AppleMotion.net

Alpha Transitions Volume 1 is a collection of 36 professionally-designed Alpha Transitions that can be used royalty free in any Final Cut Pro 7 project. Each of our alpha transitions were designed in 1920x1080 and output using Apple's ProRes codec. They can be used in any HD or SD widescreen sequence. We also include a tutorial that explains how to work with and modify them in Final Cut Pro 7.

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I talk with Brian Gary about how to make a keyboard shortcut for any action you perform in Motion. Watch it on iTunes here or on YouTube here.

Having trouble getting an exact color match to a logo or corporate colors? Here's the solution. Click on the video after playback starts to watch it on YouTube in HD.

I talk with Alex Lindsay about Cinema 4D version 11.5 and it's great new support for Motion. See it on iTunes here or on the web here.

I talk with Brian Gary about the different export options in Motion, including the new Share command. See it on iTunes here or on the web here.

Steve Martin and I have just released our latest HD Designer Template - check it out here.

I talk with Brian about a trick to make your camera moves much more flexible. See it on iTunes here or on YouTube here.

A quick tip since I see a lot of folks asking this question. Sorry the video is a little cut off, I need to fix my template. Best is to watch in HD on YouTube by clicking anywhere in the movie after it starts playing, or just click here.

I talk with Brian Gary about Motion keyboard shortcuts that I use on a daily basis to speed up my workflow. See it directly here or in iTunes here.

Motion 4 makes it easy to create scrolling credits by simply importing an RTF file and applying the scrolling text behavior. However, thing may not line up properly. This short video shows you how to make everything work nicely. You may want to click on the video to watch it in HD on YouTube. Oh, and if you subscribe to my site on the right, I'll send you a free RTF scrolling credits template for your next project to make things even easier.

With the release of version 11.5, Cinema 4D now supports the exporting of lights, cameras, and object location data to Motion - allowing you to easily integrate true 3D objects and scenes into your motion graphics compositions. This short video explains the basic workflow.

On MacBreak Studio Episode #64, Brian asks me to triage his 3D Motion project for SpeedFreaks. See it on the web here or on iTunes here.

Want to take the keyframes you've created on one object in Motion and apply them to another? You can copy-paste, but that may not be the best solution. Here's a short video showing three different approaches.

Last night I had the opportunity to be a guest lecturer at Expression College for Digital Arts. The class is about creating live digital performance art, and I discussed how to use Motion's MIDI and Audio parameter behaviors to create audio-driven animation. What I love about teaching is that I get some focussed experimentation time when I prepare - Motion's audio behavior is fantastically powerful and I found some great new ways to animate with it. I highly recommend you check it out yourself. You can find a little primer video here.

Yes, you can open a Motion 4 project in Motion 3. It’s actually quite easy: 

1) Launch TextEdit 
2) Choose File > Open, navigate to the Motion 4 project file, and open it. 

It opens in TextEdit and looks like this: 

3) Change version="4.0" to version="3.0"
4) Save 

That’s it! Your Motion 4 project will now open in Motion 3. Of course, any Motion 4 features, such as reflections, shadows, depth of field, or new behaviors won’t work, but all Motion 3 features should work fine.

Just released today, my Motion 4 Fast Forward tutorial is the most comprehensive, in-depth, project-driven training on the market. If you want to learn Motion, this is the tutorial you should buy. It includes over 4 hours of training on all aspects of the application. If you already own Motion 3 Fast Forward, you can upgrade to Motion 4 Fast Forward for half price. Get all the details and see sample movies for the iTunes version here or for the DVD version here.

MacBreak Studio: I talk with Brian Gary about how to take a path created in Adobe Illustrator and use a free little script to turn it into a Motion Shape so that you can use Motion’s shape parameters to modify it and shape behaviors to animate it. Watch it on iTunes here or on the web here. If you just want the script, that’s here.

I'll be presenting a 2-day Introduction to Final Cut Studio at MacWorld in February. The session is for folks who may have been editing with Final Cut Pro for awhile but haven't had the opportunity to explore the other applications that are part of Studio: I discuss workflow and uses for Soundtrack Pro, Color, Motion, DVD Studio Pro, and Compressor. For more info, click the link above or click here.

My friend and fellow Motion aficionado Patrick Sheffied has been working on a Motion book and it is finally out - and it is unique and amazing. If you want to learn how to use Motion in ways you never dreamed of (I promise you), you must get his book. 

I talk with Alex Lindsay about Motion 4's new Link parameter behavior that allows you to drive the animation of one parameter with that of another. Check it out on iTunes here or on the web here.