Learn Apple Motion in 19 Minutes • Beginners Guide for 2025!
Here’s a concise overview of the video’s workflow for creating a reusable logo animation in Apple Motion and publishing it to Final Cut Pro:
Project Setup
- Launch Motion and choose New → Final Cut Title in the Project Browser.
- Set your resolution (e.g. 4K) and frame rate (e.g. 29.97 fps), and duration (e.g. 3 s).
- Delete the default Text and Title Background layers.
Background Animation
- In the Library → Generators panel, drag a “Two Color Rays” generator into your group.
- Use the Inspector → Generator tab to customize colors, divisions, rotation, contrast, etc.
- Animate the Outer Cutoff property with keyframes:
- At 0 s, set Cutoff to 0% and add a keyframe.
- At 1 s, set Cutoff to 100%.
- Tweak keyframes in the timeline for timing or easing.
Continuous Rotation with Parameter Behaviors
- Instead of keyframing rotation manually, add a Rate Parameter behavior to the generator.
- Set Rate to 30°/s so the rays spin automatically over time.
Stylize Filters
- Apply Filters → Stylize → Indent for subtle 3D shading.
- Add Filters → Stylize → Vignette to darken edges.
Import and Animate Logo
- File → Import your logo (PNG, AI, or PSD).
- Enable Drop Shadow in the Properties panel and adjust distance, blur, and opacity.
- For a pop-in effect, add an Overshoot Parameter behavior to the logo’s Scale:
- Set Start Value to 100% (so it begins at 0) and trim its duration to 1 s.
- Adjust cycles and acceleration in the Keyframe Editor for a snappy bounce.
Text and Text Behaviors
- Use the Text tool to type your title.
- In Format → Text, choose font, size, alignment, etc., and add a text-specific Drop Shadow under Appearance.
- Apply Behaviors → Text → Basic → Arrange In (or other presets) for automatic text animation.
Grouping and End Transition
- Select all layers and collapse them into a Group.
- Apply Filters → Distortion → Black Hole to the group for a closing effect:
- Keyframe the Amount from 0% at 2 s to 100% at 3 s.
- Use Bezier interpolation in the Keyframe Editor for smooth easing.
Publishing to Final Cut Pro
- Select any parameters you want editable in Final Cut (e.g. colors, spin rate) and click Publish in the Inspector.
- Save the Motion project—because it’s a Final Cut Title, Motion automatically installs it into FCP.
- In Final Cut Pro’s Titles browser, find your custom “Logo Introduction Animation” and drag it onto the timeline.
- Adjust published controls (text, colors, speed) directly in FCP.
Finally, the presenter points out that this tutorial only scratches the surface and directs viewers to a full Motion playlist and a paid masterclass for deeper learning.
