Exporting alpha channel problem

i have simple file, no footage; just illustrator artwork. the only way i can see the alpha channel in motion is to have the project background (set in the project prefs) set to 0% opacity (i'm using white). when i do this, i can see that there is transparency using the pulldowns in the upper right. the problem is when i export a frame as a png still...the color looks like it is being premultiplied with black, as it's really off in the transparent areas. but i'm in a catch 22: the only way to get the color right is to set the background opacity of them project to 100% - and that negates the alpha channel.
can't i premultiple with white, as in ater effects?
what's up?
macbook pro Mac OS X (10.4.9)

Heya,
Just change the alpha interpretation for the footage. Select the image and press Shift+F to shortcut to the Media tab settings. Change the alpha type to Premultiplied - White, or whatever you want.

Similar Messages

Why can I no longer export alpha channels in the new FCPX update (10.0.6)?

While the new update is rich with new goodies- I am having some issues doing some things. My main concern is the inability to export alpha channels in the 10.0.6 updated version of FCPX.
I followed the following steps, same as before the update.
I used the Keying effect to remove the greenscreen and did some cleanup using the "sample color" refining tool.
I cropped and resized the clip so that the actor is the correct size for my clip.
Now it looks great in FCPX, except that I now need to put that footage into Motion 5 and do some motion tracking and match move.
I export the keyed clip as Apple Pro Res 4444
Now when I import that file into Motion 5 everything that is supposed to be transparant is black!
Is there an additional setting in the new version that I need to fix in order to export alphas? Is there a new way to do it?
I am operating Mountain Lion, OSX Version 10.8.2 with a 2.66 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor.
Thank you so much! This is a key element in almost all the projects I do and now I am stuck!

You got me curious so had to test and validate some of the above, forgive me if I go a little OT in the process.
Have you set your background to checkerboard, I find psycologically this makes a difference, though in exporting it does not...
screen grab below, from 422 timeline, showing original, exported 444 and then imported file comp'd in and scaled down for differentiation in FCPX, note that the project render parameter is actually set to 422 NOT 444 as fox_m suggested, it still works.
This one below shows the above scenario exported 444, with background set to black in pref's, note the overlap showing transparency, again in FCPX. This is purely to illustrate that the checkerboard and black backgrounds are not relevant, only that the 444 on export is relevant.
Hopefully this illustrates that cropping and 444 exports are working.
Tony

Alpha channel problem with Pixel Bender blendShaders

I'm using Pixel Blender to try and create a blend shader for a Flex 4.0 app.
It looks like this:
<languageVersion : 1.0;>
kernel PixelReverse
<   namespace : "com.abc.def.filters";
    vendor : "EdAlive";
    version : 1;
>
    input image4 foreground;
    input image4 background;
    output pixel4 dst;
    void
    evaluatePixel()
        pixel4 fgPixel = sampleNearest(foreground, outCoord());
        pixel4 bgPixel = sampleNearest(background, outCoord());
        if((bgPixel.r == 0.0) && (bgPixel.g == 0.0) && (bgPixel.b == 0.0) && (bgPixel.a == 0.0)){
            bgPixel.r = bgPixel.g = bgPixel.b = 1.0;
        dst.r = 1.0 - abs(fgPixel.r - bgPixel.r);
        dst.g = 1.0 - abs(fgPixel.g - bgPixel.g);
        dst.b = 1.0 - abs(fgPixel.b - bgPixel.b);
        dst.a = fgPixel.a;
It looks correct in the Pixel Bender preview window.
When I use it in a Flex project with proper 32 bit png images, the filter seems to work correctly, except it sets any partial alpha value on the images to fully opaque (like a 1 bit alpha channel).
Because the image preview looks correct in Pixel Bender, I'm assuming it's a problem with the bitmap data that Flex is passing to the blend shader filter.
I tried changing the filter to simply output a copy of the foreground firstly, and the background second, to test.
When returning a copy of the foreground, the imags weren't visible on stage, either because the pixels were transparent or because it was really returning the background pixels, camouflaging the images.
When returning a copy of the background, the images were just black rectangles.
The images are being place on stage programmatically inside an mx Module, and having their depth property set.
They also have draggable behaviour, where the current drag object is layered above all else during the drag.
I'm actually using a subclass of mx.controls.Image, but am simply setting the source property with preloaded bitmap data, so I'm am fairly sure the subclass is not a factor.
I hope this is enough information for someone to be able to provide some help.
Thanks

Please make sure you have installed the latest graphics drivers, from http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us, for your graphics card.

