About template files and media save locations

About template files and media save locations

When you save a template, the project and all associated files are saved in your /Users/username/Movies/Motion Templates/ folder on your computer, organized by template type. For example, a Final Cut Effect template is saved to /Users/username/Movies/Motion Templates/Effects/; a Final Cut Transition is saved to /Users/username/Movies/Motion Templates/Transitions/, and so on. The template types include Compositions (templates created in Motion for use in Motion), Effects, Generators, Titles, and Transitions.

When you save a template in Motion, you assign a category and have the option to assign a theme.

In the OS X Finder, templates are stored according to the following folder hierarchy: template type/category/theme. For example, if you save a Final Cut Effect template to the “Blur” category with an optional “News” theme, it is stored in the Finder in the /Users/username/Movies/Motion Templates/Effects/Blur/News/yourtemplatename folder.

Note: You can also sort by theme in the Motion Project Browser using the Theme pop-up menu.

Contents of the template folder

Each template folder contains the following items:

  • large.png: This file is used for the preview in the Motion Project Browser and as a preview in the Final Cut Pro browser when the project loads in the background.

  • small.png: This file is used for the thumbnail preview of the template in the Final Cut Pro browser. The current frame when the template is saved in Motion is used for the preview frame.

  • yourtemplatename.mov: This file is used for the movie preview of the template that plays when the template is selected in the Motion Project Browser. This file is created when you select the “Save Preview Movie” checkbox before saving.

  • yourtemplatename.moef, -.motn, -.moti, or -.motr: This is the Motion template’s project document.

    • .moef is the Final Cut Effect template extension.

    • .motn is the Final Cut Generator template extension.

    • .moti is the Final Cut Title template extension.

    • .motr is the Final Cut Transition template extension.

  • Media folder: This folder contains all media in the project—media used in the placeholder and other clips and images used in the project, including content such as particle cell sources. If you clear the media in the template placeholder before saving the template, that media is not saved in the Media folder.

    Note: If you select “Include unused media” in the save dialog, media in the Media pane (the storage area for media not used in the Motion project), is included in the Media folder.

Sharing templates

To share templates and associated media files between users and computers, place the associated template files in the same folder structure on another user’s computer in the /Users/username/Movies/Motion Templates/ folder.