Working with LiveFonts

Live Fonts are pre-animated fonts that you can use to add excitement and life to the text in your projects. The LiveFonts are located in the Library below the Fonts icon and can also be applied directly in the Inspector. In this exercise, you'll preview the LiveFonts in the Library and then apply one to the FIRE text object in your project.

NOTE

LiveFonts are not included with the trial version of the software. If you're using the trial version, you can apply a colorful gradient to the FIRE text object instead of a LiveFont.

Setting a New Play Range

First, let's change the project play range to isolate the FIRE text object.

1.	Press Cmd-4 to open the Layers tab; then select the FIRE text object on the Fire layer. The FIRE text object region appears in the mini-Timeline.
2.	Select the FIRE region in the mini-Timeline.
3.	Press Shift-I to move the playhead to the beginning of the selected region.
4.	Press Option-Cmd-I to set the play range In point to the playhead position.
5.	Press Shift-O to move the playhead to the end of the selected region; then press Option-Cmd-O to set the play range Out point to the play head position.
6.	Press the spacebar to see the new play range in the Canvas.

Previewing and Applying LiveFonts

Now let's preview some of the LiveFonts that you can use for your text.

1.	In the Library, click the LiveFonts icon. Motion offers 37 LiveFonts for you to choose from.
2.	Select the first LiveFont in the lower pane of the Library to see it in the Preview area. The Bar LiveFont makes the letters look like they are made of 3D glistening gold bars. Let's preview the remaining LiveFonts and find one that would be appropriate for the FIRE text object.
3.	Press the down arrow to see the remaining LiveFonts in the Preview area. The Burn Barrel LiveFont makes the text look like it's on fire. That seems like a winner for this project.
4.	Select the Burn Barrel LiveFont in the Library; then click the Apply button in the Preview area to apply it to the selected text object. You can view and change the LiveFonts applied to a text object in the Inspector.
5.	Press Cmd-3 to open the Inspector; then click the Text tab.
6.	Click the Format button to display the Format pane, if it is not already displayed. At the top of the Format pane is the Font Type pop-up menu. This pop-up menu allows you to select between System Fonts and LiveFonts. The Collection pop-up menu, below the Font Type parameter, lets you choose from fonts that are grouped together in descriptive categories such as Fun, Classic, and Modern, and the Family pop-up menu lets you choose the system font or LiveFont that you want applied to the selected text.
7.	Press Cmd-S to save your progress.