Please go over this article to find common issues and the best solutions and practices to get your template accepted to our catalog as fast as possible.
Missing Elements from Color Controllers
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 our users.
The preview video/image should not contain any 4K, HD, rival site, software, third-party logos or icons. This makes the browsing page look messy and inconsistent.
The music/SFX used in the preview video should be from Motion Array’s library only.
Please only use placeholder media and videos from Pexels, Pixabay, Unsplash and assets from Motion Array library that you have a license to use.
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 following:
The project folder with the templates subfolders inside. Even if the project consists of one generator in its folders structure should be:
Project Folder > Project SubfoldersA “Fonts” folder that should contain a text document with links to all the fonts used in the template. We recommend using Google fonts or fonts from sites such as Font Squirrel or DaFont. 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.
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’s the latest version of the PDF, which can be found in our example package). You should also include links to the images/video you have used in your preview video and any additional sound effects.
3. Project Structure.
We are only approving templates that work as generators, titles, transitions, or effects. All Final Cut Pro templates are required to have a responsive design where applicable. All published parameters should be neat, well organized, named accordingly, and placed to match the sequence order (Scene 1-2, Slide 1-2, etc.). All published controllers should be collapsed.
Titles (*.moti) templates should have adaptive time-stretching: Build In and Build Out markers on the projects timeline in Motion.
If the title scene is not the full size of the screen and the design allows this - it should have global controllers to adjust the position, scale, and rotation (optionally) of the title as a whole directly from the Published Parameters in the inspector panel.
While creating global controllers make sure that the Anchor Point is near as possible to the center of the applicable scene.
4. Text/Logo/Media Placeholders
Text Placeholders
Users often have little to no experience with the software, so template customization must be available from the template's Published Parameters tab in the inspector panel.
Text Placeholders should have a published text edit box with attributes, including a position and color controller, these should not have any keyframes on them.
Please leave the text we see in the preview movie inside of the text placeholders and size of the text placeholder compositions accordingly. Do not change the text to Text 01,02,03 - Your Text 01.02.03 etc. Users should be able to recreate what they see in the preview movie at the same size and in the same position.
If the user uses the entire space provided in the text placeholders, the design should not break, and elements should not overlap each other or be cut off where they are not meant to.
Media Placeholders.
There are two types of transform controllers for Media Placeholders:
Drop Zones position and scale control to transform the Drop Zone itself
Image’s position and scale control to transform the Media inside of the Drop Zone
Both of them can be published to provide full control over the Media Placeholder (e.g. Logo image), but in some cases Drop Zones controllers are enough (e.g. slideshows, mockups).
This video covers how to publish Drop Zone and Image parameters.
While producing a template, please keep in mind that logo placeholder should allow for different logo aspect ratios if the template design does not limit it.
In most cases, cropped logo placeholder issue results from using a logo image with a specific dimension while creating a template in Motion.
Converting the logo image to Drop Zone before publishing the template creates a Drop Zone with aspects of the used image.
To avoid this, if the logo placeholder is not limited by the template's design while creating or before the final delivery of the template, replace the existing logo image with a new blank Drop Zone.
Please watch this video on how to fix this issue.
5. Published Parameters
Every template should feature published parameter options when it is applicable. Users like to have the ability to customize the template to match their own unique brand and style. Controllers should be neat, well organized, and be named accordingly.
Please check this video that covers on:
How to correctly name\rename published parameters,
How to rename Drop Zones
How to divide Published Parameters by scenes (optionally)
Color Controllers.
Avoid default names such as Color, Remap White To, Remap Black To, etc.
When it is possible and project design allows it please avoid using the Hue control wheel instead of the color-choosing option. Many users need to have the ability to choose a specific color.
3. The color controllers specific to individual scenes should live in the corresponding section of the template’s Published Parameters.
4. We highly recommend linking the same colors of the template where appropriate. Combining instances of the same color to make customization quicker and easier for the user.
See example video
5. If your template includes a logo placeholder, make sure you add an option to see the logo in its original colors 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.
Design Elements Controllers.
Some projects also feature the option to customize the appearance of design elements of the template. Such as position, dimensions and colors.
Please avoid publishing all possible parameters. If the element intends to be customizable, try to make this task easier for the user.
2. Combine components of the editable elements by using “Link”, “Align To” behaviors and Rigs.
Watch these tutorials on how to use “Align To” while creating the template and how to “Link” similar color parameters.
Our curators may send you a “Needs Work” request if they feel your project has too many controller options that could be consolidated for a better user experience.
6. 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 adding missing elements that our users might want to edit the color of. Please remove any unused color controller options from your project.
Please check this video on how to do it.
7. Missing Files
Once you have finished working on your template, ensure that all media assets are collected in the project and that there is no external or unused content (use “File > Remove Unused Content” function in Motion)
8. Missing Font Links
All fonts used in the project should be mentioned in the fonts document. If it is a system font, this should be noted. A free download link should be provided if it is a third-party font.
To make sure which third-party (not a system) fonts were used in the project:
Close Motion and disable all user’s fonts in the Font Book (system app) for a while.
Open your project in the Motion. All missing external fonts will be shown in the Motion’s alert message.
3. Enable the User’s fonts back.
9. Package Sizes
Keep your package sizes to a minimum by converting your assets into a .mp4 or .mov files with h.264 or ProRes compression.
Please pay attention that most of pre-rendered assets (basic shapes, solids, masks …etc) can be highly compressed without losing the quality. This also helps our users who have slower internet connections to download your package.
10. Description, Tags & Info
Please take your time when filling out the description box. Include 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.
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.
Poor description and tagging will slow down the review process as we will have to rewrite it.