4GB of RAM (8GB recommended for 4K editing, 3D titles, and 360° video editing)
Metal-capable graphics card
1GB of VRAM recommended for 4K editing, 3D titles, and 360° video editing1
3.8GB of available disk space
Some features require Internet access; fees may apply. Blu-ray recorder required for burning Blu-ray discs. Video output to VR headset requires Mac computer with discrete graphics running macOS Mojave. 27-inch iMac with Radeon Pro 580 graphics or better recommended.
Application
Import, edit, and share 360° video from equirectangular images stitched together from a wide variety of cameras. Support for HTC Vive VR headset.2
Send your iMovie for iOS project directly to Final Cut Pro for advanced editing, audio work, and finishing
Automatically display the most useful functions for your task using the Touch Bar on MacBook Pro
Support for standard Rec. 709 Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) and Rec. 2020 High Dynamic Range (HDR) in libraries and projects from camera import to delivery. Edit and share Rec. 2020 PQ and HLG.
Range Check shows which areas of an image are out of color gamut
Camera Look Up Tables (LUTs) automatically applied to footage from select ARRI, Sony, Panasonic, and Canon cameras including ARRI Log C, Canon Log 2/Cinema Gamut, Panasonic V-Log, Sony S-Log2/S-Gamut, and Sony S-Log3/S-Gamut3.Cine
Import third-party camera LUTs and apply to source clips in the browser for use without rendering
External monitoring of video and audio with third-party Thunderbolt and PCIe devices, or via HDMI on select Mac computers3
64-bit architecture to take advantage of more than 4GB of RAM
Background rendering using GPU and CPU
ColorSync-managed color pipeline
High-precision floating-point render in linear-light color space
Uses Grand Central Dispatch to tap into all available processors
Full-screen, real-time preview playback of SD, HD, 2K, 4K, 5K, and larger-frame-size media
Customizable keyboard
Full Unicode support
GPU-accelerated exporting
Editing and Timeline
360° viewer allows navigation in 360° while also viewing the equirectangular file side by side
Attach HTC Vive VR headset to view source clips in full 360° in 360° viewer while editing equirectangular footage in the main viewer
Large browser for titles and generators
Custom Motion templates can be saved with the library
Option for continuous playback of clips in the browser
Timeline Index enables vertical rearrangement of roles and display of expanded channels
Create, rename, and change clip colors for roles and subroles
Read iXML metadata from audio clips and use them to automatically create and name roles
Automatically create custom roles during import or voiceover recording
Assign roles in the browser, timeline, or inspector
Enable individual audio role lanes or all audio lanes in the timeline for more fluid audio editing
Focus button minimizes all but one role to reduce visual timeline clutter
Create and manage unique roles per library
Copy and paste timecode
Search for custom metadata in the browser or timeline
Search Timeline Index for Auditions, Compound Clips, Multicam Clips, and Synchronized Clips
Multicam editing with automatic sync and support for mixed formats, mixed frame rates, and up to 64 camera angles
Magnetic Timeline automatically keeps material in sync, prevents clip collisions, and eliminates gaps
View audio clips as separate, visually distinct lanes in the timeline automatically arranged based on their role assignments
Resizable floating timecode window shows project timecode and color-coded source timecode for all clips beneath the playhead
Clip Connections keep secondary material in sync while trimming and moving the Primary Storyline. Press a modifier key to keep connected clips stationary while slipping, sliding, or moving clips in the Primary Storyline.
Compound Clips allow complex compositions to be simplified into a single clip. Compound Clips are automatically saved to the browser for easy reuse, and changes to Compound Clips actively update in all projects where they have been used.
Auditions combine multiple clips into a single clip to see alternative takes, color grades, or effects in context
Duplicate a clip inside an Audition for comparison of different effects on the same clip
Edit while importing media in the background from multiple sources
View material in Filmstrip or List view with a mini-filmstrip and metadata columns
Skimming functionality enables fast viewing of large amounts of material
Create projects with custom frame sizes
Mix frame sizes, frame rates, and formats in the same timeline — with support for 8K resolution and beyond
Edit at 23.976, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94, or 60 fps
Create the correct project setting with the first edit
Snapshots enable quick copies of a project for versioning
Insert, Overwrite, Replace, Append, and Connect with keystroke or drag and drop
Extend edit to Skimmer position
Split edits with J and L cuts in the timeline
Blade audio in J and L cuts
Dual viewers for matching action between source material and edited timeline
Direct access to iTunes, iMovie, Photos, Aperture, and GarageBand through media browsers
Timeline Index for timeline navigation and the selection of items based on text searches and other important metadata
Position tool for moving and deleting media in the timeline and leaving a gap
Clip Markers that include to-do items that can be checked off when tasks are completed
Snapping to Playhead, Skimmer, Clips, and Markers
Replace with Gap
Lift from Primary Storyline
Create Storyline to consolidate B-roll into a single unit
Insert Placeholder
Insert Gap
Numeric entry of precise clip durations
Blade tool and Blade All command for adding edits
High-quality Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) and High Dynamic Range (HDR), real-time vectorscopes, waveforms, and histograms for both viewer and Event viewer. Vertical placement of scopes below viewers optimizes onscreen space.
