In this article, we will go over what our template curators have found to be the most common issues when reviewing Motion Graphics templates. We will present the best solutions and practices to get your template reviewed to our catalog as fast as possible.
Motion Graphics templates should have a high level of modularity. Elements such as media, text and logos should have their own position, scale and rotation controllers. These kinds of elements should have the option of being manipulated in any way without getting cut off or being limited by masks, matte layers, etc.
1. Preview video
The preview video should accurately reflect what your template can achieve, showing exactly how the product works and what the project actually contains. Avoid overselling or unrealistic expectations as this can be especially confusing for a novice user.
The preview video/image should not contain any 4K, HD, Rival Site, Software logos, Third Party logos, Icons or personal email addresses. This makes the browsing page look messy and inconsistent.
The Music/SFX used in the preview video should be from Motion Arrays library only. Please add the links used to a text document and place it into the “Help” folder.
Please only use placeholder media and videos from Pexels, Pixabay, Unsplash, Gratisography and assets from Motion Arrays library that you have a license to use.
When using cut out images in your preview movie, please make sure you included in your tutorial a part showing our users how to achieve the same result using the Pen Tool inside of Premiere Pro.
The preview movie should not contain any tracked elements.
The preview movie should not contain any screen captures of an Adobe software interface
After your template has been reviewed, If you are asked to remove fonts/effects/logos/icons etc that would alter the appearance of the template you have submitted, You must update your preview movie after the changes have been to accurately reflect what your template will now look like.
Actual placeholder media should not be included in the final upload.
2. File Structure
The file structure should follow the example package, found on our upload rules page:
The package should contain the project file, which should be named the same as the title of your submission. This should be placed in a folder named “MOGRT”. If there are several MOGRT files, name them accordingly - example 01, example 02, example 03, etc.
A “Fonts” folder that should contain a text document with links to all of the fonts used in the template. We recommend using Adobe fonts, Google fonts or fonts from sites such as Font Squirrel or DaFont.
A “Help” Folder that should contain a video tutorial going over the main features of the specific template you are submitting (target size 10MB) and the generic instructions PDF (Make sure it is the latest version of the PDF, found in our example package). You should also include links to the images/videos you have used in your preview video and any additional sound effects that can be heard in the preview movie..
Please do not include personal email address or contact information within the package.
3. Video Tutorials
The video tutorial must be 100% bespoke to your template and include importing images, editing text, logos, color controllers and it should cover the main features of your template.
4. Template Performance
It is important that the template performs and operates in a timely manner. Once you have converted your template into a MOGRT - load the template in the relevant version of the program and ensure it performs well and is easy to operate. This ensures a good user experience.
If your template performs poorly:
Try removing heavy effects as Premiere Pro does not render as quickly as After Effects.
Try splitting the template into much smaller scenes.
Try reducing the resolution size, etc
Try pre-rendering elements
5. Project Structure
The project structure needs to be exactly the same as the example project, found on our upload rules page. This consistency is crucial for our users, helping them to easily navigate your template. Elements of the same type should be grouped to help our users to navigate your template.
Naming Convention - The template's naming convention should match the package.
Grouping - Elements in the Essential Graphics Panel should be sorted and grouped with the user experience in mind. Grouping similar kinds of controllers helps our users to navigate your template quickly and efficiently.
Editable elements - All of the editable elements should be named accurately and logically after their purpose. For example, Text 01 color, Logo color, Media placeholder color, Particles color, Background color, Background elements color, etc.
Text placeholders - Include all of the Font Properties so users can edit the font selection, font size and faux styles.
Media/Logo placeholders - should be sized accordingly and accurately represent what our users will see in the final composition.
6. Text/Logo/Media Placeholders
Users often have little to no experience with the software. Without a clear boundary of the amount of text/logo/media accepted in the placeholder, users begin to get very unexpected results. The idea is not to limit the space of the placeholder, the idea is to make sure that no matter what the user puts in that space, it works 100% of the time.
Text placeholders - Text placeholders should be fully visible when being manipulated. They should not be limited by the text composition size, matte layers or masks - Users might want to type much longer words or include a block of text. The template should have the option to achieve this. It can be solved by increasing the size of the text composition, or toggling on the collapse transformation button in After Effects, or you can link the transform properties to the text composition and not the text layer.
Logo/Media placeholders - Logo/Media placeholders should be sized accordingly. When users add in their image into the Logo/Media placeholder. The placeholder should accurately represent what they can see in the final composition.
7. Responsive Design
Please ensure that all animations such as Lower Thirds, Titles and Overlays have both in and out animations, implemented with Responsive Design. Responsive design should only be applied to elements that do not have continuous animation and have both in and out animations.
You can learn about Responsive Design in this article:
Please do not include responsive design if your animation has media placeholders or if it is not applicable to your template.
Examples of when responsive design is not required:
Media Placeholders - when you place a video into the placeholder and extend the timeline it alters how the video plays back.
