This problem has been around for many months now. It appears that there is no one single, simple solution so I’m attempting here to list what seem to be the most likely fixes. If you get this dialog, read through these and try them out.

One cause of this issue: if you upgraded from Tiger to Leopard using the Archive and Install method, you are now missing a critical framework that didn’t get copied over in the installation process. This is Apple’s fault, not yours, but you have to deal with it. Here’s how it’s described by “specialcase” on Apple’s Motion forum:

“The Leopard Migration Assistant appears to copy over all the Pro Apps-dependent frameworks in the /Library directory, but it does not copy over the contents of /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks, which is where Helium gets installed. Since Helium would then be lost in an "Archive and Install" OS installation, you'd need to get it back.”


First, make sure it’s actually fixable. It’s possible for anyone to force Motion to crash and come up with this error message by using large vector artwork. For the details, see this article by Peter Wiggings. Thanks to Peter for all his hard work to figure this out.

If you aren’t using large vector artwork and you are still getting this message, you can read through this long, convoluted thread, or I’ve gone through and picked out the most relevant parts and listed them here.



Method #1:

Just download the ProAppsUpdate2007-02 and install. If this fixes things, great. Works for some folks, not for others. See below on where to get it. If it doesn’t work, proceed with Method 2 or Method 3.

Method #2:

Basically, you have reinstall Motion in a very specific way, and THEN reinstall the updates.. It’s CRITICAL that before reinstalling your first delete your current Motion application files, AS WELL AS the library receipts located in Root/Library/Receipts - just the Motion.pkg and the update files, as pictured above. Note: you don’t have to reinstall all of Final Cut Studio, nor do you have to reinstall the Motion content - just the application. It doesn’t take very long at all.

After you reinstall Motion 3.0.0 from your disk, you should run the updates IN THIS ORDER:

1. ProAppsUpdate2007-01
2. ProAppsUpdate2007-02
3. Motion302Update

You have to install the first two ProApps update before applying ANY of the .0.2 FCS updates.




You can find the ProApps updates here. You’ll need your Final Cut Studio serial number. IMPORTANT: if running the updater doesn’t work, trying opening the installer package and running the updates individually.

1) Manually download the ProApps updates.
2) Right-click to open the contents of ProApplications update.
3) Open the "Contents" folder and find the "Packages" folder.
4) Try installing each of the 6 packages. Not all of the packages can be installed:

AppleHDVCodec.pkg: not allowed
AppleProRes422.pkg: allowed
Helium.pkg: allowed
IMXCodec.pkg: not allowed
PluginManager.pkg: allowed
ProAppsEffects.pkg: allowed

If you are running Motion 3, you may only need the 2007-02 package.

If you are running Motion 2, then try the same fix, but by downloading just the 2007-01 package instead.

Method #3:

Here is another way without doing a complete re-install:

1. Pay for and download Pacifist.
2. Put your Final Cut Studio install dvd in the drive.
3. Drag the installer icon onto the pacifist icon.
4. Click "skip" for all the media content. You will see a list of all the install packages on the DVD.
5. Select this one: "Contents of MotionGroup".
6. Click the "install" button in the upper left of the window.
7. Only the motion installer will execute and replace all the frameworks, components etc in your library.

The reason that a fresh install does not work, is that the installer assumes an "upgrade" and leaves the original files
in the various library directories alone. These files must be replaced and pacifist will save you about a day's worth of re-installs.


Finally, the newer Prokit update (4.5) in combination with Motion 3.0.2 seems to be fixing this problem for many people.



But now Compressor doesn’t work!!!

If your Motion fix broke Compressor, you’ll need to follow the directions in this Apple article. The fix involves reinstalling BOTH Motion and Compressor. Yes, a pain. But it doesn’t take that long.

If you launch Motion and get this dialog, where there are no project presets in the Preset pop-up list, then I’m sorry, but you’ll have to reinstall both Motion and Compressor, first deleting a buch of files. To do so, carefully follow this Apple article.

If you find that your Utility Pane (the window that contains the File Browser, Library, and Inspector) is gone and you can’t get it back, trashing your preferences file is sure to bring it back.

To do so:

1) Quit Motion.
2) Navigate to User/Library/Preferences
3) Locate com.apple.motion.plist and delete it

Restart Motion, and you should be back in business.

If you're specifically missing the filters, they should be located at /Library/Application Support/ProApps/Internal Plug-Ins/FxPlug/Filters.bundle. Here are a few solutions I have seen if you find your filters are missing:

1) cmd + i on motion app
2) In the Plug-is tab add : HD/Library/application support/ProApps/Internal Plug-ins/FXPlug.
3) close and open motion.

