cameras, on and off. Layers Columns: Opens a submenu to enable or disable the following controls in the Layers list of the Project pane: • Preview: Shows a thumbnail of the object.
Window menu in Motion The Window menu contains controls to show and hide the panes in the Motion interface. Motion User Guide • Minimize: Shrinks the active window to the Dock—equivalent to clicking the Minimize button in the upper-left corner of the window. (Command-M) • Minimize All: Shrinks the Motion project window and the viewer window (if you’re using a viewer window to preview an image or clip) to the Dock.
• Enter Full Screen: Hides the menu bar and the Dock. (Control-Command-F) • Open Project/Untitled List: Displays a list of open projects and any images that are open in a viewer window. Help menu in Motion The Help menu provides access to resources for learning more about Motion. • Motion 5 Help: Opens the Motion User Guide in macOS Help Viewer. • What’s New in Motion: Opens a window listing the latest updates to Motion (based on the version installed on your computer).
• Layers keyboard shortcuts in Motion • Library keyboard shortcuts in Motion • Media list keyboard shortcuts in Motion • Timeline keyboard shortcuts in Motion • Keyframing keyboard shortcuts in Motion • Shape and Mask keyboard shortcuts in Motion • 3D keyboard shortcuts in Motion Tip: Mission Control commands may conflict with Motion keyboard shortcuts.
Action Shortcut Cut the selection Command-X Copy the selection Command-C Paste the selection Command-V Duplicate selection Command-D Select all items Command-A Deselect all items Shift-Command-A Delete the selection Delete Minimize the active window Command-M Open Motion Preferences Command-Comma Display Page Setup dialog Shift-Command-P Hide Motion Command-H Hide other open application files Option-Command-H Quit Motion Command-Q Play/pause a project Space bar Turn on/off anim
Motion menu keyboard shortcuts Action Shortcut Open Motion Preferences Command-Comma (,) Hide Motion Command-H Hide other open application files Option-Command-H Quit Motion Command-Q File menu keyboard shortcuts in Motion Action Shortcut Create a project from the Project Browser Command-N Open a project Command-O Close a project Command-W Save a project Command-S Save a project as a new project Shift-Command-S Import a file Command-I Import files as a project Shift-Command-I Close
Action Shortcut Select all items Command-A Deselect all items Shift-Command-A Open the project’s Properties Inspector Command-J Show spelling and grammar Command-Colon (:) Find and replace Command-F Start Dictation Press Fn twice Emoji and Symbols Control-Command-Space bar Mark menu keyboard shortcuts in Motion Motion User Guide Action Shortcut Mark In point of a selected object or set the play range when no object is selected I Mark Out point of a selected object or set the play range
Action Shortcut Go to the next frame Right Arrow Go backward ten frames Shift-Left Arrow Go forward ten frames Shift-Right Arrow Go to the previous keyframe Option-K Go to the next keyframe Shift-K Go to the previous marker Option-Command-Left Arrow Go to the next marker Option-Command-Right Arrow Go to the selection In point Shift-I Go to the selection Out point Shift-O Perform a RAM preview of the play range area Command-R Perform a RAM preview of the current selection Option-Comman
Action Shortcut Lock/unlock an object Control-L Unsolo only the video portion of a file that contains video Control-Shift-S Convert a 2D group to 3D, or convert a 3D group to 2D Control-D Add an image mask to the selected object Shift-Command-M Add a keyframe (to the last modified parameter for the selected object) Control-K Convert the applied behaviors to keyframes Command-K Convert a simple shape to a complex shape (with editable control points) Option-Command-B Make the selected object t
Motion User Guide Action Shortcut Reset 3D camera view Control-R Fit the selected objects into view F Frame the selected object Shift-Command-F Focus on the selected object Control-F Show all color channels Shift-C Show the transparent channel Shift-T Show the alpha channel overlay Option-Shift-T Show the RGB channels only Option-Shift-C Show the red channel Shift-R Show the green channel Shift-G Show the blue channel Shift-B Show the alpha channel Shift-A Show the inverted alpha
Action Shortcut Show 3D overlays Option-Command-Slash (/) Show 3D grid Shift-Command-Apostrophe (’) Show the Font dialog Command-T Show the macOS Colors window Shift-Command-C Share menu keyboard shortcuts in Motion Action Shortcut Export movie Command-E Window menu keyboard shortcuts in Motion Note: By default on your Mac computer, the F1–F12 keys are assigned to Mission Control, hardware controls such as brightness, audio volume, numlock, and so on.
