Convert a Motion project to a Final Cut Pro template

You can convert a standard Motion project to a Final Cut Effect, Final Cut Generator, Final Cut Title, or Final Cut Transition template for use in Final Cut Pro. When you convert a standard project to a template project, you specify which layers in the project are used for the template’s required placeholders. For example, when you convert a standard Motion project to a Final Cut Transition template, you must identify the two layers that will be used as the Transition A placeholder (incoming clip) and the Transition B placeholder (outgoing clip).

You can also publish a standard Motion project as a Final Cut Generator (without conversion).

Convert a standard Motion project to an effect

A Final Cut Effect template must contain an Effect Source placeholder. When converting a project to an effect, you can choose to add an empty placeholder, or to use an image already in your project as a placeholder.

In Motion, choose File > Convert Project To > Effect.
In the dialog, click the Effect Source pop-up menu, then do one of the following:
- To add a new, empty Effect Source placeholder: Choose New Effect Source.
- To use an existing reference image as an Effect Source placeholder: Choose an image layer name from the list.
- To use an existing drop zone as the Effect Source placeholder: Choose a drop zone name from the list.
  Note: If the selected drop zone contains an image, the image is retained in the Effect Source placeholder.
Click Convert.
Choose File > Save, then do the following:
1. In the dialog, enter a name for the template.
  If you don’t specify a name, the template appears in the Final Cut Pro Effects browser as “New Template.”
2. Choose a category from the Category pop-up menu.
  You can create a custom category by choosing New Category. Categories represent how the effects are organized in the Motion Project Browser and in the Final Cut Pro Effects browser. Custom categories also appear in the browsers.
3. If needed, choose a theme from the Theme pop-up menu.
  You can also create a theme by choosing New Theme. Themes let you categorize template types in the Motion Project Browser and in the Final Cut Pro browsers.
4. To retain unused media in the project (media or audio in the Media list that’s not used in the template but which you may want to include in the template later), select “Include unused media.”
  For information on where template-related files are saved, see Where are Final Cut Pro templates saved in Motion?
5. If you want a preview movie to appear in the Motion Project Browser, select Save Preview Movie.
Click Publish.
The template is exported to the Final Cut Pro Effects browser, where it can be applied to the timeline and edited like any other effect.
See Create an effect template in Motion.

Convert a standard Motion project to a generator

In Motion, choose File > Convert Project To > Generator.
Note: Although you can’t add an Effect Source, Transition A, Transition B, or Title Background placeholder to a Motion project, you can add standard drop zones that let Final Cut Pro users insert customized content into the generator.
Choose File > Save, then do the following:
1. In the dialog, enter a name for the template.
  If you don’t specify a name, the template appears in the Final Cut Pro Generators browser as “New Template.”
2. Choose a category from the Category pop-up menu.
  You can create a custom category by choosing New Category. Categories represent how the effects are organized in the Motion Project Browser and in the Final Cut Pro Generators browser. Custom categories also appear in the browsers.
3. If needed, choose a theme from the Theme pop-up menu.
  You can also create a theme by choosing New Theme. Themes let you categorize template types in the Motion Project Browser and in the Final Cut Pro browsers.
4. To retain unused media in the project (media or audio in the Media list that’s not used in the template but which you may want to include in the template later), select “Include unused media.”
  For information on where template-related files are saved, see Where are Final Cut Pro templates saved in Motion?
5. If you want a preview movie to appear in the Motion Project Browser, select Save Preview Movie.
Click Publish.
The template is exported to the Final Cut Pro Generators browser, where it can be applied to the timeline and edited like any other generator.
See Create a generator template in Motion.

As an alternative to converting a Motion project to a Final Cut generator, you can publish a Motion project as a Final Cut generator by choosing File > Publish Template.

Tip: You can also save the Motion project as a QuickTime file, then import the QuickTime movie into the Final Cut Pro project like any other footage.

Convert a standard Motion project to a title

A Final Cut Title template contains an optional Title Background placeholder. When converting a project to a title, you can choose to add no placeholder, to add an empty placeholder, or to use an image already in your project as a placeholder.

In Motion, choose File > Title.
In the dialog, click the Title Source pop-up menu, then do one of the following:
- To add no Title Background placeholder: Choose None.
- To add a new, empty Title Background placeholder to the project: Choose New Placeholder.
- To add a Title Background placeholder containing a reference image: Choose an image layer name from the list.
- To use an existing drop zone as the Title Background placeholder: Choose a drop zone name from the list.
  Note: If the selected drop zone contains an image, the image is retained in the Title Background placeholder.
Click Convert.
Choose File > Save, then do the following:
1. In the save dialog, enter a name for the template.
  If you don’t specify a name, the template appears in the Final Cut Pro Titles browser as “New Template.”
2. Choose a category from the Category pop-up menu.
  You can create a custom category by choosing New Category. Categories represent how the effects are organized in the Motion Project Browser and in the Final Cut Pro Titles browser. Custom categories also appear in the browsers.
3. If needed, choose a theme from the Theme pop-up menu.
  You can also create a theme by choosing New Theme. Themes let you categorize template types in the Motion Project Browser and in the Final Cut Pro browsers.
4. To retain unused media in the project (media or audio in the Media list that’s not used in the template but which you may want to include in the template later), select “Include unused media.”
  For information on where template-related files are saved, see Where are Final Cut Pro templates saved in Motion?
5. If you want a preview movie to appear in the Motion Project Browser, select Save Preview Movie.
Click Publish.
The template is exported to the Final Cut Pro Titles browser, where it can be applied to the timeline and edited like any other title.
See Create a title template in Motion and Create a title background in Motion.

Convert a standard Motion project to a transition

A Final Cut Transition template must contain a Transition A placeholder and a Transition B placeholder. When converting, you can choose to add empty placeholders, or to use images already in your project as placeholders.

In Motion, choose File > Transition.
In the dialog, click the Transition A pop-up menu, then do one of the following:
- To add a new, empty Transition A placeholder: Choose New Placeholder.
- To use an existing reference image as the Transition A placeholder: Choose an image layer name from the list.
- To use an existing drop zone as the Transition A placeholder: Choose a drop zone name from the list.
Click the Transition B pop-up menu, then choose an option as described in Step 2 above.
Click Convert.
Choose File > Save, then do the following:
1. In the save dialog, enter a name for the template.
  If you don’t specify a name, the template appears in the Final Cut Pro Transitions browser as “New Template.”
2. Choose a category from the Category pop-up menu.
  You can create a custom category by choosing New Category. Categories represent how the effects are organized in the Motion Project Browser and in the Final Cut Pro Transitions browser. Custom categories also appear in the browsers.
3. If needed, choose a theme from the Theme pop-up menu.
  You can also create a theme by choosing New Theme. Themes let you categorize template types in the Motion Project Browser and in the Final Cut Pro browsers.
4. To retain unused media in the project (media or audio in the Media list that’s not used in the template but which you may want to include in the template later), select “Include unused media.”
  For information on where template-related files are saved, see Where are Final Cut Pro templates saved in Motion?
5. If you want a preview movie to appear in the Motion Project Browser, select Save Preview Movie.
Click Publish.
The template is exported to the Final Cut Pro Transitions browser, where it can be applied to the timeline and edited like any other transition.
See Create a transition template in Motion and Create a transition background in Motion.

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Helpful?

Motion User Guide

Convert a Motion project to a Final Cut Pro template

Convert a standard Motion project to an effect

Convert a standard Motion project to a generator

Convert a standard Motion project to a title

Convert a standard Motion project to a transition