[David Bogie]

I can send you to the manual, pasted below. The last two paragraphs are important but I do not know if they pertain to your situation.
Some effects and masks prevent the underlying lighting information form moving upstream.

bogiesan

Collapsing transformations
If the Collapse Transformations switch is selected for a nested composition, then the transformations for the nested composition are not performed until after the masks and effects for the containing composition are rendered. This render order allows the transformations for the nested composition and the containing composition to be combined—or collapsed—and performed together. The same is true for vector layers that are not continuously rasterized.

Note: Instead of a Collapse Transformations switch, vector layers have a Continuously Rasterize switch in the same location. Vector layers include shape layers, text layers, and layers with vector graphic files as the source footage. Text layers and shape layers are always continuously rasterized.
Collapsing transformations can, for example, preserve resolution when a layer is scaled down by half in a nested composition, and the nested composition is scaled up by a factor of two in the containing composition. In this case, rather than performing both transformations and losing image data in the process, one transformation can be performed—doing nothing, because the individual transformations cancel each other.

If transformations are not collapsed, a nested composition that contains 3D layers is rendered as a 2D image of the 3D arrangement, using the default composition camera. This rendering prevents the nested composition from intersecting with 3D layers, casting shadows on 3D layers, and receiving shadows from 3D layers in the containing composition. The nested composition is also not controlled by the cameras and lights of the containing composition.

If transformations are collapsed, the 3D properties of the layers in the nested composition are exposed to the containing composition. Thus, the nested composition can intersect with 3D layers, cast shadows on 3D layers, and receive shadows from 3D layers in the containing composition. The containing composition’s camera and lights can also control the nested composition.

Essentially, collapsing transformations for a nested composition tells After Effects to not flatten and crop the layers in the precomposition. Because an adjustment layer operates on the composite of all of the layers beneath it within the same composition, an adjustment layer within a nested composition with collapsed transformations will force the flattening and cropping that collapsing transformations would normally prevent.

When a closed mask (with mask mode other than None), a layer style, or an effect is applied to a nested composition with collapsed transformations, the layers in the nested composition are first rendered on their own, then masks and effects are applied, and then the result is composited into the main composition. This rendering order means that the blending modes of the nested layers are not applied to any underlying layers in the main composition, and that 3D layers above and below the collapsed layer cannot intersect or cast shadows on each other.

[David Bogie]

[peter dunphy] “lighting
field rendering
motion blur
frame blending”

These are options you need to use when you know why you want to use them.
If you have lights on in your scene, you want to render them. If you have no lights (and no camera) you do not need to activate lights. why does the switch exist at all? I render without lights for preview purposes.

Fields are necessary for interlaced formats. You must know if your production format is progressive or interlaced.

Motion blur enhances the illusion of movement by simulating image smear caused by an open shutter. You get the illusion at the expense of rendering time.

Frame blending is only necessary if you have video clips in your scene and even then you don’t need it unless you’ve changed the speed of the clip. Sort of.

bogiesan

[David Bogie]

Most shops own and are very efficient with both for reasons that can be researched easily. However, if you do not understand the differences between the projects or your clients’ needs, the decision is more complex. There are three possible answers:
1. If you own CS4, you must learn how to use After Effects. If you do not already own the suite, you do not need it unless you require specific tools from Adobe.
2. If you already own FCS3, you must learn Motion.
3. If you do not own either package, figure out how you’re going to bill your clients for your work and then figure out what they want and then decide where to spend your money.

bogiesan

[David Bogie]

The trick to “getting it right” with any organic transition is to design the grayscale animation properly first. Creating a clip that begins all in white and ends all in black makes the transition easy.

I have no idea what a water cooler effect is but it sounds more like Foam and Waveworld will give you better results than Fractals.

You could always shoot video of your water cooler.

bogiesan

[David Bogie]

I am not aware of any way to get Motion’s text editor to see and follow the shape of an outline. That’s easily in page composition applications like In Design, maybe Illustrator.

bogiesan

[David Bogie]

Quicktime VR is a vastly underused technology. Huge potential for exactly your need. Not easy, not quick, and requires specialized hardware and software to do it properly. there are lots of hacks but they don’t drop directly into the VR interface.

Easy google search will uncover a large user base and many tools.

bogiesan

[David Bogie]

without watching over your shoulder, I’d say if you had used Card Dance or Card Wipe you wouldn’t have much of a problem.
You can still do that, just precompose your 256 layers and apply Card to the precomp. Easy to move any of the sources around in the precomp.

> I need to move 10 layers at a time down 1 frame in the comp. < Don't know what that means, sorry. Down positionally or down temporally? bogiesan

[David Bogie]

Can you determine the file extension? Instead of using Spotlight, try the Find function specifically looking for that file type, maybe creator. If you save a template you can also search immeditaely for file creation date.

Sorry not to be able to offer you a direct solution. Please let us know if you find your lost templates. I’m pretty sure it’s going to be something simple.

bogiesan

[David Bogie]

[Mitch Jordan] “Does anyone know where I should look? Where does Motion save new templates if it’s not following the Templates path in the preferences pane? Do I need to reinstall Motion?”

My first response to server questions is always. “Wake up the server gnome and make him fix the server!”

I can tell you with 99% certainty reinstalling Motion is a waste of time.

My custom templates went where I wanted them to go, just tried it. Library>Application support>Final cut Studio>Motion>Templates (in my case)>New Theme. Motion built the preview animation and everything is there. But there are no other templates there. I’m wondering, “Where did Motion put the real templates?”

bogiesan

[David Bogie]

Sorry, can’t help you other than to sympathize. had this happen to me just yesterday. Poof. they’re gone.
I started the project from scratch.

bogiesan