Action Shortcut Show/hide the Video Timeline Command-7 Show/hide the Keyframe Editor Command-8 Show/hide the Audio Timeline Command-9 Enter/exit full screen Control-Command-F Help menu keyboard shortcuts in Motion Action Shortcut Open Motion Help Shift-Command-Question Mark (?) Audio list keyboard shortcuts in Motion Action Shortcut Show/hide the Audio list Command-6 Make object active or inactive Control-T Lock/unlock an audio file Control-L Enable/disable the Solo button of a selecte
Transform tool keyboard shortcuts in Motion Action Shortcut Activate the current transform tool (when another item in the transform tools pop-up menu is selected) S Choose the Select/Transform tool Shift-S Cycle through the transform modes (press repeatedly until the transform mode you want is selected) Tab Constrain the movement of an object to the X axis or Y axis Shift-drag the object Override snapping while moving an object Command-drag the object Duplicate a selected object Option-drag the
Edit Points tool keyboard shortcuts in Motion Action Shortcut Add a point to a path Double-click the path or Option-click the path Convert a point to linear Command-click the point Convert a linear point to Bezier Command-drag the point Scale a tangent proportionally Command-drag the tangent handle Break or relink a tangent handle Option-drag the tangent handle Constrain a tangent handle to 45-degree increments Shift-drag the tangent handle Adjust a B-Spline point bias Command-drag the B-Spli
Bezier tool keyboard shortcuts in Motion Action Shortcut Select the Bezier tool B Switch between the Bezier and B-spline tools B Close shape C Add a point to the path Command-click a path Add a point to the path Double-click a path Convert a point to linear Command-click a point Create tangents on a point Command-drag a point Scale a tangent handle proportionally Command-drag a tangent handle Break or relink a tangent handle Option-drag a tangent handle Constrain a tangent handle to 45-d
Text tool keyboard shortcuts in Motion Action Shortcut Select the Text tool T Move the insertion point to the next character Up Arrow, Down Arrow, Left Arrow, or Right Arrow Move the insertion point to the next word Option-Right Arrow Move the insertion point to the previous word Option-Left Arrow Move to the beginning of a line of text Command-Left Arrow Move to the end of a line of text Command-Right Arrow Move to the beginning of a paragraph Option-Up Arrow Move to the end of a paragraph
Action Shortcut Draw a mask from its center Option-drag in the canvas Draw a mask proportionally from its center Option-Shift-drag in the canvas Snap the rotation of a mask to 45-degree increments Shift-drag a rotation handle Bezier Mask tool keyboard shortcuts in Motion Action Shortcut Select the Bezier Mask tool Option-B Switch between the Bezier Mask and B-Spline Mask tools Option-B Close the mask shape C Add a point to the path Double-click a path Add a point to the path Command-click
Transport control keyboard shortcuts in Motion Action Shortcut Play/pause a project Space bar Turn animation recording on or off A Enable/disable loop playback Shift-L Go to the start of a project Home Go to the end of a project End Go to the start of the play range Shift-Home Go to the end of the play range Shift-End Go to the previous frame Left Arrow Go to the next frame Right Arrow Go backward ten frames Shift-Left Arrow Go forward ten frames Shift-Right Arrow View option keyboar
Action Shortcut Enable/disable field rendering in the canvas Option-F Enable/disable motion blur in the canvas Option-M Show the rulers Shift-Command-R Lock the guides Option-Command-Semicolon (;) Show/hide the grid Command-Apostrophe (’) Show/hide the guides Command-Semicolon (;) Show/hide dynamic guides Shift-Command-Semicolon (;) Show/hide film zones Shift-Quotation Mark (”) Show overlays Command-Slash (/) Show/hide safe zones Apostrophe (’) Enable/disable snapping to guides N Exp
Keyframe Editor keyboard shortcuts in Motion Action Shortcut Show/hide the Keyframe Editor Command-8 Convert the applied behaviors to keyframes Command-K Fit visible curves F Layers keyboard shortcuts in Motion Motion User Guide Action Shortcut Create a group Shift-Command-N Bring an object up one level in the Layers list Command-Right Bracket (]) Send an object down one level in the Layers list Command-Left Bracket ([) Place the selected objects in a new group Shift-Command-G Ungroup a