Record Audio tool for adding narration includes a countdown and the option to record multiple takes into Auditions
Six Clip Appearance presets for timeline display
Multi-Touch gesture support
Organize, view, mute, and export based on automatically assigned or custom roles metadata
Customize project start time
Join Through Edit command removes bladed cuts in the timeline
Indicator dot on playhead can be used for autoselection of effects
Use multiple presets or configure window layouts into custom workspaces for tasks like organizing and color grading
Batch share to quickly transcode multiple clips in the browser, with or without a camera LUT
Batch share to export multiple projects to multiple formats
Trimming
Roll Trim between two adjacent connected clips
Inline Precision Editor allows skimming of used and unused media around edit point, as well as trimming to Skimmer with a single click
Basic timeline trimming
Trim tool for advanced timeline trimming functions
Trim Start, Trim End, or Trim to Selection in a single keystroke for fast news and documentary editing
Ripple and roll
Slip and slide
Lift and ripple delete
Dynamic 2-up trimming with Show Detailed Trimming Feedback enabled
Keyboard and numeric moving and trimming
Effects
High-quality, drag-and-drop noise reduction effect reduces or eliminates grain and video noise
360° titles, generators, and effects including the 360° Patch and Tiny Planet effects
HDR Tools effect lets you easily tone map HDR to Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) output as well as convert between PQ and HLG formats
LUT effect can import third-party 3D LUTs
Flow transition seamlessly smooths jump cuts
Remove Effects and Remove Attributes commands
Timecode effect and generator to display source clip name and source timecode
Beautifully animated and easily customizable 3D titles with hundreds of combinations of materials, lighting, and edges
Cinematic 3D title templates with built-in backgrounds and animations
Large collection of 3D text styles to create stunning looks in one click
Apply superellipse Shape mask to any clip
Customizable Default Effect lets you choose a video and audio effect that is assigned to a keyboard shortcut
Advanced chroma keying with controls for color sampling, edge adjustments, and light wrap
Drop Shadow includes intuitive onscreen controls and automatic orientation adjustment
Shared Render Engine with Motion and Compressor
Add multiple effects and transitions within a range selection
Multistream real-time effects in SD and HD formats
Alpha-channel support in real time
One-step freeze frame creates a still frame and adds it to the timeline
Integration with Motion for advanced motion graphics work
Use “Open in Motion” on any effect, modify in Motion, and save as new in Final Cut Pro
Access music, sound effects, transitions, filters, color looks, and generators through media browsers
Over 176 advanced 2D and 3D title templates
Over 95 high-quality transitions
Over 125 sophisticated animation templates with video drop zones created by a top Hollywood effects company
Over 113 filters, keys, blurs, and color looks
41 backgrounds, elements, solids, and textures
Apply Draw mask to any clip with options for linear, bezier, and B-spline control point smoothing
Shape and Color mask controls for every effect with one-click display of alpha channel
Save custom effects as presets for quick access
Numeric and keyframe control for precise animation and effects
Multiple keyframe selection, copy, paste, and move in the timeline
Selectively paste video and audio effects to multiple clips using Paste Attributes interface
Trim, crop, and Ken Burns effect
Distort tool with keyframes and onscreen controls
Transform tool with keyframes and onscreen controls
Stabilization effect in real time after background analysis
Intelligent image stabilization with InertiaCam and Tripod mode
Rolling Shutter correction to improve DSLR video
Spatial Conform to make different aspect ratios fit into a project seamlessly
Retime bar for speed changes on entire clips or selected ranges
Enter exact percentage or duration for retiming effects and choose to ripple or leave the timeline length the same
Blade Speed function enables precise speed changes on a single clip
One-step Replace with Retime to Fit
Three Retime quality settings: normal, frame blending, and optical flow
Preserve audio pitch when changing speed
Find and Replace Title Text
Show Title/Action Safe Zones for positioning titles and effects
One-step transitions for Secondary Storylines
Automatic Speed to change source media frame rate to the project frame rate in one step
Audio
Adjust audio using effects plug-ins from Logic Pro X with redesigned, resizable interfaces
Large Music and Sound Effects browser allows skimming and selecting of clips
Voiceover tool automatically assigns a user-selectable role
Use Compound Clips to add audio filters or make volume adjustments to an entire role
Multichannel audio editing for adjusting individual audio channels in the timeline, with ability to assign roles to channels
Subframe audio keyframing
