Applecare docs: Motion

The following are AppleCare technical documents and are considered the "definitive" answer to your Motion problem. That is if the answer you are looking for is in one of these docs.
We will continue to add to this list as Apple adds to the list.

Motion Support


Motion 4: May be unable to open projects
In some cases, after installing Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard and Final Cut Studio (2009), Motion 4 projects can be created and saved, but those projects are unable to be opened. Motion projects from any previous version also will not open.

Motion 4: Images you import may appear too bright or too dark
Images you import into Motion may appear too bright or too dark.

Motion 4: Opening a project from a previous version of Motion may not appear as expected.
When opening a project from a previous version of Motion in Motion 4, your project may not appear as expected.

Motion 4: Images imported into Motion, exported, and then imported may appear too bright.
When importing an image file into a Motion project which was previously exported from Motion, the image may appear too pale or too bright.

Motion 3: Project presets may be missing
When you open Motion it may be missing its project presets. This may happen if you install Motion 3.0 from the Final Cut Studio installation DVD after you update Motion to a version later than 3.0.

Motion 3.0.2: Masks on text layers can't be turned back on
When you open a project in Motion 3.0.2 that was created in a version of Motion prior to 3.0.1 that contains a mask applied to a text layer, you may not be able to turn the mask on once you turn it off.

Motion 3: Some filters may behave differently when opening old projects
Projects created in Motion 2.1 or earlier that use filters including position parameters applied to a 2D layer may behave differently when opened in Motion 3. The center point of the effect may no longer remain with the underlying footage, but may move in the opposite direction.

Motion: Higher performance graphics mode may remain active if Compressor is used
to transcode Motion projects on MacBook Pro (Late 2008)
When you transcode a Motion project in Compressor on a MacBook Pro (Late 2008),
your computer may stay in "Higher performance" graphics mode after the project
has been transcoded. This can happen even after you change the graphics
setting in the Energy Saver pane in System Preferences to "Better battery
life," log out, and then log back in. The Energy Saver pane in System
Preferences may report the graphics mode is "Better battery life,"
but it will still be in "Higher performance" mode.

Motion: QuickTime proxies from RED sometimes import with no audio
Sometimes there may seem to be no audio when you import QuickTime proxies generated by RED cameras or by REDAlert into Motion.
This may happen if you import the movie by using the Import button in the File Browser, drag the movie from the File Browser to the Canvas, or drag the movie from the Finder to the Canvas.

Motion: Aliased edges on some objects exported using Compressor
When you export from Motion with Compressor using the Apple ProRes
422 codec, some objects with diagonal lines may appear with aliased
("jagged" edges.

Motion: Some layered Photoshop files import as merged objects
Some layered Photoshop (PSD) images you import into Motion?or move from the Motion File Browser to the Layer List, Canvas,
Timeline, or Mini Timeline? may import as merged objects instead of individual layers.

Motion: Compressor does not start after using earlier Motion Content installer
If you installed Motion Content using an earlier version
of the Motion Content installer, unexpected results may
occur with Final Cut Studio applications, including an issue
in which Compressor 3 may not open

Motion: Selecting presets for Sony XDCAM HD422
The Pro Applications Update 2008-01 includes presets for
editing Sony XDCAM HD422 format media in Final Cut Pro 6.0.3.
Motion and other Final Cut Studio applications can use the
XDCAM HD422 format, although Motion does not include
project presets specifically for XDCAM HD422

Motion 3: Alpha areas of intersecting objects may appear black
The alpha channel areas of an object may appear as black when you
apply color filters to that object and it intersects with another object
in the Canvas.

Motion 3: Movies exported as H.264 may contain artifacts or may cause QuickTime Player to quit
If you export a QuickTime movie from Motion 3.0.2 on an Intel-based Mac,
the resulting file may play with visual artifacts or other anomalies.
This issue can occur with Motion 3.0.2 and Quicktime version 7.4 or later.

Motion 3: Text on a Path - Resolving glyph flipping

Motion 3: Project presets missing.
Issue. If you have installed Motion 3.0 from the Final Cut Studio installation DVD after Motion...
2007-09-21 ? Document No. 306528

Motion 3: Nudge keyboard command has no effect. Issue or symptom.
The Motion 3 keyboard command for nudging objects by one pixel (Command-Arrow) has no effect. ...
2007-08-09 ? Document No. 306247

Motion: Motion unexpectedly quits after MacBook Pro Software Update 1.0
Issue or symptom. When running Motion (included with Final ...
2007-07-20 ? Document No. 306038

Motion: Canvas can't be moved to second PCI Express graphics card
PowerMac G5 (Late 2005) models (19 Oct 2005) and the Mac Pro feature ...
2007-07-17 ? Document No. 303037

Motion: Tips for using gestures
If you use a third-party graphics tablet and pen with your computer, you can use gestures to navigate ...
2007-06-29 ? Document No. 305828

Motion: About memory cache and performance
Motion: About memory cache and performance. Background. Motion's caching will utilize your computer's RAM, taking as much memory as ...
2007-06-06 ? Document No. 305588

Motion: Video Artifacting may occur if VRAM becomes full
Issue. When Motion is running, and the Video RAM (VRAM) in your graphics ...
2007-06-02? Document No. 305527

Motion 3: Third-party Plug-in path does not appear in preferences
Motion can readthird-party After Effects-compatible plug-ins in addition to FxPlug plug-ins. ...
2007-06-01? Document No. 305569

Motion 3: Content includes new Fire Burst.mov
Issue. Motion 3 includes a new version of the content asset named Fire Burst.mov. ...
2007-05-23? Document No. 305543