Library keyboard shortcuts in Motion Action Shortcut Show/hide the Library Command-2 Select the first item in the sidebar or file stack Space bar Move up one item in the sidebar or file stack Up Arrow Move down one item in the sidebar or file stack Down Arrow Move left one item in the file stack Left Arrow Move right one item in the file stack Right Arrow Move up one level in the folder hierarchy of the file stack Up Arrow Media list keyboard shortcuts in Motion Action Shortcut Show/hide t
Motion User Guide Action Shortcut Enable/disable loop playback Shift-L Open the Recording Options dialog Option-A Go to the start of the play range Shift-Home Go to the end of the play range Shift-End Go to the In point of the selected object Shift-I Go to the Out point of the selected object Shift-O Go to the previous frame Left Arrow Go to the next frame Right Arrow Go backward ten frames Shift-Left Arrow Go forward ten frames Shift-Right Arrow Go to the next marker Option-Command-
Keyframing keyboard shortcuts in Motion Action Shortcut Add a point to the path Double-click a path or Option-click a path Create tangents on a point Command-drag a Bezier point Convert a point to linear Command-click a Bezier point Adjust a B-Spline point bias Command-drag a B-Spline point Switch a B-Spline point bias Command-click a B-Spline point Scale tangents proportionally Command-drag a tangent handle Break or relink a tangent handle Option-drag a tangent handle Constrain a tangent to
3D keyboard shortcuts in Motion Action Shortcut Select the 3D transform tool Q Switch the 3D transform tool between position-only and universal Comma (,) Switch the 3D transform tool between rotate-only and universal Period (.
Action Shortcut Nudge the selected objects 10 pixels Shift-Command-Up Arrow, Down Arrow, Left Arrow, or Right Arrow Add/Remove selected objects using the region box Shift-drag in the canvas Select multiple objects in a group or layer Command-click an object or objects Add to selection Shift-click an object Search and customize keyboard shortcuts Intro to the Command Editor in Motion The Command Editor shows a visual representation of your keyboard, allowing you to: • Search for keyboard shortcuts
Command Editor interface in Motion The upper half of the Command Editor displays a virtual keyboard. The lower half contains a list that sorts menu commands by group and offers a brief description of each command, along with its associated key combination, if any. The virtual keyboard is color-coded to help you identify the type of command each key performs. For example, transport commands, such as Play (press the Space bar) and Record (press A), are light blue.
When you select a command in the Command List, this pane displays a brief description of the command. Search for keyboard shortcuts in Motion Although the Command Editor is used primarily for creating new shortcuts (as described in Create custom keyboard shortcuts in Motion), it can also be used to identify existing shortcuts. Choose a key command set By default, Motion uses the Standard Set of commands, with the language choice that you specified when you set up your computer.
Search for and highlight a shortcut on the virtual keyboard You can use the Search field with the virtual keyboard to highlight keyboard shortcuts. 1. In the Command Editor in Motion, click the Keyboard Highlight button to the left of the Search field. The keyboard dims. 2. Click in the Search field and begin typing. Motion filters the Command List as you type and highlights the keys related to your search term.
The new duplicate set is saved and appears as an item at the bottom of the pop-up menu, as well as in the Motion > Commands menu (in the menu bar). Add or modify a keyboard shortcut After you duplicate a set of assigned keyboard shortcuts, you can modify the key settings to create new or modified shortcuts. 1. Using the Search field of the Command Editor in Motion, find and select the command you want to assign a keyboard shortcut to.
