Motion 5 and Compressor 4 Overview
Supplementing the release of Final Cut Pro X, Apple yesterday debuted new versions of its popular Motion and Compressor post production tools. Previously only accessible as part of the Final Cut Studio software suite, both applications are now available individually for $49.99 apiece in the Mac App Store.
Motion, Apple’s application for editing motion graphics and creating visual effects, includes a redesigned interface and many additional new features. Now in its 5th iteration, the app—considered by many a must have companion to FCP—benefits from a single window UI, Smart Motion Templates, Parameter Rigs and more. The combination of simple yet powerful tools and reworked interface make Motion 5 simpler and easier to use than ever before.
The updated Motion GUI was designed alongside Final Cut Pro X to deliver a unified experience and make it easy to switch between the two programs. The darker look of both apps serves to enhance color perception while editing, and the inclusion of more onscreen filters and controls makes using the software more intuitive.
Smart Motion Templates, Parameter Rigs and Editable Final Cut Pro Templates are all designed to save users time by streamlining workflow and eliminating repetitive steps. All three features integrate seamlessly between the two titles making edits and fine tuning quicker than ever. Motion 5 also features Easy Chroma Keying—making creating chroma keys much easier to create. Users can create a key for most projects by simply dragging and dropping the Keying filter.
Developed alongside Final Cut Pro X, Motion 5 is 64-bit and takes full advantage of multicore Mac hardware. Based on the same modern standards as its counterpart programs, Motion utilizes Grand Central Dispatch, Cocoa foundation and GPU utilization to deliver stunning performance on compatible machines.
Compressor 4 builds on Final Cut Pro X’s included export settings allowing users to modify and develop custom settings to suit their needs. Often the final step in the post production process, Compressor 4 includes more options than ever before, almost guaranteeing a project will be output to an individual’s specifications.
With custom export for Final Cut Pro, users can easily send FCP projects to Compressor and choose from a variety of parameters including codecs, file sizes and frame rates. Additionally, Compressor supports HHTP live streaming and includes built-in distributed encoding and a streamlined settings library.
In addition to the aforementioned all-new features, Compressor supports video and audio formats ranging from basic to professional. With support for a broad range of devices and still images, Compressor effortlessly handles nearly any media format.
Utilizing Apple’s optical flow technology, the software delivers impeccable format conversions regardless of file type. Capable of converting file type, FPS and more, the software also features video retiming and dynamic image filters. Compressor 4 now features the previously separate Apple Qmaster features built-in. This allows users to make use of available cores in their Mac, or use other Macs on the network to speed up encoding times.
Motion and Compressor work seamlessly with Final Cut Pro X, and stand to revolutionize the way post production is approached. With significant redesigns and impressive new features, both titles make a valuable addition to any video professional’s software library.
Motion 5 System Requirements:
- Mac OS X v10.6.7
- 2GB RAM (4GB recommended)
- OpenCL-capable graphics card or Intel HD Graphics 3000 or later
- 256MB of VRAM
- Display with 1280-by-768 resolution or higher
- 2GB of disk space
To learn more, or to purchase Motion 5 in the Mac App Store, click here.
Compressor 4 System Requirements:
- Mac OS X v10.6.7
- 2GB of RAM (4GB recommended)
- OpenCL-capable graphics card or Intel HD Graphics 3000 or later
- 256MB of VRAM
- Display with 1280-by-768 resolution or higher
- 685MB of disk space
To learn more, or to purchase Compressor 4 in the Mac App Store, click here.