Support for audio samples up to 192kHz
Real-time macOS Audio Units and Logic plug-in effects included
Support for 64-bit third-party Audio Units plug-ins
Keyframable audio levels and effects
Adjust audio filters in real time during playback
5.1 surround monitoring and keyframe control for panning
Preset animations for 5.1 surround panning such as Back to Front, Rotate, Create Space, and more
10- or 31-parameter EQ built into each audio clip
Match Audio for smoothing out EQ from different microphones
Audio enhancements for volume normalization, background noise removal, and hum removal for both 50Hz and 60Hz
Audio analysis during import option to remove serious background noise and flag medium-level issues for enhancement
Over 1300 royalty-free sound effects included as a separate download
Individual audio channel control for enable/disable and configuration
Audio skimming with pitch preserved
Fade handles at the head and tail of each clip and individual audio channel in the timeline
Audio pan controls
Disable and solo controls
Audio waveform display in viewer and timeline
Logarithmic audio fades
More than 100 audio filters
“Show Reference Audio Waveforms” preference to see original waveform height when adjusting volume in the timeline
VU meters that expand as needed
Color Correction
Color wheels with integrated sliders to adjust hue, saturation, and brightness
Color curves enable ultrafine adjustments using multiple control points to change color and contrast
Hue/saturation curves let you select a specific hue or brightness level to make adjustments while leaving other parts of the image unchanged
Comparison Viewer lets you reference other frames for accurate and consistent color grading across your timeline
Balance Color command includes an eyedropper for manual white balance
Adjust color corrections over time with precise keyframe controls
Unique Color Board with controls for saturation, exposure, and color
Match Color for precise shot matching in one click
Balance Color instantly improves skin tones, removes color casts, and expands dynamic range of bright and dark regions of the image
Keyframable masks with size, rotation, and softness adjustments
Adjust the interaction style between masks with add, subtract, or intersect settings
Adjust inside or outside of color mask
Unlimited numbers of color corrections per shot
Save and reuse color settings presets
20 Color Board presets
Over 20 advanced color Looks in the Effects browser
Supports real-time Look Up Tables (LUTs) from the latest pro cameras from ARRI, Canon, Panasonic, Blackmagic Design, and Sony
Closed Captions
Import and export captions in CEA-608, iTT, and SRT formats for compatibility with a wide range of workflows and websites
Burn in captions to embed text into a video, serving as subtitles that will play on any television worldwide
View captions directly in the viewer
Adjust text, color, onscreen location, and timing
Create captions in multiple languages in the same timeline
Captions roles enable fast switching between different versions of captions
Search text and select single or multiple captions in the Timeline Index
Captions automatically move with the clips to which they are connected
Validation indicator instantly warns about common errors including caption overlaps, incorrect characters, invalid formatting, and more
Embed captions in the exported movie file or create a separate caption sidecar file
Send your project to Compressor in a single step to include captions in an iTunes Store package
Instantly extract captions from video clips to view and edit the captions directly in Final Cut Pro
Share captioned videos directly to YouTube and Vimeo
Import, playback, and editing of High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC, also known as H.265) video clips and High Efficiency Image Format (HEIF) photos from Apple devices5
"Send to Compressor" to export video projects in the HEVC format
List view in import window allows you to select clip ranges before importing
MXF-wrapped ProRes provides a new broadcast standard
Export a project as an MXF Master File and use audio roles to control audio channel layout to match industry-standard broadcast delivery requirements
Export AVC-Intra files
Both XML 1.8 and XML 1.7 support drag-and-drop import or export of clips, projects, and events with supported third-party applications
Single interface for importing from cameras, drives, network locations, and camera archives. Browse media in List view or Filmstrip view, and save Favorite locations on networks and volumes when frequently importing from the same places. The import window consolidates media management, keywording, transcoding, and image analysis options into a single sidebar.
Apple ProRes family, a 10-bit, full-width VBR codec that supports all major frame sizes and frame rates from ProRes 422 Proxy to ProRes 4444 XQ, with ProRes Log C from cameras including ARRI AMIRA and ALEXA
Use ProRes RAW to import, edit, and grade pristine footage with RAW data from the camera sensor. Work natively with ProRes RAW or ProRes RAW HQ files created by Atomos recorders and DJI Inspire 2 drone.