Import a set of shortcuts 1. In Motion, do one of the following: • In the Command Editor, click the pop-up menu in the upper-left corner, then choose Import. • Choose Motion > Commands > Import. 2. In the dialog that appears, navigate to the location where you stored a command set file, select it, then click Open. The new command set is added to the Motion > Commands submenu in the menu bar and in the pop-up menu in the Command Editor.
Motion project When a Motion project is open and no object is selected, the following controls appear in the Touch Bar: Icon Tool/Item Description Tools Opens tools for selecting and manipulating objects. See Tools, below. New Project Opens the Project Browser (if Create New Project is selected in the General pane of Motion Preferences). Import Opens a dialog for selecting media files to import into your project.
Project navigation When you tap the Project Navigation button Touch Bar. Icon , project navigation tools appear in the Tool/Item Description Close Returns you to the previous Touch Bar screen. Project Navigation bar Displays your project in a timeline bar with a playhead. Drag the playhead to navigate through your project. Drag the left end of the bar to mark a new play range In point; drag the right end of the bar to mark a new play range Out point.
Group When multiple objects are selected, the following controls appear in the Touch Bar: Icon Tool/Item Description Tools Opens tools for selecting and manipulating objects. See Tools, below. Group Nests selected objects in a group. Project Navigation Opens project navigation controls. See Project navigation. Tools When you tap the Tools button , tools for creating objects, transforming objects, and navigating the canvas appear in the Touch Bar. Not all tools are available for all objects.
Icon Motion User Guide Tool/Item Description Crop tool Activates the Crop tool, allowing you to crop a layer. Edit Points Activates the Edit Points tool, allowing you to adjust points and Bezier handles for complex masks, shapes, and motion paths. This button is displayed only when a Bezier or B-Spline shape is selected. Edit Shape Activates the Edit Shape tool, allowing you to modify the size, shape, feathering, position, or rotation of simple shapes.
Icon Tool/Item Description Freehand Mask Activates the Freehand Mask tool, allowing you to add a hand-drawn mask to a layer. Bezier Mask Activates the Bezier Mask tool, allowing you to add a mask created with Bezier points and tangent handles to a layer. B-Spline Mask Activates the B-Spline Mask tool, allowing you to add a mask created with B-Spline points to a layer. Pan Activates the Pan tool, allowing you to pan the canvas. Zoom Activates the Zoom tool, allowing you to zoom in on the canvas.
Icon Tool/Item Description Text Color Activates color picker, hue, brightness, and saturation controls. See Text color, below. Note: To affect text color, the Fill With parameter must be set to Color (in the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector). Project Navigation Opens project navigation controls. See Project navigation.
Text size When you tap the Text Size button Icon , the following controls appear in the Touch Bar: Tool/Item Description Close Returns you to the previous Touch Bar screen. Text Size slider Drag the slider to change the size of the text. Text kerning When you tap the Text Kerning button Icon , the following controls appear in the Touch Bar: Tool/Item Description Close Returns you to the previous Touch Bar screen.
Icon Tool/Item Description Hue/Swatch Color Switches between the Hue color control and Swatch color control. Drag or tap the controls to change text color. To change the color of an individual text character, select the character in the canvas (or position the text insertion point to the right of the character), then tap or drag the color control. To change the color of multiple (adjacent) text characters, select the characters in the canvas, then tap or drag the control.
2. Copy a custom saved object file (with a .molo filename extension) to the /Users/ username/Library/Application Support/Motion/Library/ folder on another computer that has Motion installed. Make sure that you also copy any imported graphics, images, or movie files used to create your custom material (such as a JPEG file used as the source for a particle emitter). After you open the project, relink to the source media files. See Reconnect offline media in the Media Inspector.
