GENERAL MOTION RESOURCES
There are many places to go for help when it comes to learning & using Apple’s Motion 3. The primary discussion groups are in the Apple Support Forums for Motion and with a dedicated forum in Creative Cow’s extensive forum area.

COURSE OF STUDY
If you want to learn Motion the right way and avoid developing bad habits (like using the wrong tools and ignoring shortcuts), you should enroll in a decent course or at least consider using the same textbooks that those courses use. I firmly believe that if you’re disciplined enough and and can take the time to methodically work through entire tutorial texts, you can very effectively train yourself. To that end, here are the books I recommend to get up to speed on Motion:

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Damian Allen’s Apple Pro Training Series: Motion 3 is the official text for Motion certification training and provides an excellent foundation either for the novice or for a motion graphics pro coming over from After Effects. Motion has taken a great leap forward (or into “z space” at least) with the release of version 3 and even a user of Motion 2 will benefit from this book. Allen’s engaging and humorous style and his use of real world scenarios make learning Motion fun.



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Apple Pro Training Series: Motion Graphics and Effects in Final Cut Studio 2 by Mark Spencer and Jem Schofield looks at motion graphics creation from a suite-wide perspective and in so doing go to the heart of productivity with FCP Suite. The way the apps work together is the key and I think this is the best book for getting the feel of that integrated work flow. I’ve included it here because it covers Motion pretty heavily and I also love the real-world examples seen in the projects. This is a must-read for anyone doing commercial work in a professional environment.


APPLE PRO CERTIFICATION
If you are just starting out as an editor, you may want to consider becoming an Apple Certified Pro for the applications you specialize in. This is a useful goal because the act of preparing for and passing the exam will force you to learn the application deeply. Once certified, your name will appear on Apple’s website and you can use the Apple Certified logos in your marketing materials

MOTION DOWNLOADS AND EXTRAS
Here are some free add-ons and resources for Motion users. You should also keep an eye on Dave Hurley’s Del.icio.us page tagged “apple-motion.”
  • Motion Smarts is a great resource with tutorials and downloads
  • Mark Spencer (author of the Studio 2 book listed above) maintains an outstanding Motion site at applemotion.net.