How to Use Alight Motion: A Beginner’s First Project

What should you prepare before opening Alight Motion?

Prepare 1 background image, a short title and enough free storage to import the source and save a test export. Use media you own or have permission to edit. Keep the first composition small: 5 seconds, 2 visual layers and no more than 1 effect.

Button placement and labels can vary by platform and app version. Follow the functional sequence—create, add, adjust, animate and export—even when an icon appears in a different position.

Grant photo or media access only when the app requests it for importing or saving. Denied access can leave the gallery empty even when the files exist on the phone.

What are the main parts of the Alight Motion interface?

The editor connects 6 working areas: the preview, playhead, timeline, layer stack, Add control and property controls. Learn what changes on screen before learning every button.

How do you create the first Alight Motion project?

Create a 5-second vertical project, then confirm that an empty canvas and timeline open. Choose the settings from the destination instead of copying one universal preset.

1. Tap the new-project or plus control and open the project-settings panel.
2. Set 9:16 for vertical Reels, Shorts or TikTok; use 16:9 for landscape video.
3. Match resolution to the source and intended output. A 1080 × 1920 vertical source fits a 1080p vertical project without enlargement.
4. Match the project frame rate to the main footage when possible. Mixing 30 fps footage into a 60 fps project does not create missing motion detail.
5. Set the duration to 5 seconds and create the project.

How do you add and arrange layers on the timeline?

Add the background first, then add text above it so the title remains visible. Every image, video, shape, text object and audio item occupies its own layer with its own timing.

1. Move the playhead to 00:00.
2. Use the Add control to import the background image as the first visual layer.
3. Stretch or trim its timeline bar to the 5-second project end.
4. Add a text layer and type a short title.
5. Drag the text layer above the background in the visual stack.
6. Move the text layer’s start to 00:00 and end to 00:05.

The preview should show the title over the image from start to finish. If the title disappears, check its layer order, start time, end time and opacity before adding another item.

Layer basics belong to the first-project workflow. Font installation and complex typography belong in the fonts and text styling guide.

How do you move and animate one layer?

Animate the title with 2 position keyframes: start it below the canvas, then finish it at the center. A keyframe stores one property value at one point on the timeline; Alight Motion calculates the frames between the starting and ending values.

1. Select the title layer and open its move/transform properties.
2. At 00:00, activate the Position keyframe control to store the starting position.
3. Move the title below the visible canvas while keeping the first keyframe selected.
4. Move the playhead to 00:01.
5. Add or activate the ending Position keyframe, then place the title at the center.
6. Play from 00:00. The title should enter during the first second and remain centered for the next 4 seconds.

Position changes location; Scale changes size; Rotation changes angle; Opacity changes visibility. Adjust 1 property at a time during your first practice run. Use the keyframes and easing curves guide when you need smoother timing or custom motion curves.

How should a beginner add text, audio and effects?

Add only what proves the workflow: 1 title, 1 audio clip and at most 1 visual effect. Extra layers make a failed step harder to isolate.

• Keep the title inside the canvas safe area and readable against the background.
• Trim the audio to the project end and lower its volume when it masks speech.
• Apply one effect to the selected layer, preview it, then compare the result with the effect disabled.
• Remove any addition that does not support the intended 5-second result.

Use Alight Motion effects for effect families and transitions when the project contains 2 scenes. Those guides show the extra steps once this first project works.

How do you preview the project before exporting?

Preview the complete 5 seconds from 00:00, not only the animated moment. A passing preview meets all 6 checks below.

• The background fills the canvas without unintended empty edges.
• The title enters once and stops at the intended position.
• The title stays above the background for the full duration.
• No layer starts late or ends early by accident.
• Audio begins and ends at the intended time.
• Playback contains no unexpected blank frame.

How do you export the first project?

Open the export/share control, choose a video output, and start with settings the device can reasonably process. For this 5-second practice project, keep the project’s own resolution and frame rate instead of increasing them at export. Start the export, wait for completion, then open the saved file outside Alight Motion.

Compare the file with the preview: duration, orientation, title position, audio, first frame, last frame and visible watermark status must match the selected account/plan and export settings. If the export stops, record the percentage or message and use the export-failure guide without deleting the project.

Why does a beginner project fail?

Beginner failures usually start at selection, timing, layer order, permission or project load—not at an advanced effect.

What should you learn after the first project?

Repeat 4 small projects in order: position animation, scale-and-opacity title, 2-scene transition, then one beat-timed edit. Each project should add 1 new skill while preserving the same create → add → arrange → animate → inspect → export loop.

Study imported templates and presets only after the layer stack makes sense. Use the QR-code import workflow to open a known package, then inspect how its layers and timing produce the visible result instead of copying it blindly.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Alight Motion Quick Start Guide
• Alight Motion project backup instructions