Apple ships Motion Real-Time Motion Graphics Design App

Apple Computer announced Tuesday at the SIGGRAPH convention in Los Angeles, Calif. that it has begun shipping Motion, its motion graphics package with real-time previews, procedural behavior animation and Final Cut Pro HD integration.

Motion features ibehaviorsi that use procedural animation techniques to create natural simulations, such as gravity and wind, or multi-faceted interaction between multiple objects, such as attraction and repulsion. Behaviors provide users with the ability to automatically generate simple or sophisticated fluid motion effects with minimal effort and make modifications spontaneously, all without the complexity or overhead of dealing with keyframes. Users familiar with keyframes can use Motionis Keyframe Editor to plot precise parameter values at specific frames.

Motion also features an advanced particle engine that enables artists to quickly and easily apply realistic particle presets, such as smoke, sparkles and fire to any animation, with instant previewing of multiple filters and particle effects. Using Motion, graphic elements can be turned into a particle and then modified to create unlimited, customized special effects.

The product will retail for US$299.