Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Level 1

29 points

Motion 5 or After Effects?

I've been using Motion 4, and now 5, for over a year, and have had almost nothing but problems. Besides the constant crashes, the fact that I have to routinely trash my preferences and then reset them nearly every time I close and open the program, this new development where I am no longer allowed to "Undo" anything, the library taking increasingly longer to open every time... is there any reason why I should not simply abandon Motion and go to After Effects?

Don't get me wrong: I'm a huge Apple fan and would love it if I could continue working with Motion, but it has become practically unusable. There are definitely things I like about Motion (and FCP X, for that matter), if only they would work. I can see what could be strengths. And I've been through Mark Spencer's tutorials and Patrick Sheffield's book "How to Cheat in Motion", that is, in bits and pieces, because I cannot get the program to work for long enough to do anything significant. I've been trying REALLY hard to get into it, but there seem to be unending roadblocks...

Does anyone have anything positive to say about Motion 5 that might help convince me not to abandon it altogether?

Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Aug 29, 2011 6:49 PM

33 replies

Sep 22, 2016 3:23 PM in response to BenB

BenB wrote:

You've never done a Motion training course, have you?

Done as in created or done as in attended?

Sep 22, 2016 3:26 PM in response to BenB

That was two years ago, Ben. I don't think I've opened After Effects twice since then except to build advanced particles (because I still understand AE's Particle World better than I understand behaviors).

Sep 22, 2016 5:22 PM in response to ACE001

Ace - "Motion" is not an application that is easy to use without having some training or a very good step-by-step reference book. The one you have "How to Cheat in Motion" is excellent for getting ideas about how one might do something; however, in my opinion, it is not what I'd call a step-by-step book. In general steps, yes, but not in every little detail, .... and the devil is in the details. I have the book and have used. I like it, I'd recommend it, but as a companion to this book:

"Motion 5, Designing and Animating Motion Graphics" by Mark Spencer, Peachpit Press.

The book was written for when "5" came out so it is an older book by now; however, although there have been some updates to the application there is a lot of good, applicable, information inside. If the new price is a show stopper try to find a cheaper used one. Better yet, maybe there is a newer version out (I haven't checked). It is an "Apple Pro Training Series" book and I think those are key words.

The book was apparently designed to be a text for a class course but I think you can teach yourself when using it. Note the errata changes and take notes as you follow through the chapters.

Motion 5 or After Effects?