Change the color of an object using the basic Motion color controls In Motion, do one of the following: • Click the color well swatch, then pick a color from the macOS Colors window. See Use the Colors window in Motion. • Click the down arrow or Control-click the color well, then pick a color from the Motion pop-up color palette. See Use the pop-up color palette in Motion. • Click the eyedropper, then click an object of the desired color in the canvas. See Use the color eyedropper in Motion.
Use the Colors window in Motion You can use the macOS Colors window in Motion, giving you access to the familiar color pickers such as the color wheel, sliders, or pencils. The row of boxes along the bottom of the Colors window can be used to save swatches. Show the Colors window In Motion, do one of the following: • Click a color well. • Choose View > Show Colors. • Press Shift-Command-C.
Save a color to the swatch area in the Colors window 1. In the Colors window in Motion, click the magnifying glass, then click in the color picker or anywhere on the computer screen. 2. Drag the color you selected from the large swatch to a white square at the bottom of the Colors window. Colors saved in this area remain accessible across applications and restarts.
Gradient controls Intro to using the gradient editor in Motion Most attributes that can be filled with a color can also be filled with a gradient. Like color controls, gradient controls are a group of compound settings that can be expanded for more precise control. You can apply a preset gradient style, create your own custom gradient style, and save gradient styles to the Library.
Change gradient color and opacity in Motion The gradient editor is a flexible and powerful tool, allowing you to create custom styles. Change the colors in a gradient 1. In Motion, click the Gradient disclosure triangle to show the gradient editor. 2. To change the color of a color tag in the gradient editor, do one of the following: • Double-click a color tag. The Colors window appears. Use the Colors window to set a color for the tag.
Change the opacity in a gradient 1. In Motion, click an opacity tag. The Opacity slider is enabled. 2. Use the Opacity slider to change the level of transparency. The gradient transparency reflects the new opacity values. Tip: The lower the percentage of the opacity, the greater the transparency. Add or remove a color tag • In Motion, position the pointer in the lower gradient bar where you want to add the new color, then click. A new color tag is added to the gradient.
Remove a color or opacity tag from the gradient • In Motion, drag the tag away from the gradient bar. The tag is removed. Change gradient direction and spread in Motion You can reverse the direction or evenly distribute the gradient color and opacity tags. Reverse the gradient color or opacity direction • In Motion, click the reverse tags icon next to the opacity or color bar. The tags are reversed.
Change the transition midpoint between adjacent color or opacity tags • In Motion, drag the small triangle between adjacent color tags or opacity tags to change the point where one tag’s effect ends and the next tag’s effect begins. The closer the middle control is to a tag, the sharper the color or opacity transition. Note: The middle control does not appear for color or opacity tags set to Linear or Constant.
Use onscreen gradient controls in Motion Onscreen controls provide a more interactive way to edit a gradient’s attributes—color, location and value of color tags and opacity tags, and start and end points—in the canvas. You can also use onscreen controls to add color tags and opacity tags, as well as change their interpolation.
Adjust the start and end gradient positions In Motion, do one of the following: • In the canvas, adjust the Start X and Y position of the gradient by dragging the top triangle (at the end of the gradient line). • In the canvas, adjust the End X and Y position of the gradient by dragging the bottom triangle (at the end of the gradient line). • In the canvas, adjust the End X and Y position of the gradient by dragging the circle.
Basic gradient controls in Motion Most attributes that can be filled with a color can also be filled with a gradient. There are three basic gradient controls.
The narrow bottom bar (the gradient bar) controls color in the gradient. Adjust the spread of color across the gradient by dragging one of the small box-shaped color tags horizontally along the bar. Click in the gradient bar to add more color tags. Delete a color tag by dragging it away from the gradient bar. Change the value of a color tag by selecting it and choosing a color from the color well below, or by double-clicking the tag and choosing a color from the Colors window.
• • Start: Value sliders that set the start position of the gradient in the selected object. This parameter affects the gradient as a whole—colors and opacity. Clicking the disclosure triangle stacks the X and Y value sliders vertically instead of horizontally. • X: Controls the X start position of the gradient. • Y: Controls the Y start position of the gradient. End: Value sliders that set the end position of the gradient in the selected object.