Another possibility is

1) cmd + i on motion app
2) In the plug-in tab delete: Filters.bundle
3) In the Plug-in tab add : HD/Library/application support/ProApps/Internal Plug-ins/FXPlug.
3) close and open motion.

Or:

You could copy the FxPlug folder from another Motion 3 installation and put it in this location on the one having the problem, deleted the pref file in your user account just to refresh everything and all filters should show up.

If you upgraded from Tiger to Leopard using the Archive and Install method, you are now missing a critical framework that didn’t get copied over in the installation process. This is Apple’s fault, not yours, but you have to deal with it. Here’s how it’s described by “specialcase” on Apple’s Motion forum:

“The Leopard Migration Assistant appears to copy over all the Pro Apps-dependent frameworks in the /Library directory, but it does not copy over the contents of /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks, which is where Helium gets installed. Since Helium would then be lost in an "Archive and Install" OS installation, you'd need to get it back.”

To do so, you’ll need to try some of the same options outlined in the entry below about “The Dreaded Ozone Warning”.



Method #1:

Just download the ProAppsUpdate2007-02 and install. If this fixes things, great. Works for some folks, not for others. See below on where to get it. If it doesn’t work, proceed with Method 2 or Method 3.

Method #2:

Basically, you have reinstall Motion in a very specific way, and THEN reinstall the updates.. It’s CRITICAL that before reinstalling your first delete your current Motion application files, AS WELL AS the library receipts located in Root/Library/Receipts - just the Motion.pkg and the update files, as pictured above. Note: you don’t have to reinstall all of Final Cut Studio, nor do you have to reinstall the Motion content - just the application. It doesn’t take very long at all.

After you reinstall Motion 3.0.0 from your disk, you should run the updates IN THIS ORDER:

1. ProAppsUpdate2007-01
2. ProAppsUpdate2007-02
3. Motion302Update

You have to install the first two ProApps update before applying ANY of the .0.2 FCS updates.




You can find the ProApps updates here. You’ll need your Final Cut Studio serial number. IMPORTANT: if running the updater doesn’t work, trying opening the installer package and running the updates individually.

1) Manually download the ProApps updates.
2) Right-click to open the contents of ProApplications update.
3) Open the "Contents" folder and find the "Packages" folder.
4) Try installing each of the 6 packages. Not all of the packages can be installed:

AppleHDVCodec.pkg: not allowed
AppleProRes422.pkg: allowed
Helium.pkg: allowed
IMXCodec.pkg: not allowed
PluginManager.pkg: allowed
ProAppsEffects.pkg: allowed

If Motion crashes and gives you a warning that includes the word “Ozone”, see “The Dreaded Ozone Warning” entry above.

If it crashes with no warning, first try trashing your preferences file. If that doesn’t work, you’ll need to try the options listed in “The Dreaded Ozone Warning” post.

Don’t know how to trash your preference file? It’s easy.

1) Quit Motion.
2) Navigate to User/Library/Preferences
3) Locate com.apple.motion.plist and delete it

Restart Motion, and you should be back in business.

If you are seeing major delays every time you click on something it may be that a WMV file in a folder on your desktop is causing the problem. Or, do you get a dialog when you launch Motion that says "Importing Flip4Mac" and then Motion crashes? If you have Flip4Mac installed and you have a WMV file on the desktop, you may see extremely sluggish behavior or crashing.

One solution is to remove any WMV files from any folders on your desktop.

Another is to go to the Preference pane for Flip4Mac and enable "Open Local Files Immediately"

For more information, see this link.

These tips are courtesy of Patrick Sheffield, a frequent contributor to Apple's Motion forum and all around great guy:

1) If you're using Ram Preview, clear it periodically.
2) Keep your render quality at Draft or Good until the very end.
3) Text is especially draining of resources in Motion 3. Turn off layers you've finished with to improve performance while you work in other areas.
4) Definitely turn off Timeline and Layer thumbnails.
5) Don't have any layer selected when playing - the thumbnail for the Inspector Tab has to be generated when you stop.

I also wrote an article on the same subject over at ProVideoCoalition, which you can check out here.

If you turned on motion blur in Motion (option-M) and then import that Motion project into Final Cut Pro, you won't see the motion blur unless your render settings are set to Best Quality. With the sequence selected (in FCP), go to Sequence > Settings, then go to the Render Control tab. Change the Motion Template and Project Quality to Best. Note: I usually recommend against these settings as they can make renders take an extremely long time and can even introduce render errors.