Exploring the Utility Window

One of the many advantages of Motion is the simplicity of the interface. As with other Apple Pro applications, Motion provides two main windowsthe Canvas and the Utility windowas your base of operations. Let's start with the Utility window, since that is where you find and modify the content and media that you use to build your projects.

The Utility window has three primary functions: You use it to browse for files, organize elements, and modify elements.

The Utility window separates its primary functions onto three tabs:

• File Browser Browse, select, and import media files, including single images, image sequences, QuickTime movies, and audio files.

• Library Access Motion content such as gradients and preset particles, plus browse, select, and apply effects and filters to objects in your project.

• Inspector Adjust the parameters for all objects and effects in your project.

We'll use the File Browser tab to locate the elements we need to create our project.

NOTE

You'll work with the Library and Inspector tabs in the next lesson.