Custom frame sizes for projects with frame size presets available up to 5K
Background transcode original media to ProRes 422 or ProRes 422 Proxy for better performance
Create Camera Archives from any folder of media for importing into Final Cut Pro
Import Camera Archives from third-party video capture cards and software
Import video and photos from iOS devices
Import projects and events from iMovie
PTP support enables import of photos and videos directly from DSLR cameras
FireWire device control for streaming capture for tape-based HDV, DV, DVCAM, DVCPRO, DVCPRO 50, and DVCPRO HD
Share interface includes export presets and ability to create custom export destinations; create a bundle to deliver to multiple destinations in one step
Share 360° video directly to YouTube and Vimeo
Export presets up to 4K resolution for Apple devices including Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, and Mac
Export interlaced H.264 video from interlaced timelines
Upload directly to YouTube and Vimeo at resolutions up to 4K
Prepare files for Facebook to upload via the Facebook web page
Upload directly to Vimeo, Youku, Tudou, and email at resolutions up to HD
Export and burn DVD, AVCHD disc, and Blu-ray disc6
Create Chapter Markers for use with DVD, Blu-ray disc, and QuickTime files
Adjust poster frame separately from marker location
Apple-designed menus for DVDs and animated menus for Blu-ray discs
Export as Image Sequence
Export as HTTP live streaming for Internet streaming to cellular, Wi-Fi, and broadband
Export audio as AAC, AC3, AIFF, CAF, MP3, and WAV files
Import and edit layered Adobe Photoshop files
“Send to Compressor” uses GPU rendering with support for dual GPUs
High-quality H.264 export uses CABAC entropy mode for multipass encoding
H.264 from DSLR, GoPro, and iFrame cameras and drones
DV, DVCAM, DVCPRO, DVCPRO 50, and DVCPRO HD
HDV
Panasonic AVC-Ultra, including AVC-Intra 4:4:4 at 2K and 4K frame sizes, AVC-Intra 200, AVC-Intra 100, AVC-Intra 50, AVC-LongG, and AVC-Intra LT
Sony IMX, XDCAM, XDCAM EX, XDCAM HD, XDCAM HD422, XAVC, XAVC S, and XAVC-L including XAVC-L at 4K
Canon XF MPEG-2 (additional Canon software required when using Final Cut Pro version 10.3.4 and earlier)
Canon XF-AVC from Canon XC10 and C300 Mark II cameras (additional Canon software required when using Final Cut Pro version 10.3.4 and earlier)
Support for Canon Cinema RAW Light format with additional software from Canon
JVC-created XDCAM EX
JVC H.264 Long GOP
AVCHD, including Panasonic AVCCAM and Sony NXCAM
REDCODE RAW (.r3d) files up to 8K with additional software from RED. Optional background transcode to Apple ProRes 4444. GPU-accelerated playback, transcode, and render with support for dual GPUs and RED ROCKET card.
Uncompressed 8- and 10-bit SD and HD
Apple Intermediate Codec
MTS files from AVCHD cameras
Still images including PSD, BMP, GIF, RAW, JPEG, PNG, TGA, and TIFF
Compressed audio including AAC, AIFF, CAF, MP3, MP4, and WAV
Broadcast Wave Format
SDII audio files
Portrait/landscape metadata in still images
XML import and export for collaboration with third-party finishing tools and media asset management systems
XML interchange supports Metadata views that can include standard metadata fields like scene, take, and reel along with custom fields
Media Management
Support for NFS-based libraries and media
Access libraries from SMB shared storage
Content Auto-Analysis attaches useful metadata during import
Range-based keywords for creating custom searchable metadata
Create Smart Collections for automatically organizing clips based on selected criteria
Automatically generated Smart Collections for every new library
Keyword Collection created by importing a folder of media
Preserve multiple range selections in the browser and maintain multiple selections on a single clip
Mark ranges as Favorites or Rejects for sorting and sifting
Used-media indicators on source clips in the browser
Automatic library backups can be saved to a user-defined location
Render file deletion per project
Merge Events function
Easily edit across and copy between libraries
Consolidate Library to move media to another system or for archiving
Extensive search, sort, and sift capabilities in the browser
Transcode Media function offers a choice between optimizing to ProRes 422 or creating ProRes Proxy media in the background while editing. Native RED RAW files are optimized to ProRes 4444.
Media relink to manually connect projects and events to files that have been moved or modified
Batch rename clips based on metadata from Clip Info, Date/Time, Format, or Camera Info with custom naming presets
Group clips by role, creation date, date imported, reel, scene, duration, or file type
Group events by year or by year and month
Show date ranges in the Event Library
Arrange clips by name, take, or duration
Reveal clip in Finder or browser
Custom comment fields
Preference for connecting to proxy or original high-resolution media
Original source clips, optimized and proxy media, and render files can all be stored outside the library in a user-defined location
Save libraries to connected volumes or directly on Xsan
Options to delete optimized media, proxy media, and render files per event, or delete render files per project
Events can be sorted by date or name in the Library sidebar
Workflow Extensions
Use powerful third-party tools from within the Final Cut Pro interface
Extensions include tools for review and approval, large-scale media asset management, stock media, and more
Connect to existing extension accounts, which can then be viewed and managed through Final Cut Pro
Navigate projects from within the extension window
Drag and drop clips from the extension window into the browser or timeline and vice versa
Minimum System Requirements
macOS 10.14.6 or later
4GB of RAM (8GB recommended for 4K editing, 3D titles, and 360° video editing)
Metal-capable graphics card
1GB of VRAM recommended for 4K editing, 3D titles, and 360° video editing1
4.7GB of available disk space (3.5GB app, 1.2GB supplemental content)
Some features require Internet access; fees may apply. Video output to VR headset requires Mac computer with discrete graphics running macOS Mojave. 27-inch iMac with Radeon Pro 580 graphics or better recommended.
