01. Ocho de Octubre Dos Mil Ocho > Criticism

First, a note on criticism...

The point of any request for criticism is not your honest good for nothing opinion. It's not for empty praise, either. It's problem solving. The correct answer is not what you think, or what you would do. The answer is "What can make this work more of what it is or should be?" To say there is no answer shows a sincere lack of imagination on the naysayers part. To say you should abandon ship shows a sincere lack of courage.

Requests for criticism are very sincere. Disagreements are fine. Expressing your opinion is fine. A close friend hasn't liked my last two movies, but he's still supportive. He doesn't recoil or distance himself from me. However, attempting to win the argument on how awful something created is goes beyond the call. The world is full of bad bands, bad movies, bad plays, bad writing, and yes, bad acting. What's the harm? Leave it at "It's not for me." Frankly, it is not made for you. It is not subject to your approval.

So when asked for criticism, politely decline if you can't see the good in what's being done. Decline if you can't put your ego aside and put the idea of work first. If you do accept, focus on what's hopefully good and how the work can build on what's good.

The worse criticism - short of outright slamming- is pointing out flaws without offering a solution. It doesn't have to be a good solution. Just try if you expect them to try.

Alas, I've gone through the process of pinpointing the problems and determining intent and finding alternatives, only to have it dismissed with "I'm done." If it's digital and resides on a harddrive, it's never done. Don't waste anyone's time if you're not committed to improvement.

Finally, if you're seeking approval, don't ask for a critique. Find someone who supports the very nature of creativity rather than someone who judges the result. Frankly, you don't need anyone's approval, don’t allow them to deny your joy. Go at it.
- Anthony Torres

Cumulative versus Definitive

In working with Motion 3 and fearing the dreaded overuse of effects because one can, my mind focused on a different thought.

You don't want to be judged as a hack for being overly passionate about Motion 3 and overdoing it. Alas, videos are just videos. Rather than self criticize and hold off for perfection by way of imitating what you or others deem "perfect," fool around and forget about the "definitive" movie, script, or statement.

Allow yourself to be judged by cumulative criteria- your progression over projects over time.

This is far less crippling that a make or break shooting session. Look to the actuality of survival. The higher stakes something gets, the less energy is available for nerves and distraction.

I'm telling myself I'm going to play with Motion 3 for the cumulative effect of all the finished work. The first things may be heavy handed. So what? Being overly concerned about the "Definitive statement" hasn't worked out so great for me. I've been shooting. I've just been so psyched out by posting. Thankfully Motion 3, FCP 6, and these nifty plugins I've bought actually work as they should and hopefully I can get over my need for definitive representation and explore and experiment for the cumulative growth.

To arrive in Paris you have to get to the airport. No one cares if you get to the airport by bus, taxi, or limo. Once you're in Paris, you're there and no one can tell you you're not. Filmmaking is Paris. Making mistakes is better than not making movies.

Apple Motion 3 Certification Test

October 5 2008
What is Apple Motion 3 Certification Test?
Apple introduced this way back when. It didn't catch on. However, given the amount of producers using Final Cut Pro, or shops built on Final Cut Pro, now certification has its place. iPhones and iPods have given Apple recognition and credibility. Certain jobs require Final Cut Pro certification simply as a litmus test. It's easy to say you know Final Cut Pro if you work on Premiere. You drag and drop, edit, slip, output. However, it's not 1999 or 2003. It's 2008. Productions expect editors to know the toolset. Certification gives individuals hiring editors the "Cover My Ass" job security they frankly deserve. Even if you have the most trite ham fisted edits, at least you have certification vouching for your knowledge of their system. They can fire you because your work sucks, not because you can't work their system. That's heartening!

Cert. means more on a Final Cut level. Motion 3 is curious because it's included in the Final cut Studio 2. If they have FCP, they have Motion 3. And they're probably not using it in any great way. Motion is a program I ignored. The first 2 versions were not as impressive as After Effects. Frankly, Apple has a bad track record in my book given the failed promise of DVD Studio Pro 1. Nothing worked as advertised! So why invest time in another Apple software that seems nice but plays dumb?

Alas, given my fortunate situation, I was presented with a free class by way of DigitalMediaBannerCenter.com. The individuals involved have the foresight to increase the skillset of working professionals to make them more employable. I'm in the same lifeboat, albeit from a different ship.

I signed up as I didn't know much of Motion 3, and figured it would give my days structure.

