Using Rigs in Motion
Although rigs are often used to build master controls for use in Final Cut Pro X projects,
they are also useful in Motion, to simplify the control set of a complex project. Instead of
making changes by manipulating individual parameters, you can modify the Motion
project using just a few widgets in a rig.
After a rig is built, it is immediately active. You can use the controls in the HUD, Rig
Inspector, or Widget Inspector to make changes to the project.
Use the HUD to view the widgets without the other rig-related controls visible in the
Inspector. Using rigs this way can be helpful when sharing a complex project with other
users or when creating a project that must modified each time it is used.
For example, you can create a basic project for an animated lower-third title that
incorporates two text objects, a background replicator, and a lens flare generator that
moves across the text.
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Each time the project is used, the size and position of the background generator must
change to match the length of the text. Also, the lens flare must only appear on top of
the letters. Using a rig, you can create a small set of controls that modify the parameters
such changes require. That way, rather than selecting individual objects, open their
respective Inspectors, and make those changes, you can select the rig and have instant
access to the parameters to change.
Alternatively, you can publish the widgets and use the Project object (in the Layers list)
as a custom control pane in the Inspector. For more information about publishing, see
Publishing Rigs
.
You can even apply keyframes to a slider widget to create dynamic animated effects
based on saved snapshots in the slider. Pop-up menu and checkbox widgets cannot be
keyframed, nor can they accept behaviors.
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