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Tip #932: Where Motion Stores Custom Effects

… for Apple Motion

Tip #932: Where Motion Stores Custom Effects

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

Storage locations are set by default, but you still have a lot of control.

This dialog determines effect name and storage location.

Topic $TipTopic

When you create a custom effect, transition, generator or title in Motion, where does it get stored?

While you determine the category in which a new effect is stored, Motion saves all effects in:

[ Home Directory ] > Movies > Motion Templates.

Inside that folder are folders for the five different groups:

  • Compositions
  • Effects
  • Generators
  • Titles
  • Transitions

Within each of these group folders are different category folders.

EXTRA CREDIT

  • You can move effects from one location to another within the same group (i.e. titles) simply by dragging.
  • To remove an effect, make sure FCP X and Motion are not running, then drag the effect you no longer want to the trash. This removal does not affect any clips to which this soon-to-be-deleted effect is applied.
  • You can duplicate an effect to share with different categories within the same group (i.e. titles),  but you can’t move an effect between groups (i.e. move a title into generators). It won’t work..

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Tip #933: An Easier Way to Time Audio

… for Apple Motion

Tip #933: An Easier Way to Time Audio

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

The audio timeline displays timing and location of individual audio clips.

Individual audio clips are displayed in the timeline when this icon is clicked.

Topic $TipTopic

I’ve written before that working with audio in Apple Motion is a frustrating experience. However, this hidden interface makes finding and timing multiple audio clips a lot easier.

On the right side of the timeline is a speaker icon. (Indicated by a red arrow. However, I moved the icon from the right corner so it would fit into this screen shot.) Click it to display the audio timeline.

The timeline now displays all imported audio clips and allows you to adjust placement and timing, as well as add behaviors and audio filters.

If you have struggled to control your audio, this hidden portion of the timeline will make a big difference.

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Tip #939: 25 After Effects Tips

… for Visual Effects

Tip #939: 25 After Effects Tips

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

25 tips to turn the beginning user into a power user.

(Image courtesy of NoFilmSchool.com.)

Topic $TipTopic

This article, written by Jason Boone, first appeared in NoFilmSchool.com. This is an excerpt.

The world of motion graphics can be a bit daunting if you’re just getting started. The shortcuts listed below are geared to help you become more comfortable working in the wonderful world of Adobe After Effects. These tips and tricks focus on a wide range of topics—learn how to more efficiently navigate the workspace, work with keyframes, customize the interface, and properly handle layers.

In addition to listing the 25 tips, Jason provides details on what each does, along with a video illustrating how they are used.

The article link at the top takes you to the right spot.

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Tip #926: The Benefits of Compound Clips

… for Apple Final Cut Pro X

Tip #926: The Benefits of Compound Clips

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

Compound clips are one way to nest one timeline into another.

A compound clip is indicated by this icon. (Image courtesy of Anne Gibson.)

Topic $TipTopic

Most of the time, when you make changes to a clip in the timeline, it does not change the source clip in the Browser or any other iterations of the source clip in the timeline. With one exception…

That exception is a compound clip.

Apple’s Help files state: “Compound clips can contain video and audio clip components, clips, and other compound clips. Effectively, each compound clip can be considered a mini project, with its own distinct project properties. Compound clips function just like other clips: you can add them to your project, trim them, retime them, and add effects and transitions. Icons appear on compound clips in the browser and the timeline.

Compound clips have many uses. You can:

  • Simplify a complicated project by creating a separate compound clip for each major section.
  • Sync a video clip with one or more audio clips and then combine the clips into a compound clip, to avoid inadvertently moving them out of sync.
  • Open any clip, edit its contents in the timeline, and then close it.
  • Quickly create a compound clip containing the clips in an event, based on the browser sort order.
  • Use a compound clip to create a section of a project with settings different from those of the main project.

Compound clips have the following characteristics:

  • You create compound clips in the browser or in the timeline.
  • Every compound clip in the timeline has a “parent” compound clip in the browser.
  • When you edit the contents of any compound clip, you are in fact editing the parent compound clip from the browser. Any changes you make to the compound clip are inherited by all of its child clips. For example, if you delete a title clip from the contents of a parent compound clip, the title clip is deleted from all child clips.

To create a compound clip, select one or more clips in the Browser or Timeline, then choose File > New > Compound Clip or type Option + G.

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Tip #916: 10 Books to Spur Your Creativity

… for Random Weirdness

Tip #916: 10 Books to Spur Your Creativity

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

Creativity is more than technology. These books can help.

Perfume book cover.

Topic $TipTopic

James Thomas, writing for RitualMusic.com, created a collection of essential books for filmmakers. Not one talks about technology; instead, each inspires creativity.

As he was creating this list, he was reminded of a sentiment from an old college professor: “You can’t always tell if someone has gone to college, but you can always tell if they read.”

Here is his collection of ten books that will help prime your creative faculties with inspiration and plenty of literary nutrition.

  1. Stoner by John Williams
  2. Perfume by Patrick Süskind
  3. Last Exit to Brooklyn by Hubert Selby Jr.
  4. Chelsea Girls by Eileen Myles
  5. Colossus of Maroussi by Henry Miller
  6. Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino
  7. The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson
  8. A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
  9. Journey to the End of the Night by Louis-Ferdinand Céline
  10. The Easter Parade by Richard Yates

NOTE: His description of each book is poetry in itself, plus, he provides links to purchase each book on Amazon.