Bluff Titler Alpha Channel problem

Hi
I have made a video file using Bluff Titler. I have exported it with tranparency, but I cannot get the alpha channel to work inside PPRO CS 6.03...
Has anybody tried this with Bluff Titler and would be so kind to share their workflow?
Thanks
/Ulf

have you tried this ?? read the help file at your bluff titler website ?
=======pasted from help =======
4 TRANSPARENCY
BluffTitler can create AVI files with transparency information (RGBA, or AVI with alpha channel). You can do this by selecting Uncompressed AVI with transparency in the File/Export as Movie... dialog. This is very useful if you want to overlay your titles onto your videos, but unfortunately not all video tools can import AVIs with transparency, so try using AVI without transparency if your NLE starts complaining about not being able to read your AVI file.
BluffTitler allows you to export your BT show as compressed AVI with transparency info. This combination of compression and transparency is rare and not many encoders and NLEs support it.
======end paste ========

Can't export alpha channel on a lower 3rd

I was able to sucessfuly change the font color of my live type.
I am intermediate to graphics and I was using the Digital Duice Editor's Took kit #10 - #239 lower third to use as a lower third while adding text in motion. I thought the alpha channel was built in. When I export in motion to .mov I get the lower third, my animated text, but a black background (no alpha to lay over the video) Slap me if this has been asked before, but I have tried a lot of things and still have the black background exported. Do I need to add the alpha overlay that comes with the lower third #239 in motion to make this a mask?
The Digital juice lower third works well in FCP and allows me to super impose it over video. Do I have to set up motion to have an alpha background before I impor the lower third?

I am intermediate to graphics and I was using the Digital Duice Editor's Took kit #10 - #239 lower third to use as a lower third while adding text in motion.< </div>
You are rendering out of Juicer 3? You have done in the past, going to FCP, and the alpha is intact? Then it must be your settings out of Juicer or you have not interpreted the alpha prperly in Motion. It might be straght or premultiplied, depending on your settings in Juicer.
Exporting out of Motion with alpha is easy if you know how to select the proper codec. It must be Animation (ther are other alpha-aware codecs but Animation is idiotproof).
Without watching over your shoulder, it's difficutl to tell whaich of the many beignner's mistakes you could be making. Once you figure it out, though, you wil lnever make them again.
bogiesan

Alpha Channel Problem from After Effects into FCP

Hello
Using After Effects I've masked out a figure in some footage so I can composite it into a timeline. When I import the new .mov I render out (using RGB + Alpha channels and Millions of Colours +) into FCP the figure is surrounded by a solid black background.
I've repeated the process a few times and then tried importing the .mov into FCP on another computer. This actually worked, the channel became transparent and the mask was there. So this should mean there's something wrong with my version of FCP?
I'm using After Effects 6.5 and FCP 5.0.1 on my Mac and FCP Studio 2 on the computer it worked on.
Any help is greatly appreciated.

Wait a second, there was a huge thread here a few weeks ago about bad alphas. The victims eventually (IIRCC) were forced to do a complete reinstall of EVERYTHING Tiger/Leopard and FCS2. It was an ugly shouting match and reinstalling/reverting to an earlier version of QT did not solve it for them. Check the revs of software on the two machines and compare them carefully.
bogiesan

Alpha Channel Problem

Hi- I have an animated sequence with a transparent backround. Within this animation a window opens revealing a blue screen in which I place a picture. Behind the entire sequence I want to place a backround image, but no matter what, the background image always dissapears once the blue screen portion of the animation is present. I've tried nesting with all of the animation in its own layer and the backround in its own, but it makes no difference. What am I doing wrong?
Thanks a lot.
Robert

If you placed that animation on V1 all by itself, marked a 15 frame Duration in the clip, then Exported it to QuickTime Conversion as Animation Millions+ to preserve the alpha, how large is the file? If it's not too big, could you Email it to me here:
ontheroad(at)fcp-tech.com
Naturally, replace (at) with @

Motion 5 Alpha Channel Support

Does anyone have an answer on what is supported? I know Prores444, but I can get transparency information out of the Animation Codec, but it results in jerky vision when field based media is imported into Avid. The file does contain an alpha channel, but there is a problem, on import to Avid V6
Anyone recommend a good workflow for getting Video + Alpha out of Motion 5 and into a PC based Avid that doesn't have Prores, and surely it doesn't involve a 2 pass output with separate Matte and Fill.
John