Use the 360° Look Around view to preview your 360° scene without a VR headset
Dedicated buttons on the MacBook Pro Touch Bar let you easily execute common tasks like adding masks or shapes
Dark, flat look puts the focus on your motion graphics and reduces distractions
Use the streamlined toolbar to find and add elements to your project, or rearrange items to customize the layout
Window layouts optimized for notebook and desktop computer displays
Keyframe editor pane with a streamlined timeline view for intuitive time-based control
Semitransparent heads-up display with onscreen controls for layers, behaviors, and filters
Onscreen controls for 3D position, 3D rotation, 3D anchor point, skew, four-corner pin, crop, and text glyph manipulations
Enable/Disable viewing and rendering of Lighting, Shadows, Reflections, and Depth of Field
Support for dual-monitor display
View color channels and alpha channels independently
Canvas alignment tools including dynamic alignment guides, 3D grid, and rulers
Pen-and-tablet gesture-based interface
3D mouse support
RAM Previews for viewing complex animations at full frame rate
Over 1900 pieces of Apple-designed, royalty-free vector artwork, high-resolution images, and animated design elements
Instantly display and access all layers in the project using a single keystroke
Create, save, and remap custom keyboard shortcuts
Show images outside the visible frame boundary for easily adjusting offscreen objects
Save favorite settings, custom effects, gradients, text styles, and more in the Library
Open multiple projects simultaneously to easily switch, copy, and paste between them
Color bits per channel: 16-bit float for GPU rendering; 32-bit float for background software rendering of Motion projects in Final Cut Pro8
Customizable nonsquare-pixel support
Automatically collect media used in a project for easy backup or moving to other locations
Use Spotlight in macOS to locate Motion projects by searching on any layer name or text string created in the project
3D Compositing Environment
Create 3D scenes within a 360° project for ultrarealistic 360° environments
Place any graphic, still, or video into a 360° project, then reposition and resize to fit perfectly into the 360° scene
Edit 360° video into a non-360° project and animate the pan, tilt, and zoom
Position, rotate, and intersect multiple layers in 3D space
Combine multiple layers into 3D groups for hierarchical 3D animations
Add, animate, and cut between multiple cameras
Walk-Camera intuitively operates like a first-person video game
Adjust the camera’s near and far soft clipping planes to avoid object “popping”
Apply Camera behaviors for easily creating and modifying complex camera moves
Quad split view for displaying multiple orthographic and perspective views
Inset viewer for quickly checking alternative views while making adjustments
Multiple light sources including ambient, directional, point, and spot
Enable shadows for selected point or spot lights, define objects to receive or cast shadows, and control the shadow colors and softness
Enable Reflectivity on most objects, movies, paint strokes, and more
Activate depth of field to enhance realism and control focus
Enable particles, replicator elements, and paint strokes to animate in 3D space
Create 3D text behaviors for character-by-character animations with full 3D position and rotation control
Create 3D motion paths for layers, cameras, and light sources
Apply behaviors like throw, orbit, and vortex with 3D attributes
Isolate any layer to a Front view for easily modifying masks or editing text
Timeline Editing and Layering
Layer list view makes it easy to change the stacking order of any layer, group, filter, or animation behavior
Unlimited tracks of movie clips, graphics, text, and particles
Grouping for applying compound transformations and filters
Common “bring to front” and “send to back” functions
Opacity and blend mode display for quick access on every layer and group
Create drop zones for easy drag-and-drop image replacement
Clone layers for linking instances of images that inherit properties automatically
Solo tracks for easier viewing and refinements
Isolate selection for temporary framing and soloing of an object to facilitate editing it in a 3D composition
Composite with premultiplied or non-premultiplied alpha channels
Mini-timeline built into the Canvas that displays a single track for the currently selected layer, group, filter, or behavior
Trim, slip, slide, and retime audio and video clips via the mini-timeline
Retime clips using frame blending, motion blur blending, or optical flow
Cache optical flow retiming analysis to change speed at any time without reanalyzing
Full timeline with drag-and-drop editing to choose between compositing and assembling multiple clips
Insert and overwrite editing directly into the timeline
Markers that can be placed in the timeline or on a specific clip with notes
Animation
New Overshoot behavior creates realistic spring-loaded animations without the need for keyframes
Import, playback, and editing of High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC, also known as H.265) video clips and High Efficiency Image Format (HEIF) photos from Apple devices5
Align-To behavior easily connects objects to quickly create advanced animations
Unique behavior animations for creating natural phenomena like wind, gravity, and vortex
Sophisticated simulations like attract, repel, and orbit, which create multilayered 3D animations
Text sequencing for automating complex title animations in 3D space
Auto-animated parameter controls like oscillate, wriggle, and more
Parameter linking for driving secondary animations
Retiming behaviors automate ramping in and out of speed changes
Audio behavior for syncing animations with audio tracks
MIDI behavior for triggering parameter changes via any MIDI device