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Tip #917: Promote Your Blog on Social Media

… for Random Weirdness

Tip #917: Promote Your Blog on Social Media

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

Not all social media is alike. Here are some tips to enable your messaging.

Image courtesy of Cision.com.

Topic $TipTopic

Cision, formerly PRNewsWire, has a blog focused on journalists which I tend to read fairly regularly.

Recently, they discussed “How to promote your blog content across social media platforms.”

Before you start, it is important to know who and where your audience is. “Once you have an understanding of where you have the best chance of getting in front of your readers, you can plan the type of content that’s going to appeal to them on that particular platform.”

Then, the article describes specific techniques for:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram

It wraps up with a discussion on when to schedule your posts and an info-graphic that summarizes everything.

Read it at the link above.

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Tip #918: Types of Lighting for a Film Set

… for Random Weirdness

Tip #918: Types of Lighting for a Film Set

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

Nothing says every scene in your film needs to be lit by the same lights.

A tungsten light, with barndoors, in operation.

Topic $TipTopic

Anthony Najera, writing for Shutterstock.com, created a breakdown of the different types of lights you might see on a film set. This is an excerpt.

“What’s the H.M.I. Roger Deakins is always talking about? Do people still use tungsten lights? Should I use LEDs in this scene or fluorescent? There are a ton of different types of lighting on a film set, each with their own qualities, pros, and cons. Let’s take a look.”

  • Fire. Lighting a scene with fire creates a beautiful aesthetic, as well as an element of caution.
  • Tungsten lights. If we’re going by age, next up is the tungsten category. Tungsten lights have been used to make movies for as long as movies have been made. Tungsten lights are easily recognizable as “movie making lights.”
  • HMI (Hydrargyrum Medium-Arc Iodide). Hmm… I didn’t know HMI stood for “hydrargyrum”… HMIs are much larger in size in comparison to their tungsten-equivalent wattage light. The HMI dwarfs the tungsten in size.
  • Fluorescent. With advancements in tech comes improvement in efficiency. Fluorescent lights are super efficient, especially when compared to a tungsten light. A 60W fluorescent could match the output of a 650W tungsten. With this low power consumption comes less heat.
  • LED (Light Emitting Diode). LEDs take the power consumption and heat improvements of fluorescent to the next level. LEDs are highly efficient and run basically cool to the touch. You don’t have to worry about these lights heating up a room because you ran them for hours.

EXTRA CREDIT

The article, linked above, has lots more details, images, pros and cons of different instruments and links to learn more.

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Tip #914: Interesting Freehand Mask Tricks

… for Apple Motion

Tip #914: Interesting Freehand Mask Tricks

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

Use the Edit Points tool to modify any point in a Freehand mask shape.

The Freehand mask tool creates Bezier curves which can be modified using the Edit Points tool.

Topic $TipTopic

When you use the Freehand mask tool to hide, or reveal, portions of an image, you are actually creating a Bezier curve. This leads to some very interesting options.

  • Select the layer that you want to mask, then use the Freehand mask tool to draw an area that hides portions of the image.
  • Next, select the mask layer then choose the Edit Points tool. (This illustrates that the mask tool actually creates a complex Bezier curve.)
  • Drag any dot to change the shape.
  • Control-click any dot to switch from Linear to Smooth or back. (See screen shot.)

NOTE: Switching to smooth should display control dots to change the shape. If not, change first to Linear, then back to Smooth to display the curve controls.

EXTRA CREDIT

This screen shot illustrates why no one wants to hire me as a graphic designer. Sigh…

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Tip #915: Add Texture to a Color

… for Apple Motion

Tip #915: Add Texture to a Color

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

Some blend modes are better at texture than others; especially those labeled “Linear.”

Dark blue rectangle with Linear Burn (left) or Linear Light blend modes applied with a Travertine image below the color.

Topic $TipTopic We’ve long known how to add texture to text, or even replace white text with an image, using the Stencil Alpha blend mode. But, did you also know we can add texture to plain colors. Here’s how.

  • Using the Rectangle or Circle tool, draw a solid color shape.

NOTE: This will look best if you turn the shape’s border off.

  • From Library > Content > Images > Traditional, drag a texture into the Viewer and put it below the color layer.

NOTE: There are MANY options to choose from. I’m using Travertine, but scroll down past the book images and you’ll find lots of worthy candidates.

  • Mask the background texture (Travertine in my case) so that it is only visible under the color; otherwise, the texture will fill the screen.
  • Select the color and, depending upon the color, apply Inspector > Properties > Blend mode of Linear Burn or Linear Light, whichever looks better to you.

NOTE: The screen shot illustrates both. For my taste, I prefer Linear Burn to emphasize the darker texture.

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Tip #922: FX Tutorials for All Major NLEs

… for Visual Effects

Tip #922: FX Tutorials for All Major NLEs

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

These plugins span the full range of visual effects for all major NLEs.

The FXFactory list of supported products.

Topic $TipTopic

FXFactory publishes visual effects software and tutorials for major NLEs. If you haven’t visited their News & Tutorials web page, your are missing some great tools.

FXFactory has effects for:

  • Final Cut Pro X
  • Motion
  • Logic Pro (audio)
  • GarageBand (audio)
  • Premiere Pro
  • After Effects
  • Audition (audio)
  • DaVinci Resolve
  • Avid Media Composer
  • Pro Tools (audio)

Here’s the link to learn more.

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