Video CoPilot starts Motion FX Tutorials!

Not really, but it would be pretty neat if they would, right? No? Then why are you reading this post?

I was thinking about getting involved in an 'action' movie that would require a lot of visual effects. There seems to be a lot of tutorials out there concerning that program that shall not be named (After Effects), especially when it comes to specific sci-fi or action effects.

The lack of genre specific tutorials for Motion is a bit depressing. Considering how cheap Motion is these days surely there is a market out there for the 'Andrew Kramer' of Motion?

Any takers?

I am actually surprised Motion is not ALOT more popular. Its does some really powerful things for its £30. Its very sad really because it should be much better supported.

AE costs a lot more but has similar functionality. Its just the plug ins that raise its game over Motion. I have recently given up on Motion after using it in Broadcast for years. It isn't well supported or used, and after a particularly messy experience with a Cinema 4D saved Motion project - I can't trust it again. AE does deliver on this front.

Look at Andrew Kramer's new Elements pack. 3D motion graphics for the masses. Apple should be promoting the shit out of this program but don't seemed bothered.

There's definitely a case for showing just how much Motion can do, which is way more than you'd imagine.

So many people, including me for a number of years, have casually dismissed Motion as a useless toy for folks who don't understand motion graphics and while I have to admit there's a huge amount that AE can do that Motion is still a long way from being capable of, there's a whole lot that I'm sure many editors and mograph experts have no idea that it can do.

And there are things that Motion can do much faster than AE that I think someone ought to try and point out ... plus, speaking personally, I find it a lot more fun to work with, and the more fun a piece of software is to work with the better the results you can get out of it.

I'd say that it's by far and away the best value mograph software ever released, but that's clearly not enough.

Now if Apple would just show that they are serious about it ...

But I guess that's just one of those things that are never going to happen

Personally I never liked AE, the interface felt too much like windoze. All things counter-intuitive. Just wish Apple would put some energy into beefing up Motion to make it a real contender. Then there was that other one they bought... & squelched... (Shake)

The action project sounds like fun...

vidoe copilot has some great bundles. i would buy some in an instance if i could get them to work directly with final cut pro x.

Just answered in your other post about this same question.
www.fcp.co/forum/4-final-cut-pro-x-fcpx/...ments-for-fcpx#20681

And to be clear, Apple has said on several occasions over the past few years that Motion has never been intended to compete with AE head to head. It is what it is, it does a great job for many of us, and for others there is still AE.

Agreed, Ben. Motion and AE have overlap, but there's a very clear line in my head on where I stop using Motion and start using AE. When I go from Motion graphics to special effects, I move to AE. without 3D tracking, Motion is a non-starter in that arena.

I use Mocha with Motion, I've not touched AE in ages.

simonpwood wrote: Not really, but it would be pretty neat if they would, right? No? Then why are you reading this post?

I was thinking about getting involved in an 'action' movie that would require a lot of visual effects. There seems to be a lot of tutorials out there concerning that program that shall not be named (After Effects), especially when it comes to specific sci-fi or action effects.

The lack of genre specific tutorials for Motion is a bit depressing. Considering how cheap Motion is these days surely there is a market out there for the 'Andrew Kramer' of Motion?

Any takers?

The problem is that Motion doesn't have the tools or are not up to date. TO do this kinda work.
Since its release it is nothing else as a pumped up version of LiveType, a titling tool,

FCPGuy wrote: Since its release it is nothing else as a pumped up version of LiveType, a titling tool,

That's completely bogus.

Just head over to MotionVFX and look at some of their templates. That's GREAT LOOKING motion graphics there- wether it came from Motion, AE, or wherever.

The funny thing is that Motion does still have a few things on AE. Like reflections. As far as I know you still have to cheat a floor reflection in After Effects.

There's power in the software, but Apple has definitely not capitalized on it.

And this is expecially intriguing-



This is from MotionVFX's upcoming extruded text plugin. The 3D version of the text is in fact being reflected on the floor plane. I confirmed that with them. How they're doing that I have no idea...

Create a floor, turn on and adjust the reflection settings for that layer, place any particles or anything else on a layer above it. I do this almost daily.

I 100% agree with Diproportionate. Motion can do a lot. To say it can't do serious effects is bogus. I do them daily in Motion. Very powerful compositor.

I guess my point is that with Element3D, though their objects can live in the 3D space of the project, they're really particles that can't reflect or cast shadows on anything NOT made in element.

However MotionVFX are doing this, it's creating a physical object in the scene, rather than a proxy that's just mimicking the camera angle and movement.