Rasterization Intro to rasterization in Motion Some operations, as well as the application of specific filters or a mask, cause a group to be rasterized. When a group is rasterized, it’s converted into a bitmap image. This affects how the rasterized group interacts with other objects in the project. Rasterization affects 2D and 3D groups in different ways: • When a 2D group is rasterized, the blend modes on objects in the group no longer interact with objects outside the group.
• A small outline surrounds the rasterized group in the Layers list and Timeline. This is called a rasterization frame. Unlike vector graphics, rasterized 2D groups may lose quality when scaled if the Fixed Resolution checkbox is selected in the Group Inspector.
3D groups and rasterization The next pair of images shows the effect of rasterization on the intersection of 3D groups. In the left image, the nonrasterized example, two groups (Group A and Group B) containing rectangle shapes intersect in 3D space. In the right image, Group A is rasterized; consequently, Group A and Group B no longer intersect. How rasterization affects basic text in Motion Rasterization affects how basic text interacts with other objects in your project.
• When two 3D text objects or two 3D objects intersect with each other in a 2D group or 3D group, and you apply a filter or make blending or opacity changes to an individual object, the objects no longer intersect. • When two 3D text objects or two 3D objects intersect with each other in a 2D group, and you apply a filter or make blending or opacity changes to the 2D group, the objects still intersect.
When a group or a 3D particle emitter is rasterized, the group can no longer intersect with objects outside the group. In the following image on the left, the nonrasterized group that contains the particle emitter intersects with elements from another group (when Render Particles is set to In Global 3D). In the image on the right, a Bloom filter applied to the star particles group has triggered a rasterization, so the emitter no longer intersects with elements from another group.
How rasterization affects shadows in Motion Rasterized 3D objects do not cast shadows. If you perform an action that causes a group to be rasterized (such as modifying the group opacity or enabling the glow setting for a text object), and you still want that group to cast a shadow, you must flatten the group. Flattened groups act as 2D layers and can cast and receive shadows as long as they are embedded in a 3D group.
Color filters No Color filters cause rasterization of 3D groups. Distortion filters All Distortion filters force rasterization of 3D groups. Glow filters • Gloom • Light Rays • Outer Glow • Overdrive Keying and Matting filters • Keyer • Luma Keyer • Matte Magic Sharpen filters All Sharpen filters force rasterization of 3D groups.
• Relief • Slit Scan • Slit Tunnel • Texture Screen • Vignette • Wavy Screen Tiling filters All Tiling filters force rasterization of 3D groups. Time filters All Time filters force rasterization of 3D groups. Video filters The Deinterlace filter forces rasterization of 3D groups. Wide color gamut and HDR Intro to wide color gamut and HDR in Motion No image device is capable of capturing and displaying the full spectrum of colors visible to the human eye.
High dynamic range (HDR) Additionally, some newer imaging devices can display extra levels of brightness in each color component (red, green, and blue) in a way that more closely reproduces how the human eye perceives contrast. These high-dynamic-range (HDR) displays typically process video at 10 bits per color component rather than 8 bits.
Generally, your render color space should match your output color space (the color space you’re required to deliver the project in). If you’re rendering to multiple output color spaces, your render color space should match the output color space with the largest gamut. For more information, see HDR and Wide Color Gamut in Final Cut Pro. Use wide-gamut HDR color processing in Motion You can choose between two basic color spaces in Motion: standard and wide-gamut HDR.
Note: When you set Color Processing to Wide Gamut HDR, HDR Rec. 2020 PQ is set by default. To change the project’s render color space, see the third task, below. 5. Set the resolution (width and height), projection type, field order, aspect ratio, frame rate, and default duration for your custom project. See Project Properties Inspector controls in Motion. 6. Click Open. A new, untitled Motion project opens using the custom properties you specified. Set the color processing for an existing project 1.
Note: When you set Color Processing to Wide Gamut HDR, HDR Rec. 2020 PQ is set by default. To change the project’s render color space, see the next task. Set the render color space for a project You can choose any of several render color space options for your project.
