Using Motion independently or in combination with some other app for 2D/3D animations?

1)

I use Motion for 3D because I've tried and cannot stand using other apps that have 5 times the learning curve that Motion does.

I use Motion because *I* can build my own 3D Models from scratch and not have to pay exorbitant amounts of money for worthwhile models because I will not use those other said 3D applications. [One of the reasons I do so well with Motion 3D Text is because I was a PostScript font maker for a long time. I am quite expert with the use of Bezier shapes.]

Motion now supports 2 kinds of 3D: Text and USDZ 3D models (which, from my point of view, suck). Apple only needed to introduce two or three other features to 3D Text to round out the feature set (revolve shapes, and allowing finer control over texture wrapping... but they spent their efforts loading in another ***and separate*** 3D engine into the app). [The two "models" don't mix!!!]

2)

Motion is a full fledged animation package. To say it's just for titles or other addon particle effects is really a limited view of what can be accomplished.

3/4)

I don't use "external" 3D products (I used to use mObject [precursor to mO2], but not anymore... it doesn't work reliably and there was no upgrade path to mO2...)

But the whole point of Motion is to be able to *build* creative utility for FCP:

which is something you cannot do with any other app (or even the new 3D USDZ modeling in Motion as far as I know).

From what I can tell, most people approach video apps from the perspective of just video - they started out in that direction because that's what they always knew that's what they wanted. I didn't see it coming (there was no "net" when I started out).

I started out in graphic design (hence the typography) — a whole lot of Photoshop (I used to classify myself as expert) — then website design. With Java animation, then Adobe Flash (and LiveMotion), the signs were becoming increasing clear that "the web" was heading towards more and more video. My first interaction with Motion (v2) was simply to apply animation effects to photoshop layered images:

https://youtu.be/P3VArCucWB8

Motion quickly replaced Photoshop for me because it could do almost everything Photoshop could do (at the time) and I still use it to this day for illustration (along with everything else) and most of my effects are oriented to making FCPX more like Photoshop for video. From September 2007 to now is a little over 13 years of experience. You have a learning curve in front of you — that cannot be avoided. I encourage you to think of Motion as the graphics "arm" of Final Cut and just about anything is possible. Motion is so much easier to use than any other application of its kind. [I've tried most of them: Blender, Wings3D, Google SketchUp, After Effects (2002), Anime Studio, LiveMotion, and the list goes on along with apps I cannot for the life of me remember.]

$50 bucks for Motion is a steal. Explore. The power is in there.

I learned a ton from this channel when I was starting out:

https://www.youtube.com/user/AppleShakeGuru/videos

He hasn't uploaded any new videos in the last 10 years but his Motion 3 and 4 videos are still relevant (you'll just have to adjust to the older UI.) It's a lot of old disjointed types of projects that will get you digging into Motion on your own. (You'll also have to dig through all the other videos - you can ignore the ones on Shake and FCP 6/7, etc.)

I used to tune into MacBreak Studio

(now under RippleTraining https://www.youtube.com/c/rippleguys/videos )

but with the exception of a few 60 second tips, I tend to have my own approaches (and I am no fan of the new 3D model support in Motion 5). They still like to use what I would consider outdated methods — but I'm sure it's due to the fact that most FCPX users have certain expectations and are not receptive to newer concepts.... their loss. [Plus, I think they moved a bunch of their best to a paid format.]

Simon Ubsdell does remarkable work, but his tutorials a longer than they need to be — he's always going down alternate paths then rewinding to get back to a point the finally leads to his point. (They tend to bore me.)

https://www.youtube.com/c/SimonUbsdell/videos

Lately he seems to be focused on Fusion, but there is an impressive backlog of tutorials (if you can stick with them).

Me - I gave up doing general tutorials on video. I just don't get the views (and YouTube cut off my monetization a few years ago.) The subject is covered adequately enough by these others and the stuff that I know that they don't... it probably isn't all that important to the average user... heh heh heh... and I am so not an "onscreen personality". I have about as much personality as a pet rock.

If you want serious 3D power inside of Motion, look at mO2, mTracker3D, and mShadowChaser from MotionVFX. There's a Facebook group with lots of great samples and advice for using these.

http://finalcutprox.guru/mO2resources/mO2resources.html

I’m not Fox, but if you’re looking for help with learning Motion you should really look a Rippletraining. Mark Spencer not only knows all about Motion, he’s an awesome teacher.