Becoming an effective motion graphics designer and/or animator in Motion 4 requires a solid understanding of how to control and direct the camera in 3D space. Mastering Motion's Camera teaches intermediate to advanced Motion users all the key fundamental techniques for placing, framing, moving and directing the camera for maximum visual impact.
Mastering Motion's Camera is presented in 12 individual lessons with a running time of just under 4 hours. Each lesson teaches you the most effective ways to control your camera using framing, sweep, dolly, focus and move behaviors. You'll also learn how to animate your camera with keyframes and how to combine keyframes with behaviors. This tutorial removes the mystery behind creating popular cinematic look via Motion's depth of field and angle of view controls. And you'll learn all of this, and more, while working on project files from our Designer Templates collection.
For full descriptions of what's in each lesson, check out the table of contents below. To view the table of contents as it appears in iTunes, click here
Available Now in iTunes
We realize you may have a question or two, so we created a short FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page to answer them.
No one on the planet knows Motion like Mark Spencer. Mark has been using and teaching Motion since version 1. He is an Apple-Certified Master Trainer, has written numerous books and blogs on the subject and is the author of our best selling Motion 4 Fast Forward tutorial that has sold thousands of copies worldwide. His teaching style is energetic, straight forward, and best of all, he's passionate about helping people learn Motion.
Who is this Tutorial for?
This tutorial was designed for users who are already fluid in Motion 4. As an intermediate-level tutorial, it assumes you are comfortable with Motion’s user interface and the basic process of compositing and animating in Motion 4. It also assumes that you are familiar with the concepts of 2D and 3D groups, and the 3D overlays including the Camera menu, the 3D view tools, and the Compass. Users who are new to Motion should purchase Motion 4 Fast Forward before working through this tutorial.
The iPad is revolutionizing the way people access and interact with media. Video training is therefore a natural fit for people who want their training on the go or on a separate device from their main system. Because of the limited storage capacities of the iPad, we have labored to keep the movie sizes as small as possible while maintaining our high standards of image and sound quality. And perhaps best of all, you don't need to be connected to the internet to watch our tutorials on your iPad.
Get Control Over Your Camera
Below is an image from lesson 10 on camera scaling. You'll learn when scaling the camera is often preferrable to dollying the camera in a scene and you'll learn why scaling is the perfect solution for re-framing complex animations.
In lesson 4, you'll learn how to combine behaviors and keyframes to create variations of your animations that can be modified with very little effort.
In lesson 11 Mark will show you how to use use the Camera's Angle of View control and Scaling to create a Hitchcock-ian Vertigo effect.
To really control your cameras you need to understand the difference between a Viewpoint and a Framing camera and how each camera type relates to the the Framing Behavior.
Lesson 8 you'll learn how to motivate your camera movements to the music beat with an Audio Parameter Behavior.
Controlling your camera's depth of field, is the single-most effective technique for focusing your viewer's attention on an object or group of objects. In lesson 6 you'll learn how to use the Focus on Objects command and the Focus Behavior to create a cinema-like quality to your animations.
In Lesson 09 you will learn some of Mark's favorite techniques and tips for working with keyframes. This chapter alone will save you hours of frustration.
About the Instructor
Mark Spencer is a bay area-based producer, editor, teacher and writer. He runs a website dedicated to Motion users (www.applemotion.net). Mark is also an Apple-certified instructor teaching regularly at BAVC, Stanford University and MacWorld. Mark is the author or coauthor of 5 books on Motion, including the Apple Pro Training Series book Motion Graphics and Effects in Final Cut Studio, and the APTS Motion 4 book, all from Peachpit Press.
Table of Contents
Setting up a 3D Scene for Animation
Project Organization
Inspecting Sets with the View Commands
Isolating Layers
Changing Views without Affecting the Camera
Planning Camera Moves
Cutting Between Cameras
Understanding the Active Camera View
Positioning Cameras in 3D Space
Stacking and Staggering Cameras
Hiding Cameras
Adding Camera Movement with Sweeps
Camera Animation with the Framing Behavior
Framing Behavior Basics
Customizing the Frame
Customizing the Camera Path
More Framing Controls
More Camera Path Controls
Altering the Camera Path
Combining Framing Behaviors and Keyframes
Applying and Adjusting the Dolly Behavior
How Dolly and Framing Behaviors Work Together
Creating a Dolly Move with Keyframes
How Keyframes and Behaviors Work Together
Checking Keyframe Interpolation
Combining Framing and Sweep Behaviors
Adjusting the Sweep Behavior
Duplicating, Moving, and Trimming Behaviors
The Additive Nature of Sweep Behaviors
Avoiding Jump Cuts
Overlapping Sweep and Framing Behaviors
Using Depth of Field
Enabling Depth of Field
Using the Focus on Object Command
Adjusting Depth of Field
Using the Focus Behavior
Viewpoint vs. Framing Cameras
Understanding Camera Types
Changing Camera Types with the Framing Behavior
Camera Animation with Parameter Behaviors
Combining Behaviors
Adding an Audio Track
Applying the Audio Parameter Behavior
Adjusting the Audio Parameter Behavior
Camera Animation with Keyframes
Breaking Down the 3D Project
Keyframing the First Camera Move
Moving Keyframes
Keyframe Interpolation
Adjusting Keyframes
Camera Scaling
Creating a 360 Degree Camera Sweep
Changing the Scene Framing
Scaling Instead of Dollying the Camera
Reframing a Completed Camera Animatioin
Keyframing Camera Scale
Using Angle of View
Understanding Angle of View
Using the Zoom Layer Behavior
Creating the Vertigo Effect
Fine-Tuning the Vertigo Effect
Camera Animation with the Move Behavior
Image Importing Options
Keyframe Scale and Position
Changing Keyframe Interpolation
Switching to 3D
Applying and Adjusting the Move Behavior
Using Multiple Move Behaviors
Minimum System Requirements for Viewing Tutorials
Mac Computer with 1.25 GHz or faster G5, Intel Core Duo or Intel Xeon processor
MacOS 10.4.11 or Mac OS 10.5.5 or later
iTunes 8 or later
SuperDrive for backing up the iTunes lessons
1 GB or more of RAM
QuickTime 7.5.5 or later
Monitor Depth - Millions
1280 x 800 screen size or better
Minimum System Requirements for Following Along in Motion 4
Mac Computer with Intel Core Duo or Intel Xeon processor
ATI or NVIDIA Graphics Processor with 128 MB of VRAM