By default, when you export a project, it’s rendered using the Render Color Space setting. However, you can override this setting in the Settings pane of the share window by choosing an option from the Color Space pop-up menu. See Intro to sharing Motion projects. Tip: You can switch the appearance of a project in the canvas (and the appearance of a project when exported). For example, if you’re working in wide-gamut Rec. 2020 and plan to export to a standard-gamut Rec.
Motion automatically turns off tone mapping to provide the maximum color and brightness accuracy for HDR media playback on the Pro Display XDR. View HDR media on an SDR display To display HDR media in Motion on an SDR display, you can activate tone mapping. This setting can also be used with an HDR display that’s not capable of reproducing professional broadcast-quality images. 1. In Motion, open a wide-gamut HDR project. 2.
• HLG to PQ (Rec. 2100): Apply this setting to HLG clips in PQ projects to maintain the brightness at a level you set in the Peak Brightness slider (in accordance with Rec. ITU-R BT.2100-1). • PQ to HLG (Rec. 2100): Apply this setting to PQ clips in HLG projects to maintain the brightness at a level you set in the Peak Brightness slider (in accordance with Rec. ITU-R BT.2100-1).
The options vary depending on the selected file. Rec. 601, Rec. 709, and Rec. 2020, Rec. 2020 HLG, and Rec. 2020 PQ are available for most files. For more information about controls in the Media Inspector, see Source media controls in Motion. Choose wide-gamut HDR colors in Motion When you create content within Motion, such as text, shapes, or generators, you can pick high-dynamic-range (HDR) colors to better integrate the objects into wide-gamut HDR projects.
Display HDR luminance values in Motion Motion can display dynamic luminance values (in nits) in the status bar. Important: Luminance values only appear in the status bar when your project’s Render Color Space is set to HDR Rec. 2020 PQ. 1. In Motion, choose Motion > Preferences (or press Command-Comma). 2. Click Appearance. 3. In the Status Bar area, select Color. 4. Close Preferences. 5. Choose View > Render Color Space > HDR Rec. 2020 PQ.
• You can use the HDR Tools filter to convert between color spaces and HDR standards, or to limit the brightness of a clip to a specific level. See HDR Tools filter in Motion. • You can fix missing or incorrect color space metadata using the Color Space Override pop-up menu in the Media Inspector. See Adjust HDR media in Motion. • Generally, your render color space should match your output color space (the color space you’re required to deliver the project in).
Glossary alpha channel Ordinary video clips and image files have three channels of color information: red, green, and blue. Many video and image file formats also support an additional alpha channel, which contains information defining areas of transparency. An alpha channel is a grayscale channel where white represents areas of 100 percent opacity (solid), gray regions represent translucent areas, and black represents 0 percent opacity (transparent).
destination A set of preconfigured export settings that you can use to share a project from Motion. Destinations make it easy to export a project as a movie, as an image sequence, as a single frame, or to export using the Compressor app. Motion comes with a variety of preconfigured destinations, and you can also modify destinations and create new destinations. You add and modify destinations in the Destinations pane of Motion Preferences.
PQ (Perceptual Quantizer) A high-dynamic-range (HDR) transfer function that relates image signal values to absolute light levels produced by a display. PQ is standardized in SMPTE ST 2084 and is one of the two supported transfer functions in the ITU-R Rec. 2100 standard for HDR video. PQ is used in formats such as HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision. Project Browser A window that appears when you create a new project or open an existing project.
transcode To convert a media file to a different format or change its properties. All media files use a format. Video format examples include Apple ProRes, H.264, HDV, and MPEG4. Video files also have a variety of properties, such as video frame size and frame rate, data rate, and audio sample rate. Compressor, an Apple app designed to work with Motion, makes transcoding media files a fast and easy process. transport controls Controls in the timing toolbar (under the canvas toolbar) for project playback.
Apple Inc. © 2021 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Use of the “keyboard” Apple logo (Option-Shift-K) for commercial purposes without the prior written consent of Apple may constitute trademark infringement and unfair competition in violation of federal and state laws.
