Apple Motion 3 - Manual (Page 14)

14 Chapter 1 Getting to Know Motion
Motion can be used for commercials, documentaries, titles, broadcast or web graphics,
corporate presentations, DVD menus, or your own personal video projects. Whether
you need the precision of keyframed animation, the free-flow animated effects of
behaviors, or a little of both—Motion has a flexible toolset to meet your motion
graphics needs.
This chapter provides an introduction to motion graphics and the Motion workspace
and how to navigate and use common tools and controls.
About Motion Graphics
Motion graphics is a type of visual effects work most commonly associated with title
sequences and show openers, bumpers and interstitials, and interface design like DVD
menus. It is also frequently used in technical settings for simulations of moving systems
such as traffic patterns or scientific models.
Motion graphics usually incorporates multiple objects onscreen simultaneously and is
typically governed by design considerations and a strong sense of visual impact.
Sophisticated motion graphics artists often combine traditional layout and design
techniques with tools borrowed from special effects work such as keying, masking,
compositing, and particle systems to create dynamic moving designs. The tools
commonly used for motion graphics fall into several categories.
Design Tools
Graphic designers have been using software to facilitate their work for many years.
Motion has incorporated many of the most valuable tools commonly found in layout
and design applications, including guides, alignment, and direct manipulation for
positioning, transforming, and distorting layers. It also contains some of the most
flexible and sophisticated tools for creating and handling text elements. This is
especially important because text is such a critical component of motion graphics
design.