ProRes 4444 has a playing bandwidth that can choke all but the fastest computers. FCPX uses Optimized versions of video to get the playability down to a reasonable rate. ProRes 4444 makes editing video simple, and therefore provides a better environment for frame level edits.
I didn't know you could export Animation out of Motion 5... I have the Animation codec, but it doesn't appear as an option for me...
Anywho...
You have other options.
1) you can export Alpha channel as a travel matte in any codec you like. From the Share > Export Movie dialog, in the Render section, the Color dropdown menu, select Alpha (only). You will also need to export the Color channels as a separate video.
[*I know you already stated you do not want to use this option but it means you can use any codec.]
2) you can Share > Export as Image Sequence and use PNG, PSD or TIFF
Image sequences seem messy, but if you group all the images into a dedicated folder, it's not that different from a video file. You could even import them into Avid and export a compatible video file, then delete the sequence (just assuming - I haven't tried using Avid since the 1995 Mac version so I have no real idea if that's the case.)
Any self-respecting NLE can handle travel mattes and image sequences.
HTH

CS5.5 | ProRes 4444 - Interpret Footage does NOT see Alpha Channel

I thought this problem would have been taken care of by now.
Guess the bug fixes in CS5.5 are few if at all
1) Export any movie to ProRes 4444 and set to export alpha channel straight.
2) re-import to AE
3) Open Interpret Footage Dialog....
One gets REALLY disillusioned when discovering that ALL alpha options have been grayed out.
When is this ProRes MADNESS going to STOP !!!!!

Dan,
if you are ever in Hamburg, Germany. Let me know and the brews are on ME.
In my testing madness I exported a movie WITH NO ALPHA.... That is the reason why I was NOT seeing any alpha options on import.
I dup'ed the vid layer and moved it about and set the opacity to 50... Then exported. And imported. And THERE they were ....
LE ALPHA OPTIONS....
Best Regards
M.

On export, strange color bleeding/alpha-channel-ish problem but no alpha . . .

I'm hoping someone can shed some light on this. When I tried to export a project from Premiere today, I got some unwanted rainbow colors on the white text. The video clip was made in After Effects. I assumed that I must have been caused by an alpha channel (as I think I have seen something similar to this before with alpha screw ups), or some other unusual setting. But codec is straightforward and frequently used (Avid HD). The file from AE looks fine. It looks fine on the Premiere timeline. Only the export from Premiere is screwed up. Every codec I tried - H.264, MP2 . . always the same issue. The only type that didn't screw it up was DV AVI. But this is SD resolution is no good for me; it was just a test. Does anyone have any ideas what may have caused this.

Still no ideas?
I imported another clip, rendered in a different after effects project. I also copied it into new sequences with new sequence settings. I'm still getting the same thing! HELP!

No Method of Batch Export for Clips with Alpha Channels?

Good morning,
As many a flustered editor has eventually discovered, in order for FCP to export sequences with alpha channels to a 32-bit format, the timeline has to be un-rendered at the time of export, or else the transparent parts will appear black in the outputted file. This sort-of makes sense if you know how FCP and render files work, but in a perfect world I think I'd have designed the export interface a bit differently. Now that I think about it, I'm actually working in an Animation (Millions of Colors +) sequence, so converting transparent areas to black makes no logical sense at all.
Anyway, I have several sequences that I would like to export as 32-bit TGA QuickTime files, preserving their transparency. If I Export Using Compressor, the process results in pre-rendering of the sequence, turning the transparent areas black. The same problem occurs if I export QuickTime reference movies from FCP and open them directly with Compressor.
Does anyone know of a way to avoid this silly phenomenon or am I stuck individually exporting each sequence from FCP, one...at.......a................time?
Thanks,
Zap

Thanks, Andy, "Batch Export" eventually did the trick!
I forgot about that tool because I've never actually had to use it before! After playing around with it for a while, I found that as long as the sequence settings for each sequence in the batch are set to a codec with an activated alpha channel, it works just fine.
Thanks again,
Zap

Tiled images are acting odd (Alpha Channel seems to be problem)

Still working on the project that is giving me all sorts of...learning exercizes. (see http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=463667&tstart=0)
I thought I had everything worked out, but am having the oddest problem lately. When I put the image together, things look great until 3/4 of the pieces are in place...then all of a sudden a portion of one picture will appear in a band in another picture). Here's what I've done:
I used ImageReady to divide the image (exported from the original footage via Quicktime in a variety of ways...interlaced and then deinterlaced in Photoshop...progressive...) into 25 pieces (5X5 grid). I imported the 25 pieces into Motion and changed the pixel aspect ratio to NTSC D1/DV (I also tried doing it w/Square pixels) and placed the pieces one by one into a standard NTSC DV Motion project. Problem is, as I said, out of the blue the image will shift.
I've tried all sorts of things and they all kind of work. If I change the alpha channel it will work...for a while. If I change the field order it will work...for a while. And when I say 'for a while' I mean it will look like it's all fixed...and then out of the blue WHAM! I'll adjust the settings of one of the pieces to something that has worked before and it will go crazy again.
Basically, the only way I've been able to get it to work is to change some of the pieces to Field Order lower (and change the Field Order of the project to "none") but not all of them. If I do it kind of randomly to pieces that are not working, it seems to be fine.
Any idea what is causing this???