Shape behaviors allow for tracking points on a shape or creating random wriggling animated shapes
Complete keyframe-based animation tools
Keyframe editor with Bezier, Linear, Constant, and Ease In/Ease Out curve interpolations
Keyframe edit tool, keyframe sketch tool, and a keyframe box manipulation tool
Copy and paste keyframes from different tracks and parameters
Keyframe settings for ping pong, repeat, and progressive
Record animations and thin keyframes in real time
Draw keyframes in the Keyframe editor using a freehand pen tool
Squish, stretch, and move groups of keyframes using a transform box
Save curve sets for quick access to common parameters
View animated curves for easier navigation
View keyframes in the timeline for quick positioning
Enable/Disable keyframe and behavior-based animations to easily compare different results
Particle Engine
Sprite-based particle engine with accelerated performance
Over 200 particle presets for easy access to sparkles, fire, smoke, and more
Animate particles in 3D space with Face-Camera control
Apply multiple objects or video clips as emitters
Apply additive blend mode for intense glowing results
Animate emitters and cells independently
Save newly created particles in the Library for reuse in other projects
Choose between point, line, rectangle, circle, box, sphere, and more for emitter shapes
Control birth rate, life, speed, angle, spin, scale, and gradient colors for particle cells
Scale particles over their life or add behaviors like orbit and vortex for amazing 3D results with little effort
Paint Effects
Paint with pressure-sensitive vector-based brushstrokes
Select from over 140 customizable brush styles from traditional to abstract
Modify brush width, color, opacity, and jitter over the stroke path
Automatically draw on and draw off with full customization
Edit brushstrokes as bezier or advanced B-spline paths
Rotate the stroke in 3D space with Face-Camera control for volumetric 3D strokes
Assign pressure and speed to brush properties when using a pen and tablet
Enable dynamics on paint dabs for particle paint-type effects
Apply replicator-like sequencing animations that can cause the paint stroke to ripple through 3D space
Replicator Tool
Automatic replication of any graphic, text object, or movie file along defined patterns
Over 200 replicator presets that can be completely customized and resaved
Animate replicated patterns in 3D space with Face-Camera control
Save newly created replicators in the Library for reuse in other projects
Choose between line, rectangle, circle, burst, spiral, wave, box, sphere, and more for replicator patterns
Define the number of rows, columns, and 3D ranks that fill or outline the pattern
Control pattern size, cell size, angle, scale, and gradient colors for replicator cells
Change the offset for rows and columns, causing them to shift position across the defined pattern
Control origin of animation from various points of the pattern
Add random scale and angle setting for more natural replications
Apply additive blend mode for intense glowing results
Set color of replicated objects from a single tint to a user-defined range
Add Replicator Sequence behavior for wavelike animations over various patterns
Title Design
Import 360° media and design 360° titles, generators, and effects
Build 3D titles from scratch or start with easy-to-use templates in Motion
Instantly convert any existing 2D title to 3D
Vector-based text engine for creating clean type at any size
Customize the look of 3D text with dozens of organic and artificial materials
Import capability supporting plain-text and RTF files to create Motion text objects
Create and save material presets
Adjust the lighting, environment, and edges of your 3D text
Powerful surface-shading options including texture maps, diffuse and specular reflection, and bump mapping
Cast shadows from any 3D title onto the title and other objects in a 3D scene
Format text using size, rotation, slant, tracking, kerning, and more
Animate individual text characters in 3D space using customizable text behaviors
Transform single characters with the Adjust Glyph tool
Select from a common set of blend modes, including normal, multiply, screen, and add
Customize text styles with control over the face, outline, glow, and drop shadow
Type-on and text-on-a-path layout/animation options
Scroll and Crawl layouts and animation options that support large amounts of text
Text field parameter in inspector makes it easy to edit text even if text is obscured in the Canvas
Fill text with solid or multipoint gradients
Apply static images or video clips as textures to text faces
Control textures using hold frame, offset, wrap modes, and opacity
Support for Asian, Cyrillic, and other Unicode system fonts
Right-to-left and vertical text support for non-Roman languages like Japanese, Chinese, and Arabic
Search-and-replace function to find and modify specific text throughout a project
Shrink-to-fit option that automatically resizes text to fit into a given area
Tracking and Stabilization
Match move using single-point tracking or four-corner pinning
Create tracking data that can be referenced by multiple objects
Track a filter’s onscreen position controls
Offset tracking for creating a single track from multiple offsets
Tracking behavior highlights best potential tracking points, eliminating guesswork
Advanced tracking algorithm maintains accurate analysis when patterns rotate or skew
Smart retry feature resets the search region automatically for less user intervention
Provide directional hints for fast-moving regions by using the look-ahead feature
Stabilize using traditional point stabilizer or optical flow analysis
Automated optical flow stabilizer bypasses selecting points and time-consuming setup
SmoothCam optical flow analysis removes jitter and rocking from handheld shots while retaining overall camera moves
