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Using Motion Templates in Apple Final Cut Pro, Part 2

Feb 2, 2010 12:00 PM, By Jan Ozer

Projects from scratch in Motion

Start by running Motion or creating a new project. Just so we're all on the same page, choose the DVCPRO HD 720p30 project preset. We're going to be creating a 10-second introduction to a video, so the 300-frame duration is fine. Specifically, we're going to insert a fancy background and add a cool gadget and then some funky text. Don't sweat; we'll be done in no time.

Let's get our interface looking the same. Press F5 to open the Project pane, and F6 to open the Timing pane. Now let's add the background. In the Utility pane on the upper left, click the Library tab, then Content on the left, then Backgrounds on the right. Scroll down and choose Chalkboard Scratchy. Note that a preview of the background appears in the preview window at the top of the Library pane, which you can play via the play icon to the right of the preview window. To the right of that play icon is the Apply button, which you should click now to add the background to the project.

Note that Motion will insert the background at the location of the playhead, which should be at frame 1. If you've moved it, click Home to return it to the start of the project before inserting the background. Then click the play button to view the background. Pretty fancy, eh?

That's the background. Now we want to add our cool gadget, which we want to appear about 2 seconds into our 10-second intro. To accomplish this, drag the playhead in the Timeline to 60 frames. We're going to use one of the fun gadgets in the Motion library, but you could include a logo or other graphic element instead. Take a moment to grasp the epiphany: To make an object appear 2 seconds in, drag the playhead to 2 seconds in and then add the object—pretty much just like you would in Final Cut Pro, but with access to an incredible library of content, behaviors, and effects.

Now let's find the gadget. Return to the Utility pane on the upper left, click the Library tab, then Content on the left, then Gadgets on the right. Scroll down and find the Broken Clock, then click Apply as before.

Motion inserts the Broken Clock. Note that once it's inserted, a bounding box appears around the clock, which you can use to move and resize the clock. Press the shift key to keep the resizing proportional, then make the clock smaller and drag it over to the left side of the Canvas so your project looks like Figure 10.

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