The final image (and the project) are both 720X480. Same as the raw footage. (although....when I open the raw footage into Quicktime, it seems to be square pixels, as it is wider than the 720X480 movie that I'm linking to you here: I uploaded a .mov version of the Motion project, which just got done being processed/imported into DVDSP).
http://www.jonathanfrank.com/intro2.mov
Here's the weird thing...it looked fine in Motion! I re-created it from scratch and it seemed to work fine. I exported via Quicktime the images (used Animation setting, as it seemed to give a clearer shot). I opened the images in Photoshop, reset the Pixel Aspect Ratio to .9 (DV), cut and pasted the image to a new Photoshop document/image (the NTSC DV Menu template), exported the image into ImageReady, sliced it into a 5X5 grid, Save Optimized it as png images, imported the images into Motion, set the Pixel Aspect Ratio to .9 again (for some reason ImageReady seems to have deleted that step), and re-created the project.
And it seemed to work. I didn't get any of the 'banding' or 'sending some of column A to column B' that I did when creating it before. Everything seemed to work (except for when I cut and pasted the background Replicator from the old project to the new to save time...then I got the weird effects...which vanished when I reverted to the saved older version and didn't occur again when I inserted the Replicator into the layer from scratch).
The field ratio of the images I kept at 'none.' the field ratio of the project is "lower" (I have played with other settings previously, and making them match didn't do anything...and since it was seeming to work this time, i didn't want to mess with anything that didn't seem broken). BIt depth is 8. Frame rate on the project is 29.97, and it reads 30 on the Media tab for the images (once again, since it appeared to be working...)
Just played it in Motion and it still seems to be working (plays very slowly but I got through the first series of images w/o problems).
Might try to export it from Motion in the morning (but importing the problem one into FCP showed the same problems, even before rendering).
But if you have any suggestions...
IMac G5 Mac OS X (10.4.2)

Alpha channel export question

I have an editor that keyed the green screen out of some footage but because we're having a problem settling on a background (we're in different locations) I just want him to send me the keyed footage with the black transparent background so I can do that part.
Is there a certain codec he needs to export with to keep the alpha transparent channel so I can place the background in? He's working in FCP 6 and I'm working in FCP7 but it's not going to be a project file, just a uncompressed .mov export from final cut. It was shot with HD 720p.
Thank You,
Steve

'' wrote:
Don't render the Animation codec sequence or the alpha channel
will be re-written with a black bg.
Just to clarify: Prepare your sequence with alpha, make sure it's what you want,
(which may require rendering).
Then, just before you export, do something to force FCP to require a re-render
(like deleting the render file) and +export without rendering+. That will avoid
the black background, and your transparency will be transparent.

Alpha channel loss at export

Hey guys,
HELP!! I can't figure out why I get a blinking effect (when I say blinking, it might blink 2-3 frames of black throughout a 60 second sequence)when I try to export my alpha channel animation sequence. It plays back just fine in FCP until I export it and open it up into motion. Everything looks great in motion except for the 2-3 frames the background blinks to black. I'm trying to get this project done ASAP, but this tiny problem is holding me up!! Any ideas??
Also, just FYI: as far as filters that I'm using on the clip: Chromo keyer, 3-way color correction, 8-point garbage matte, and I'm using a slight drop shadow with the motion tab. THANKS

Zoom in on the timeline in whatever program you created the sequence in. Zoom in to the trouble area and make sure you don't have a very small gap between the clips. Unless you are all the way or at least almost all the way zoomed in, you would not be able to see a small 2-3 frame gap.

How to export a video with an alpha channel that can be switched off

Hi!
I'm stuck with something that I think might have a simple solution:
I need my video to have an alpha channel while still keeping all the RGB information in place too. This is for Syntheyes, which can take the alpha channel for a video and use it as a garbage matte while tracking.
The problem is that if I draw a mask around my video and then export as a PNG (with alpha), the RGB information seems to be gone even when I choose to ignore the alpha channel. I know how to edit the alpha channel in Photoshop while still keeping the RGB elements untouched, but how should I do that in AE?
Any help will be appreciated!

Okay I will answer my own question:
This worked as soon as I did a proper export as a PNG image sequence. I did my tests with only single frames by using the "save frame as file" -function, which did not work properly (the rbg information was gone).
So the simple solution to this question was:
Draw a mask on the video layer and export with alpha. The RGB will be there, even though the mask hides it in AE.

Exporting alpha channel problem

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for