Intro to template markers in Motion

Template markers—a special category of Timeline markers in Motion—control the timing of templates in Final Cut Pro. When building a template in Motion, you typically don’t know the duration of the clips that will be applied to it in Final Cut Pro. By default, the duration of a template is determined by the length of the Final Cut Pro clip it’s applied to. Template markers let you control the timing of a template after it’s applied in Final Cut Pro, by designating regions in the Final Cut Pro timeline to be played, ignored, or looped.

There are five types of template markers:

Build In: Designates an opening section (or intro) of a template, and instructs Final Cut Pro to play that section at the same speed as the original template (as created in Motion), regardless of the duration of the clip in the Final Cut Pro timeline. For example, if a Build In marker is present at the 30-second mark, the first 30 seconds retain the original timing (as created in Motion). Beyond the 30-second mark, the template is time-stretched (or time-shrunk) to the duration of the Final Cut Pro clip.
Build Out: Designates an ending section (or outro) of a template, and instructs Final Cut Pro to play that section at the same speed as the original template (as created in Motion), regardless of the duration of the clip in the Final Cut Pro timeline. For example, if a Build Out marker is present 30 seconds from the end of the Final Cut Pro clip, the last 30 seconds retain the original timing (as created in Motion). Prior to the Build Out marker, the template is time-stretched (or time-shrunk) to the duration of the Final Cut Pro clip.
If no Build In or Build Out markers are present, the entire template is time-stretched to correspond to the duration of the clip in Final Cut Pro. For example, if you apply an effect template that is three minutes long to a six minute long clip in Final Cut Pro, the effect stretches over the six-minute duration of the Final Cut Pro clip.
Note: Transition templates assume a default duration in Final Cut Pro (determined in Final Cut Pro Preferences). This duration can conflict with the effects of template markers. For information on how to override the Final Cut Pro default duration, see Create a transition template in Motion.
Project Loop End: Indicates where the template should begin looping playback—for example, when you need to recycle animation in a template to match the length of a long clip in Final Cut Pro. You can also use a Project Loop End marker to force Final Cut Pro to play a template at its original speed (as created in Motion) rather than at a speed timed to match the duration of the clip the template is applied to. See Force Final Cut Pro to play a template at its original speed.
Poster Frame: Poster Frame markers determine the frame of a template to be used as the thumbnail for the template in the Final Cut Pro Effects browser, Transitions browser, or Titles browser.
Text Edit: Text Edit markers identify ideal edit points in your title templates.

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Motion User Guide

Intro to template markers in Motion