Bogus is when you need a plugin to add function to sweet talk a product.
I will stand corrected if you can show me 100% that Apple Motion was used on a true VFX composite on a commercial product.
Not talking about some local TV commercial or Youtube Video.

ben you're a trainer - and don't have the same needs as others. these folks have legitimate points so don't write them off, just because their demands are different to yours..

no serious motion graphics professional would take a second look at motion. I work with enough of them to know.

because its underpowered? not really. its just under supported and lacks functionality outside of simpleish titles and quick fixes. stroll too far down the 3D Graphics path and its broken beyond belief. This despite its 3D navigation being sooooo much better than AE.

the depressing thing is it could be MUCH better package with some promotion and a few tweaks. its powerful. its cheap and it does a lot of what you want it to with minimum fuss. However most of us are dealing with more and more 3D (from tracking to compositing) - and its just not built for any of that. Apple seemingly have given up on it as being anything more.

AE's interface is horrible, buggy and convoluted and I'd switch to Motion in a second if the plug in and 3D support was even half there. But its not.

For the price its a steal. But definitely could do better.

I have been a working media production professional for over two decades. Shot my first "film" when I was 14. I work with, for, consult with the US's 3rd largest film market's season pros. And you are entitled to your opinion. Thank you for sharing.

The thing is Snapdragon statement is more a fact then a opinion.

BenB wrote: FYI, I work with MANY professionals, here in the US's third largest film market, who do much of their work with Motion, and go to AE for the extras it offers when needed. I understand where you live things may be different. But most folks I've worked with and consulted for across the US use Motion and love it. Many of them also use AE.

Then it should be to hard to show what can be done in Motion.
If Apple can't even show anything spectacular I like see what the users can do with it.

I am a trainer second. Please don't assume I don't do actual work. A trainer who doesn't do actual work daily shouldn't be training.

BenB wrote: BTW, Apple has stated in the past that they do not sell Motion as direct competition to AE. If that is an issue for you, please take it up with Apple, not me.

So basically Apple agrees that Motion is not a tool for Visual Effects and Compositing. As mentioned here.

The word on the street is there will be a much tighter integration of Motion in Final Cut Pro.
It was hinted that most of the new features work as Filters in Final Cut Pro X, the big one is the Keyer. Besides of that information on Motion and Compressor are tucked away on the Final Cut Pro X site. They have already begun merging compression and encoding in Final Cut Pro X.
Compressor on the other hand was left literally left alone like a wet dog in the alley.

FCPGuy wrote: Bogus is when you need a plugin to add function to sweet talk a product.
I will stand corrected if you can show me 100% that Apple Motion was used on a true VFX composite on a commercial product.
Not talking about some local TV commercial or Youtube Video.

Let's not forget so quickly that before CS6 launched just last year, that AE required a 3rd party filter to do 3D tracking as well- and some would say you still do to get the best results.

And I'd say that MOST of the best work being done out there with AE involves 3rd party filters from Video Copilot, or Red Giant.

Disproportionate Pictures wrote:

FCPGuy wrote: Bogus is when you need a plugin to add function to sweet talk a product.
I will stand corrected if you can show me 100% that Apple Motion was used on a true VFX composite on a commercial product.
Not talking about some local TV commercial or Youtube Video.

Let's not forget so quickly that before CS6 launched just last year, that AE required a 3rd party filter to do 3D tracking as well- and some would say you still do to get the best results.

And I'd say that MOST of the best work being done out there with AE involves 3rd party filters from Video Copilot, or Red Giant.

yeah thats the point in a nutshell. Bog Standard AE doesn't do a great deal more than Motion in its most basic form (arguably less). And its a great deal more expensive.

The power of it comes from how well supported it is by 3rd party plug ins, and other applications.

Why isn't there a 3D tracker plug in offered for Motion that exports camera data in and out? etc etc. Its a very frustrating program, as on paper it should be a killer app supported by everyone and anyone - that kills the competition at that price - but the reality is very different.



I

I think the fact that Motion (unlike SoundtrackPro or DVDStudioPro) survived the FCPX migration, AND saw a 64bit rewrite with a unified interface, shows that Apple still does have some plans for the software. Where those might go is anyone's guess. But there's a lot of people hinting about big things for Motion this year- so I look forward to seeing what comes of it.

Actually, I think if MotionVFX put one of the guys doing their templates forward to do Andrew Kramer like tutorials- that would be pretty great.

I freely admit to having grabbed a couple of their templates myself. Not to use them outright, but it's VERY instructive to open them in motion and pull them apart to see what's going on.

OK, we get it, you hate Motion. Let's move on to something constructive.