Hello Martin,

1. There is a way by code to stop all animations before your movie starts.
In a movie script, place the following code:

on prepareMovie
member("scene").model("name").bonesplayer.pause()
end

Then, when you want to trigger the animation, you can use a sprite script:

on mouseUp
member("scene").model("name").bonesplayer.play()
end

2. When it comes

I asked 3D animators if they have a way to create several different
timelines (with each a different name) on the same hierarchy of models. They
told me that they can't (at lease under 3DS Max).

But as you figured out, you can export animation-only W3D files (by having
only the Animation option checked in the Shockwave 3D exporter). Then you
import these into Director and use the cloneMotionFromCastmember()
instruction when you need a given motion. This works well and is a common
practice in the videogame industry (e.g on PSOne). You can use the "Play
animation" and "Load motions into the scene" behaviors in the Chrome Lib:

[url]http://www.director3d.de/2003/07/14.html[/url]

Regards,
Karl.