Apple Motion 4 - Manual (Page 248)

Note: When importing large-scale images into Motion, you have the option to import
the files as is, to scale the images to the size of the Canvas, or to change the resolution
of the image to fit the Canvas. For more information, see
Using High-Resolution Still
Images .
Managing Layers in Your Project
When you add a file to your project, a corresponding layer appears in the Canvas, Layers
tab, and Timeline. Once added, you can duplicate any layer in the Canvas, Layers tab, and
Timeline to create as many copies as you need. Each copy you create has individual
parameters in the Inspector, which gives you the freedom to individually modify and
animate each duplicate layer as necessary.
The Relationship Between Objects in the Layers Tab and Media Tab
Every file you add to your project creates a new corresponding object in the Media tab,
even if it’s identical to other files you have already added. This means that if you drag the
same file into your project five times from the File Browser, five corresponding objects
are created in the Media tab.
On the other hand, if you duplicate a layer that’s already in your project, a relationship is
maintained between that instance of the object and the previously existing object in the
Media tab. No new layer is created in the Media tab.
By default, objects added to your project are managed automatically by Motion. If you
delete a layer from the Canvas or Layers tab, the media object is removed automatically
from the Media tab. You can turn off this feature in the General pane of Motion Preferences.
For more information, see
Media .
Duplicating Files
If you need more copies of an object in your project, either duplicate them directly in the
Canvas using the Duplicate command, or drag an object from the Media tab to the Canvas
or Timeline to create a new corresponding instance of that object. Another way to
duplicate an object is to use the Make Clone Layer command. For more information on
the Make Clone Layer command, see
Making Clone Layers .
It is easier to manage all duplicated layers using the media object’s Media tab parameters
in the Inspector. These parameters define the media object’s essential properties, including
the frame rate, pixel aspect ratio, interlacing, and alpha channel parameters. There are
also additional parameters that allow you to define each media object’s end condition,
reversal, cropping, and timing. Each media object’s parameters affect all layers in the
project that have a relationship to the corresponding media object in the Media tab, so
changing the media object’s parameters simultaneously updates every layer in your
project to which it is related.
248 Chapter 6 Creating and Managing Projects