There are two ways to add a 3D object to a Motion project:
Choose a preset from the 3D Objects category of the Library.
Import your own custom 3D object (in the USDZ file format).
In the Library in Motion, select the 3D Objects category, then select a subcategory, such as Education, Nature, or Sports.
In the Library stack under the categories and subcategories, select a 3D object.
Do one of the following:
Click Apply in the preview area to add the 3D object to the canvas.
Note: If Create Layers At is set to “Start of project” in the Project pane of Motion Preferences, the 3D object is added at the first frame. See If it’s your first import in Motion.
Drag the 3D object from the Library stack into the canvas at the position where you want it to appear.
Drag the 3D object from the Library stack to a group in the Layers list or Timeline layers list.
Drag the 3D object to the track area of the Timeline or mini-Timeline. When you reach the frame where you want the new 3D object to start, release the mouse button.
The 3D object appears in the canvas, composited above objects that are below it in the Layers list. Depending upon the 3D object, the anchor point may not be located in the center of the layer. Because all transformations occur around each object’s own anchor point, you may want to reposition the anchor point.
You can import your own 3D objects or third-party 3D objects into your Motion project.
Important: Motion only supports 3D objects in the USDZ file format. Additionally, if you import 3D objects from sources other than the Motion Library (even in the USDZ file format), you may see unexpected results. Objects that appear problematic in Motion also appear incorrect when viewed in the macOS Finder or in the Preview app.
In Motion, do any of the following:
Choose File > Import (or press Command-I).
In the toolbar, click the Import button.
Control-click an empty area of the Layers list or canvas, then choose Import from the shortcut menu.
In the dialog that appears, navigate to and select one or more USDZ 3D object files.
Click Import.
The 3D object appears in the canvas, composited above objects that are below it in the Layers list. Depending upon the 3D object, the anchor point may not be located in the center of the layer. Because all transformations occur around each object’s own anchor point, you may want to reposition the anchor point.
Tip: If an imported 3D object appears in the Layers list but is not visible in the canvas, it may be positioned beyond edge the canvas. Try adjusting the size of the 3D object or zooming out of the canvas to see the object.
If you add a single USDZ file that contains multiple objects, you cannot modify the individual objects in the scene. To control the individual 3D objects, you must import each object as a separate file so it becomes its own editable layer in Motion.
For information on converting 3D objects created in other applications or downloaded from the internet to the USDZ format, see Working with imported 3D objects in Motion.