Cinemagraph Pro for macOS Guide

Cinemagraph Pro is an award-winning cinemagraph creation tool for macOS and iOS. Create professional quality cinemagraphs your audience will love in minutes with Apple Design Award winner Cinemagraph Pro for macOS. In this guide, you will learn:

• How to navigate Cinemagraph Pro for macOS
• How to create and share cinemagraphs

Next: Intermediate | Advanced Tutorials

Navigating Cinemagraph Pro for macOS

When you open Cinemagraph Pro for macOS, you will be greeted with a welcome window where you can open recent documents along with tutorial documents used in the Getting Started, Intermediate, and Advanced tutorials. 

The best way to get started with Cinemagraph Pro is by watching these tutorials under the Tutorials tab and practicing what you learn. You can also browse other resources including our forums, galleries, blog and more.

Go to the app menu and select Account & License or use the keyboard shortcut ⌥⌘A  (Option-Command-A) to sign in and update your account.

Step-by-Step Guide

Whether you use new or repurposed footage, perfectly still video is the key to a successful cinemagraph. Using footage from a tripod will ensure that the motion in the cinemagraph blends seamlessly with the rest of the image. The video should also be composed in a way that separates motion so you can easily isolate a single moving element. Learn more.

1.  Drag and drop a video or image sequence into the welcome window or select Browse to create a new document. A new document may also be created under the File menu or using the keyboard shortcut ⌘N (Command-N).

2.  In the editor, drag the trimmer handles on the timeline to select the content of your cinemagraph. Drag the still image selector (purple marker) anywhere on the timeline to select a still image from your video. If you do not want to select a still image from your source video, you can import a new one by selecting Import under the Still Image tab in the sidebar.

3.  Paint a mask on the still image to reveal motion from your source video. If you make a mistake, select the eraser in the toolbar and continue switching between tools until your mask is just right.

Use the sliders in the toolbar to adjust the size, hardness, and opacity of the brush and eraser. If your composition doesn’t completely separate moving elements as recommended in the previous tutorial, use these tools to try blending the motion and still photo together. Learn more.

4.  Select the loop that looks most natural under the Loop tab in the sidebar. By default, a repeat loop is selected which will repeat the motion in your cinemagraph from beginning to end. A repeat loop works best for motion that travels in a single direction, while a bounce loop works best for motion that travels back and forth. If you use a repeat loop, you will be able to adjust the crossfade to determine determine the type of transition between the end and beginning of your cinemagraph. Learn more.

5.  Adjust the speed, crossfade, or add a delay in the motion of your cinemagraph. 

6. Go to the Adjustments tab on the sidebar to adjust the color, light, tone curve, and vignette. You can also browse through a library of filters under the Presets tab to the right and create custom presets.

7.  Click on the crop button in the toolbar to crop, straighten, rotate, and flip your cinemagraph. Select Done in Crop Mode to return to the editor. Learn more.

8.  Click on the overlay icon in the toolbar if you want to add images or text on top of your cinemagraph. Select Done in Overlay Mode to return to the editor. Learn More.

9.  When you are happy with your cinemagraph, export and upload your cinemagraph from the toolbar or use the corresponding keyboard shortcuts. 

Export: Select the file format, size, frame rate, and number of repetitions or simply select a preset to optimize your cinemagraph for one of the listed export destinations.  

Upload: Upload your cinemagraph to flixel.com to share on the web using the Flixel embed code. By uploading your cinemagraphs as public, your work may be featured in our galleries and social networks. You can change the privacy and sharing settings for your cinemagraphs anytime.