I'm sure the answer is no, but there's a question here at work on whether or not you can add a motion effect to a precompute.

Here's the info. We received animation in the form of TIFF files, which we import with "Detect Sequential Files" turned on so it will create a single file animation. So now we have this precompute animation, but if we need to speed it up or slow it down we can't do that to this particular file. My suggestion is to import the TIFFS at hi res, cut that precompute into a sequence and remove the key that's on top of it, then export that sequence as a quicktime (same as source so we maintain resolution and basically make a new master), then we can import that quicktime at any resolution we want and it will be a file that we can manipulate and drop matte keys on it if necessary.

Of course this would be much easier if we could just add a motion effect to the original import. Someone here thought Final Cut could do that, but I don't know enough about FCP to know if that's true. They're on MC 3 here (upgraded from 11 I think. It's been about 8 years since they upgraded).

Just thought I'd ask

Three words:

video mix down.

Make a video mix down of the precompute, and apply your motion effects to the new generated clip.

Yeah, I know we can do that, but we'll need files that we can go back to for online. So I'm creating new masters by importing the TIFFS at 1:1 and doing the export thing, then importing those masters at 14:1 for use in the sequence. When onlining they can use the new hi res masters we made. Of course we could just work with hi res imports to begin with and mix those down I suppose, but the way we are doing it now is what was agreed upon.

 If you're bringing it in as a standard master clip you can apply a timewarp effect and use the speed and position graphs to speed up and slow down. And if you're bringing it in as a matte key, try ALT dragging the timewarp effect on top of it.

Correct, that's why I'm making new masters, so I can bring them in as a standard master clip that can be manipulated. I already tried ALT dragging timewarp and nothing happens.

Make a sequence for just the imported animation. Call it "Make me first 1" 

Make a mixdown and put it on layer 2.  In the comments column of your sequence's bin put Make mixdown of this and the TC in point you want the mixdown inserted in the online sequence. 

Make production notes with the details of where the sequential files are.

I recall having stepped into a matte key, appling a timewarp to the fill and then dragging the same effect on to the key layer? Or something along those lines anyway. I used to use it with a pre-animated baseline graphic when I wanted to extend the hold in the middle I think.

Sorry it was a few years ago.

Thanks for the responses. I'll try monkeying around with some of the suggestions, but when I go to work in the morning the AE's will have finished doing my workaround of creating new masters.

Normally the animation would've been done after the show was shot, or the VO was recorded, but animation was put into play before any of that. So now we have to make this stuff fit the actual show and the timing is all off. Par for the course in this biz.

thanks