Adjust amount of smoothing applied to transforms, rotation, and scaling in real time
Accelerated Filters and Effects
Apply the Reorient filter to easily change the orientation of 360° video
Apply 360° effects including blurs, glows, and more
Apply the Tiny Planet filter to a 360° video in a standard project
Apply the Comic effect to give photos and videos a comic book style and color scheme, or turn them into black-and-white illustrations
Over 110 accelerated filters for real-time interactivity
More than 10 blur filters, including Gaussian, Channel Blur, Radial Blur, and Defocus
Simple and bevel borders
More than 25 distortion filters, including Refraction, Insect Eye, Glass Distortion, Ripple, Scrape, and Polar
Stunning glow effects for Light Rays, Bloom, Aura, and more
Keying filter that automatically analyzes the dominant color of the visible frame and presents onscreen controls for refining the sample color and edges of the key
Keying controls for filling holes, adjusting edge distance, spill level, and light wrap
Advanced keying color-wheel control for adjusting the tolerance and softness in the chroma and luma channels of the keyed region
Stylize filters like Vignette, Bad TV, Bad Film, Color Emboss, Halftone, Line Art, and Slit Tunnel
Unique kaleidoscope and tiling filters
Time-based filters for echo and strobe effects
Video filters for deinterlacing and broadcast-safe colors and luminance
Generators that automatically generate patterns, noise, colors, caustics, and concentric shapes and spirals
Create unique, high-quality designs using generators like Manga Lines and Spiral Graphics that offer a hand-drawn quality
Text generators that create and animate text elements like numbers, currency, dates, and timecode or can generate text using the contents of a text file
Faster, higher-quality Optical Flow analysis using Metal
Masking Tools
Bezier or advanced B-spline masking tools
Create ovals, rectangles, and arbitrary freehand shapes
Control opacity, rounding, and edge feathering
Combine masks using mathematical operations
Track entire shapes or control points using tracking behaviors
Create image masks from alpha, luminance, or RGB values of a second image
Color Correction
19 professional color correction filters, including Color Balance, Gamma, Gradient Colorize, Color Reduce, OpenEXR Tone Map, Threshold, Channel Mixer, and more
Color wheels with integrated sliders to adjust hue, saturation, and brightness
Color curves enable ultrafine adjustments using multiple control points to change color and contrast
Hue/saturation curves enable selection of a specific hue or brightness level, allowing for adjustments that leave other parts of the image unchanged
Adjust color corrections over time with precise keyframe controls
Unlimited numbers of color correction filters per shot
Save and reuse color settings presets
Apply custom LUTs from popular color grading apps and websites
Audio
Support for AIFF, WAV, MP3, VBR MP3, and AAC (MPEG-4 Audio)
Edit audio tracks in the timeline with trim, slip, and move
Retime audio tracks with pitch change
Scrub audio tracks for frame-accurate positioning
Control balance, gain, mute, and solo individually
Use master audio controls for global audio adjustments
Trigger parameter changes based on audio frequencies or transient hits
Final Cut Pro Integration and Third-Party Support
Create and save Smart Templates in Motion for titles, effects, transitions, and generators to make them available in Final Cut Pro for drag-and-drop application without rendering
Easily convert between a Motion project, Final Cut Pro generator, Final Cut Pro title, Final Cut Pro effects, or Final Cut Pro transition at any time
Save any 360° motion graphic and access it immediately from the Effects browser in Final Cut Pro
Rigs allow multiple parameters to be controlled with simplified sliders, pop-up menus, or checkboxes
Predefined aspect-ratio snapshots make templates automatically fit the Final Cut Pro project frame size
Define fixed durations for intro and outro sections in templates; Final Cut Pro adjusts the title body to fit the timing in the middle
Rigs and parameters can be published in a template for simplified control in Final Cut Pro
Import vector PDF graphics, Photoshop layered documents, BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, TGA, or OpenEXR files
FxPlug 3 for GPU-accelerated third-party filters and effects, including support for shapes, paths, cameras, lights, and custom interfaces
Support for Image Unit plug-ins
Support for ProRes RAW and ProRes RAW HQ files for designing motion graphics using pristine RAW image data from the camera sensor
Export
Export Selection can render out selected objects
Share 360° video directly to YouTube and Vimeo
Support for standard Rec. 709 and wide Rec. 2020 color spaces
Export to ProRes, H.264, MPEG-4, and other QuickTime-supported codecs
Share feature to export and deliver content automatically to devices like iPad and Apple TV or to services like Vimeo and YouTube in a few clicks
Send to Compressor to export motion graphics projects in the HEVC format
Export OP1a MXF files using bundled Compressor settings
Export as movies or image sequences
Export as OpenEXR format
Export to uncompressed 8-bit and 10-bit 4:2:2
Support for progressive and field-based rendering
Accelerated motion blur with customizable shutter
Save custom export settings for easier selection
Settings created in Compressor can be accessed directly from the Share feature in Motion and Final Cut Pro
Send a project to Compressor for advanced encoding requirements
Minimum System Requirements
macOS 10.14.6 or later
4GB of RAM (8GB recommended for 4K editing, 3D titles, and 360° video editing)
Metal-capable graphics card
1GB of VRAM recommended for 4K editing, 3D titles, and 360° video editing1
1.2GB of available disk space
ProRes RAW requires a Mac computer that supports Metal.
