Open Motion 4 Projects with Motion 3

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.

Motion 4 Fast Forward Has Arrived

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: Turning Illustrator Paths into Motion Shapes

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.

Final Cut Studio at MacWorld 2010

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.

How to Cheat in Motion

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. 

MacBreak Studio: The Link Behavior

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. 

MacBreak Studio: Credit Tools in Motion 4

Back on MacBreak Studio, I talk with Steve Martin about the new credit tools in Motion 4. See it in iTunes here or on the web here. For more info on Motion 4, check out Rippletraining.com.

MBS: Text Styling and Animation in Motion 4

On MacBreak Studio, I talk with Steve Martin about the new text styling and animation tools in Motion 4. Watch it in iTunes here or on the web here.

Learn Motion at AVP and Save $100

I'll be teaching a 2-day in-depth class on Motion 4; Larry Jordan, Phillip Hodgetts, Bruce Nazarian, and Frank Rohmer will also be teaching sessions. Great conference & training workshop Jan 28-30 2010 in LA. Use promo code "MOTIONMAN" to save when you register. Details here.

MacBreak Studio: The Framing Behavior in Motion 4

I return to MacBreak Studio, where I talk with host Steve Martin about the new camera framing behavior and a few other useful commands in Motion 4. Watch it on iTunes here or on the webhere. If you want to learn about my Motion 4 Up and Running tutorial, that's here.

Motion 4 Up and Running

After months of effort, we are happy and proud to announce that my newest tutorial, Motion 4 Up and Running, is shipping through Ripple Training. 

Learn how to work with lights that cast realistic shadows, control your cameras with new framing and focus behaviors and reflect objects onto surfaces and other objects in your scenes. Learn how Motion's new text tools make formatting and animating text easier than ever. 

You'll also learn how to create custom transitions called alpha transitions, which you can use in Final Cut Pro 7. We've included hundreds of tips and techniques that you can instantly put to work in your projects! 

Finally, we’ve included over 50 project files you can use for following along or modify for your own projects.  This tutorial is available for download in iTunes and sells for $49.00. 

This tutorial is for folks who are familiar with Motion 3. If you aren’t yet comfortable with Motion 3, we are offering a very attractive bundle price for both Motion 3 Fast Forward and Motion 4 Up and Running. 

For much more info including sample movies, click here. Please let me know what you think!

MacBreak Studio: Depth of Field in Motion 4

On MacBreak Studio, Alex and I continue our discussion of new features in Motion 4, this time with a “focus” on Depth of Field. See it on iTunes here or on the web here.

Boris Continuum Review

Zak Peric, who’s site contains some interesting Motion tutorials, reviews Boris’ FxPlug-based plug-in package of effects for Final Cut and Motion here. Boris’ product page is here.

Pro Studio World Tour

See for yourself - dates and locations here.

MacBreak Studio: Using Shadows in Motion 4

Learn about how to turn on and adjust shadows in Motion 4. See it on iTunes here or on the web here.

Motion 4 on MacBreak Studio

My first of a series of MacBreak Studio episodes covering the new features of Motion 4 - this one introduces reflections. See it on iTunes here or on the web here.

My New Book - Free Chapter

Should start shipping within the week. Click the picture above or click here to read about it; or, you can download a free chapter, complete with media and projects, click here.

CoreMelt V2 Upgrade with Free Plugins

CoreMelt has released an upgrade to its V2 package of plugins, V2.2, which is a free upgrade to all V2 users and includes 13 new plugins. Not bad guys. Check it out here.

New Final Cut Studio with Motion 4

Just announced today. Includes updates to Final Cut Pro, Motion, Soundtrack Pro, Color, and Compressor. Apple’s page is here. We have created 19 free movies covering all the new features which you can see here. Great upgrade price too. 

Motion 4 has some great new features, including 3D shadows, reflections, depth of field, a new linking behavior, new text tools, and more. Check it all out here. 

And here is a review of Motion 4 by Franklin McMahon in millimeter magazine.

Particle Metrix Plugin

Particle Metrix from Idustrial Revolution (no, that’s not a typo) is a new plugin that lets you create all kinds of particle-based transition effects. Check it out here.