About Motion Template Files and Master Templates
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Working with Master Templates
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Modifying Master Templates
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Converting a Template Clip to a Motion Project
(p. 502)
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Installing Motion Template Files for Use in Final Cut Pro
(p. 503)
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Creating Master Templates in Motion
(p. 503)
About Motion Template Files and Master Templates
Both Motion and Final Cut Pro support Motion template files, but each application uses
them in different ways:
 In Motion, a template file is a starting point for creating new projects with
preexisting animated text and graphics layers. For more information, see the Motion
User Manual.
 In Final Cut Pro, Motion template files are used as master templates from which you
can create template clips that are edited into a sequence. Each template clip retains
the same animation and behaviors as its parent master template, but parameters
such as text and video content can be customized individually for each template clip.
Master templates allow you to add professional motion graphics and titles to your
sequence, even if you’ve never used Motion before. For example, suppose you want to
create an animated opening title for your Final Cut Pro sequence. A graphic designer
can create the opening in Motion and save it as a Motion template file. In Final Cut Pro,
you can use the Motion template file as a master template and edit it into your
sequence. You can change the title of your movie as often as you like by modifying the
template clip’s text parameter while retaining the animated parameters provided by
the graphic designer.
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Part II
Effects
But that’s just the beginning. The real power of master templates becomes clear when
you have lots of titles or graphics in your sequence that need the same motion
graphics treatment. For example, suppose you are working on a documentary that has
dozens of lower third titles, each requiring the same animated text and background
treatment. In this case, a graphic designer can create a single Motion template file for
all of your lower third titles. In Final Cut Pro, the Motion template file becomes a master
template that you can use to create multiple template clips in your sequence, each
with its own custom text.
But there’s still more. Suppose you or your graphic designer wants to alter the
animation for the lower third titles after you have edited them into your sequence.
Because you used the same master template for each lower third, each template clip is
connected to the same Motion template file. The designer can change the Motion
template file, and all the template clips in your sequence are updated immediately.