5

Many filters produce different results when applied to a group, rather than individual
layers in a group, as shown in the images below.
Filter applied to group Filter applied to each layer in group
Background of a Project
Two parameters in a project’s Properties Inspector affect the background color of a project
and how a composition appears when exported out of Motion. (To open a project’s
Properties Inspector, choose Edit > Project Properties).
Background Color: Use this color well to set the color appearing in the Canvas when no
other object obscures the background.
Note: To export a project with a premultiplied alpha channel, Motion always renders
against black.
Background: Use this pop-up menu to set whether the background color is rendered as
part of the alpha channel. If set to Solid, the background color creates a solid alpha
channel. If set to Transparent, the background color does not render as part of the alpha
channel. In either case, the background color is visible in the Canvas.
Selecting Layers and Groups in the Layers List
To reorganize layers and groups in a project, you must select which ones to move. This
section covers the methods to select layers in the Layers list.
To select one layer or group
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Click a layer or group in the Layers list.
Doing so deselects all other selected objects.
Note: Selecting a group does not also select the layers nested underneath it. However,
operations performed on a selected group also affect layers nested in it.
To select multiple contiguous layers or groups
Do one of the following:
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Shift-click any two layers in the Layers list.
Doing so selects both layers, and all layers in between.
237Chapter 6 Creating and Managing Projects