Motion 3: 16:9 DV clips sent from Final Cut Pro may appear as 4:3
Issue. Anamorphic DV format clips that are intended to be viewed ...
2007-05-17 ? Document No. 305490

Motion 3: Artifacts in OpenEXR imagery
Issue. In some cases, you may notice visible "ringing", or fringe-like artifacts in OpenEXR ...
2007-05-17 ? Document No. 305499

Motion 3: Cloned text does not inherit Crawl and Scroll behaviors
Issue. If you apply a Scroll or Crawl text behavior to a text object ...
2007-05-17 ? Document No. 305497

Pro applications on PowerPC computers may quit unexpectedly on ...
Pro applications on PowerPC computers may quit unexpectedly on launch or quit, or display non-customary menus and dialogs. If you ...
2007-05-17 ? Document No. 301838

Troubleshooting serial number issues with professional products
... 4 Software Aperture: Installing Your Software Installing Your Motion 2 Software...
2006-01-30? Document No. 303184

Motion 2: Supported file formats
2006-09-15? Document No. 301499

Pro applications quit unexpectedly on launch or quit, or display ...
2006-11-07? Document No. 301838

Motion 2: Canvas can't be moved to second PCI Express graphics...
... graphics card. Products affected. Motion 2; PowerMac G5 (Late 2005); Mac Pro. Motion...
2006-10-04? Document No. 303037

Motion 2.1: Rendering issues in 16-Bit projects on Mac Pro
Issue or symptom. Motion 2 supports the following project bit depths: 8-Bit integer; 16-Bit Float; 32-Bit Float...
2006-08-24? Document No. 304230
 
Motion project media goes offline in Final Cut Pro project
... Products affected. Final Cut Pro 5; Motion 2; Final Cut Studio...
2006-01-17? Document No. 303143

Motion 2: Important installation considerations
... Motion/Templates/Blocks. The Motion HD Templates.pkg installer is located in the Motion Extras folder on the Motion 2 install disc...
2005-05-12? Document No. 301611
 
Motion 2: Learn about the Replicator
... Motion 2 includes over 100 Replicator presets...
2005-05-11? Document No. 301440
 
Motion 2: New filters
Motion 2 contains more than 130 GPU-accelerated filters and effects in its Library to use in your projects, including 16 brand new...
2005-08-03? Document No. 301438
 
Motion 2 bonus filters available for download
Did you know that Apple offers three bonus filters for Motion 2 customers, freely available for download?
2005-08-08? Document No. 302105
 
Motion 2: How to improve real time performance...
2005-05-11? Document No. 301502
 
Motion 2: Back face of object may appear cropped when using the...
... filter. In Motion 2, the Basic 3D filter allows you to rotate an object on the X, Y, and Z axes...
2005-05-13? Document No. 301618
 
Motion 2: MIDI controller support
... Here are the different components of MIDI controller support in Motion 2. For more information, choose Motion User Manual from the ...
2005-05-11? Document No. 301448
 
Motion 2: Error when exporting tutorial project to Compressor.
If you have...
2005-05-11? Document No. 301600
 
Motion 2: Noise Dither filter is now called Reduce Banding
In Motion 2, the filter formerly known as "Noise Dither" in Motion 1 has been renamed as "Reduce Banding." The Reduce Banding
2005-08-11? Document No. 302127
 
Motion 2: More memory recommended for HDV.
HDV source material requires more memory for good playback performance.
2005-05-13? Document No. 301617
 
Motion: Troubleshooting Basics
... Note: If you had previously installed the Motion 2 Registration Incentive, you will need to run that installer separately. ...
2005-10-21? Document No. 302596

Apple Pro Training Final Cut Studio Tutorial overview
... tutorials for both new and experienced users, and covers Final Cut Pro 5, Motion 2, Soundtrack Pro, and...
2005-06-06? Document No. 301687
 
Motion: Don't use an alias for third-party plug-ins
... you create an alias for any third-party plug-in, the plug-in won't be recognized in Motion or Motion 2. However, you...
2005-05-11? Document No. 301501
 
Motion: Can't use "gestures in the air" function with a Wacom ...
... This affects Motion 1 and Motion 2 in Tiger...
2005-05-16? Document No. 301621
 
Final Cut Pro HD: Motion relinking
... computer. This can happen with files created in Motion 1 or Motion 2. To resolve...
2005-05-31? Document No. 301623
 
MPEG-2 export options in Final Cut Pro: Compressor and QuickTime
... Compressor 2 is included with Final Cut Pro 5, DVD Studio Pro 4, Motion 2, and Final Cut Studio...
2005-08-19? Document No. 301871
 
Motion 2.0: Mac OS X 10.4.1 Update resolves issues, improves ATI ...
... The Mac OS X 10.4.1 Update offers reliability improvements for float rendering inMotion 2 when used with an ATI graphics card...
2005-05-16? Document No. 301603
 
Compressor 2: Includes AC-3 encoding
... Final Cut Studio; Final Cut Pro 5; DVD Studio Pro 4; Motion 2; Soundtrack Pro. Important...
2005-05-11? Document No. 301480
 
Motion QuickTime requirements
... Motion 1 actually requires QuickTime 6.5.1 or later. Motion 2 requires QuickTime 7 or later...
2005-05-11? Document No. 93924
 
Compressor 1.2.1 and Apple Qmaster Node Installer incompatibility
... Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Pro 5, DVD Studio Pro 4, Motion 2, and Soundtrack Pro...
2005-06-10? Document No. 301741