Wiggle Expression/Continuous animation - the animation suddenly starts to play backwards and the animation is reversed.
8. Global Controllers
Please ensure that all templates have a global position, scale and rotation controller. This controller should be linked to the final compositions position, scale and rotation properties.
When creating text or other elements with matte layers and masks, make sure to parent whatever is necessary to the controller to ensure the design will stay consistent.
9. Controllers
Every template should have a range of controller options. Users like to have the ability to customize the template to match their own unique brand and style.
The color controller options should be neat, well organized, and be named accordingly.
We highly recommend consolidating color controls where appropriate. Combining instances of the same color/elements to make customization quicker and easier for our users.
If your template contains a logo placeholder, make sure you add an option to see the logo in its original colors and without too many image-altering effects such as glows, overlaying patterns/elements, reflection maps, etc. Users like to see their logo in its original state.
If applicable, please add in scale, position and rotation controllers to the logo composition, other than the existing in-placeholder controllers.
When assigning slider controllers, the value range should be consistent and proportional. Make sure the controller is not too limited and not too sensitive to operate.
Make sure the controller options are consistent throughout the elements and scenes in your template. For example, Each title animation should have the same kinds of controllers and editable options.
Text placeholders should have position, scale, rotation and line spacing controllers without it being limited by the composition size, masks, matte layers, etc. Please use this method to create a line spacing controller - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yMAvlL0o9k
Please extensively test your controllers, to ensure they are working and operating as intended. For example when using the position, scale and rotation controllers - the anchor point should be positioned in the centre of the text/logo/media placeholder.
Our curators may send you a “Needs Work” request if they feel your project has too many color controllers and they can be consolidated for a better user experience.
10. Missing Elements From The Color Controllers
Please ensure all of the color controllers are working as intended and have been linked to elements within the project. You can check this by changing all of the color controller options individually to a different color that is not featured in your project. Then slowly scrubbing through the timeline. You will then need to add any missing elements that our users might want to edit the color of. Please remove any unused color controller options from your project.
11. Expressions Errors
It is important that you run an expression checker before you convert your template into a MOGRT. This is a requirement for this queue and it must be performed on every submission. This ensures that the project will work in any language version of the program.
You can purchase one from here: https://aescripts.com/expressionuniversalizer/
When our curators run the expression checker it should return a “0”. This shows the curator that the expression checker has been run and it has completed.
12. Missing Files
Once you finished working on your template, you should collect all of the assets used in your project using the following method:
File → Dependencies → Collect Files → For All Compositions
This ensures that there will be no missing files in the project.
11. Font Terms & Conditions
It is important that you read the terms and conditions of the font links you are supplying to ensure they are 100% free for personal and commercial use.
13. Missing Font Links
Collecting your project and running a report will show you what font links you have used in your project at the bottom of the text document. Bear in mind that this will not always show you all of the fonts used in the project, so keeping a list of the font links you have used, whilst you are creating the template is always good practice. Please make sure to delete the report afterward.
14. Template Version
The template must be saved and submitted in the same version you have marked in the description box on our website. If you are converting an older template to a newer version of the program. You must re-save your template in the newer version and extensively test that it is still working as intended before you convert it into a MOGRT.
15. Saving Templates Backwards/Forwards
It is important that you submit your template in the version it was created in, as certain effects are not available between different versions, for example - Gaussian blur, third-party plugins, and expressions often break or the expression checker will not run/complete. Once you have converted your template. Please open it in the relevant version of the program to ensure it opens and operates as intended. Keep in mind that most of our users are using the latest versions.
16. Package Sizes
Please keep your package sizes to a minimum by converting your assets into an .mp4 or .mov files with h.264 or ProRes compression. This also helps our users who have much slower internet connections to download your package from our site.
17. Missing Music Link
Please make sure that the Music/SFX link you are supplying is still available on our site before you add the link into the description box.
18. Description, Tags & Info
Please take your time when filling out the description box. Include the Art Style, the amount of editable text/logo/media placeholders wherever it is applicable. Try to come up with unique naming conventions for your submissions. Do not use version numbers or the same names for your submissions. Do not copy and paste descriptions from one template to another.
Please ensure the version marked in the description is the correct version that the package opens in.
Fill in the information in the drop-down boxes correctly. For example, there are ten 4K sizes, remember that our users can search by resolution size.
Use tags that relate to your project. Do not fill the tags with words that do not relate to your project/popular search terms. When entering tags you do not need to repeat words, for example - Modern Titles, Modern Lower thirds, Modern Text, - This should be changed to Modern, Titles, Lower thirds, Text.
Please bear in mind that our curators will not be able to list every single issue with your template. It is important that you are diligent and check the entire project again. Repeated issues will lead to your template being rejected.
Once you are confident you have completed all the “needs work” requests sent to you by our curators, go ahead and resubmit your template. If you are still unsure of what the issue is please feel free to contact us at Content@motionarray.com with your project name and slug number.
Thanks for your continued hard work and for being a part of Motion Array