Some features require Internet access; fees may apply. Blu-ray recorder required for burning Blu-ray discs.
Industry-Standard Encoding Support
64-bit engine uses all available RAM for improved render times and larger frame sizes
Maintains support for 32-bit formats
Support for standard Rec. 601 and Rec. 709 color spaces
Deliver High Dynamic Range (HDR) video with controls for color space conversions and HDR metadata
Deliver HDR video as P3 D65 PQ, Rec. 2020 HLG, and Rec. 2020 PQ for HDR10
Convert HDR to Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) video
CABAC entropy mode for multipass encoding
Encode monoscopic and stereoscopic 360° video in a wide range of formats and frame sizes with embedded industry-standard spherical metadata
Encode video in the High Efficiency Video Coding format (HEVC, also known as H.265) for file sizes up to 40 percent smaller than H.264 while preserving the same visual quality5
MXF presets include AVC-Intra, D-10/IMX, ProRes, and XDCAM HD in a variety of frame rates and resolutions
AVC-Intra is supported for QuickTime settings
Export ProRes and 10-bit Uncompressed video within an MXF container
Export HDR video in an MXF container
Export OP1a MXF files in a variety of frame rates, frame sizes, and codecs
H.264 multipass encoding for Blu-ray discs and files
Support for red laser burning of AVCHD discs for playback in compatible Blu-ray players
H.264 encoding for Apple devices, web, and mobile devices
Support for image sequence sources: TIFF, Targa, DPX, JPEG, and OpenEXR
Support for encoding HTTP live streaming
Support for encoding to TIFF, Targa, DPX, JPEG, and OpenEXR image sequences
Full QuickTime support
MPEG-2 encoding
MPEG-4 encoding
Two-pass VBR encoding for MPEG-2
Export to uncompressed 8-bit and 10-bit 4:2:2
Accepts file formats including QuickTime (single-channel or multichannel), AIFF, Sound Designer, and WAV files
Automatic setting creation via drag and drop of a QuickTime or MXF file
Resizing
Standards conversions
Retiming
Preview with high-quality color values in split-screen comparison view
High-quality image processing
Preset Destinations with job actions for automating workflow from encoding to delivery, including:
Import and export captions in CEA-608, iTT, and SRT formats for compatibility with a wide range of workflows and websites
Import caption files into a batch or iTunes Store package
View closed captions in the viewer during playback
Make changes to captions including text, color, onscreen location, and timing
Search text and select single or multiple captions in the inspector
Support for multiple languages in the same batch or iTunes Store package
Validation indicator instantly warns about common errors including caption overlaps, incorrect characters, invalid formatting, and more
Embed captions in the movie file or create a closed-caption sidecar file
Share directly to YouTube and Vimeo with captions
iTunes Store Package
Create an iTunes Store package for iTunes Store submission
Add your movie, trailer, closed captions, subtitles, and audio descriptions to your iTunes Store package
Media pass-through lets you use original media and bypass additional compression
Audition video with any audio, caption, or subtitle to verify sync
iTunes Store package preview lets you audition alternative audio, closed captions, or subtitles to verify sync and seamlessly switch between audio streams during playback
Built-in error detection helps you identify issues with your iTunes Store package
Use the validation interface to select an error or warning and navigate directly to the source of the issue
Built-in Distributed Encoding
Built-in setup for distributed encoding, including My Computer sharing options
Create groups of Shared Computers that can be selected on a per-batch basis for distributed encoding
Advanced controls to add instances on a single computer and select the network interface, port range, and port number when sharing your computer
Dolby Digital Plus Professional Encoding
Dolby-certified encoding to Dolby Digital Professional AC-3 and EC-3 formats
Accepts QuickTime (single-channel or multichannel), AIFF, Sound Designer, and WAV format sound files for encoding
Support in the iTunes Store package to link a Dolby Vision graded video file to a Dolby Vision XML
Support for all channel formats from mono to 5.1 surround
Automatically creates 2.0 or 5.1 based on the number of channels in the source media file
Confidence decoding for preview of AC-3 and EC-3 files
Video Filters
BlackWhite Restore
Brightness and Contrast
Color Correct Highlights
Color Correct Midtones
Color Correct Shadows
Fade In/Out
Gamma Correction
Noise Removal
Sharpen Edge
Text Overlay
Timecode Generator
Watermark (Image, animated with QuickTime or Motion files)