Motion 3: How Best to Copy Sections from One Project into Another?

I just finished a somewhat complicated Motion 3 project. 11 master groups with at least 15-20 files/filters/behaviors per group with another 2-3 groups within those groups. Everything went quite well, but the client now wishes to "lift" segments from the 120 sec. version to build a 60.

I need to know the best way to steal already built sections from one Motion 3 project and place them into another. Yes, this sounds like an Editing 101 question but something always goes wrong. I'm getting better with Motion, and will admit that someone with more experience would have streamlined things better, but that's not the issue.

For example, I option dragged one master group containing about 15 layers of media & FX along with another 2 groups and their multiple layers into a new, completely empty project timeline and some of the XYZ positioning and keyframing was grossly off from the original. Some elements within the master group were also skewed. Stacking order isn't the problem (it's only 2D anyway) but I can't understand how option dragging entire groups into a new project ALWAYS results in less than exact copies of the original. At least in my case.

So why doesn't option dragging a group from the layers tab into a new project result in an EXACT copy of that master group in every way? Cut & Paste has also yielded less than perfect results.

BTW, with adjustments along the way, I finally DID piece together the 60, but I still would like to know why option dragging groups from one project to another almost always results in "corrupted" copies of the original groups.

Hi Mark,

When you copy elements of one Motion project into another you must make sure that you copy EVERY asset that can affect the elements you want to transfer. Let me explain:

We have a project with 4 groups: A, B, C and D.
A is a master group that contains groups B and C; D is a standalone group.

Copying the group D into a new project will not cause any issues, because it is a standalone group and thus not affected by other elements in your project. When you copy group D you are copying the parameters of all the elements within this group, as well as the parameters of the entire group.

Copying only group B into a new project may give issues because this group B is also a part of group A. If you have made any changes to group A (e.g. shifting the entire group A to the right) these changes affect all elements and subgroups that are part of A, including group B. So if you have made changes to A and you only copy group B you will not copy the master changes and your group B will have wrong positioning and keyframe settings in your new project.

With complicated projects involving master and subgroups I would advise to copy the ENTIRE project into a new one, and then delete all parts you do not wish to use. This way you are sure that you copy every parameter that affects the elements you need.

Best wishes,

Ronny

Once again Ronny, you hit the nail right on the head. I 'thought' I had been careful in copying elements, but my organization of the groups lacked good, solid planning . . . i.e. I did what was fastest at the time and got trapped later! I reconstructed my groups as per your scenario and presto!

I always like it when it's MY mistake because mistakes can be fixed.

Thanks as always!

Mark LoPresti

ronny courtens Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi Mark,
>
> When you copy elements of one Motion project into
> another you must make sure that you copy EVERY
> asset that can affect the elements you want to
> transfer. Let me explain:
>
> We have a project with 4 groups: A, B, C and D.
> A is a master group that contains groups B and C;
> D is a standalone group.
>
> Copying the group D into a new project will not
> cause any issues, because it is a standalone group
> and thus not affected by other elements in your
> project. When you copy group D you are copying
> the parameters of all the elements within this
> group, as well as the parameters of the entire
> group.
>
> Copying only group B into a new project may give
> issues because this group B is also a part of
> group A. If you have made any changes to group A
> (e.g. shifting the entire group A to the right)
> these changes affect all elements and subgroups
> that are part of A, including group B. So if you
> have made changes to A and you only copy group B
> you will not copy the master changes and your
> group B will have wrong positioning and keyframe
> settings in your new project.
>
> With complicated projects involving master and
> subgroups I would advise to copy the ENTIRE
> project into a new one, and then delete all parts
> you do not wish to use. This way you are sure that
> you copy every parameter that affects the elements
> you need.