A deeper philosophical shift occurred. Comes a time when you have to look at all you've learned, and let that go and focus on what's in front of you. I have a hacked up knowledge of Commotion, After Effects, and Elastic Reality. Motion doesn't replace these tools, but it complements Final Cut Pro for quick turnaround of motion graphics. Rather than say "I know that sorta," I took the approach of knowing nothing and learning how Motion works. And it works awesome! This is liberating. Gone are the old workarounds and dreaded renders in and outs. Now it's a send to motion that really works. Apple delivers an elegant solution. It's just that not many working professionals have the time to see if truly delivers or if it's broken.

(Case in point, Motion 3 crashes on a number of systems. It's actually a corrupt preferences file. Or worse. It's a problem. If Motion 3 crashes on you while you're evaluating it's usefulness, you'd call it useless and become adamant about what works.

I don't have the luxury of mastery. Motion 3 presents itself to be a valuable tool. I'm sticking with it for this Fall 2008 videos.

The class itself at OCPS was great. Yet, I'll point out something to folks debating parting with $1500. Don't. Buy the Motion 3 book. That's what the lesson plan is on Apple Certified courses- the book. A class is helpful, by all means. There are little steps that will trip you up when you skip them. You can misread a sentence and it doesn't work. It can be frustrating going solo, so class instruction is valid if someone else is picking up the dime.

If you have to pay the tab, buy the book and discipline yourself to read and do it along with the book. Reading won't get you so far. It's in the doing that eventually Motion 3 will sink into your psyche and you'll understand what it's strengths are.

Given that you're going solo, buy the $99 Motion 3 Fast Forward tutorial dvd by Mark Spencer, who happens to be the same guy who co-authored the Apple Motion 3 book. One doesn't replace the other. I recommend going through the book first in full, then reviewing all you know with Fast Forward and attempting those tutorials.

The book tries to "wow!" you first. The DVD is a progressive education. It doesn't bounce around as much as the book does. This linear approach is perhaps better for understanding Motion.

So, to recap, you can do it yourself and save $1350. But will you devote 15 hours over 2 or 3 days to actually do it? Probably not. A class obligates you to attend and follow along. So even if you're half there in mind, you are actually doing the work in the book. That's a nice sense of accomplishment.

To repeat, studying the book is not enough. If possible, purchase the Ripple Training “Motion 3 Fast Forward”, hosted by Mark Spencer, who is also a co-author of the Apple Motion 3 book. One could perhaps do away with the book and run through these tutorials- it is the same author and structure. However, both is a two prong approach. Adding a read through of the actual manual helps plenty. Apple expects you to know it all. You’ll come across the problems sooner or later, but go on.

Three questions from the test are answered in Fast Forward Lesson 3. (Specifically, on the inspector tab- how to work the color selector. The well and drop down render two different screens. In the HUD, it’s different.
A major question - how to save text styles in the contextual tab, the set up of the screens- well, that’s FF Lesson 3. As is the view menu for text overlays. )

Here's the issue: you can know how to work the system without knowing how to verbalize how the system works. Apple tests you on the details of how the system works. Not in a deep Ram-Vram-Processor level, but more "what's this button do... where are these found... is this a filter or behavior? What's the shortcut for..."
In some things you can gain the knowledge from reading. In others, you have to be clicking around.

So it's less a test on pulling an awesome green screen as it knowing what interpolation looks like, knowing what color in 3D represents X Y Z (it's R G B, easy!) and understanding positions in relation to a keyframe editor graph (tricky stuff. Look at the colors of the labels. They are transposed. While Y values are fairly represented as up and down, a rise in X means a right motion. A dip in X is a left motion.)

The $1500 class will get you going on Motion. It's less likely to get you passing the test, particularly if you take it at the conclusion of the class. You're better off clicking around, getting the Motion Fast Forward DVD, watching the tutorials (it's all of 2.5 hours of instruction that'll take 5-9 hours to do allowing for stops and starts.)


You have to click around the software. So running the book is one pass. Running the tutorial video is a second opportunity. Know the icons. HUD is square. Inspector is circle.
Know constrain keys for all shortcuts. Setting in/outs. Setting play range in outs. Sizing constraints of shift and option.

Know what is a filter and what is a behavior not only in theory but actual names. (Oscillate is a behaviour.) Know parameter behaviours, which don't affect a layer but a transform property of a layer. What are transform properties, by the way?

This is stuff that you know but probably can't verbalize or articulate. Apple expects you to be able to articulate their system to pass certification. It's not hard, it's not easy. It's just that the book presents fairly hard concepts that you won't be tested on. Since you don't know what will be covered, you are forced to learn as much of it as possible.

Again, get the book and the dvd and read the manual.
This will increase your chances of becoming an Apple Motion 3 Certified Pro.