Motion tab effects

This may be an easy one, but here goes:

I am trying an experiment with text on an extremely large background (4000 x 4000 pixels). I saw this effect once that someone did with AE doing credits on this background with the text on the image, and moving the "camera" to each credit. I did a quick test to see if this method worked, which it did, however the movement is a little more staggered than I would prefer...is there any way to smooth out the moves that you do in the Motion tab (not to be confused with the Motion App)? Or should I be using the Motion App to do movement, not only here but on photos as well?

Also...is there a way to "slow down" on a motion tab effect where a zoom or pan comes to a gradual stop instead of slamming the brakes?

Thanks!

Casey Petersen
www.unitedvideoinc.com

If you have the Motion app, that would be a better environment to build this effect, because you have an actual 3D camera tool. I'm still learning Motion, but I think it would do what you are talking about much more efficiently.

The only thing in the motion tab to smooth out the moves is to apply bezier curves to smooth out your keyframes.

Sounds like Motion would be better, definitely.

There is an Ease In/Out command available when you Control-click over any keyframe, that will help. You can also tweak a keyframe's acceleration by dragging a KF sub-handle in the Canvas. Read up on it. Experiment.

- Loren
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Definitely go for Motion in this case. It will give you much smoother pushes from one place to another, and working with large stills in FCP is not great for performance.

Guess I better start learning Motion better

Thanks!
Casey

Case, the more you live in Motion, the easier it becomes. Just make sure you have a lot of RAM if you want to keep FCP and Motion open and reboot a few times a day to refresh the system. Lots of good tutorials out there as well.

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