No way to preserve Alpha channel with vanishing point?????

Such a great tool to use for making "sets" in After Effects, but My alpha channel disappears when I use the vanishing point filter & export to AE.
Any way to retain it?

> Or do I just need to keep using the older versions of AFX.
No. Just use the previous version of Adobe Media Encoder to transcode your master file (e.g., QuickTime with PNG codec) to FLV:
removal of FLV and F4V export features from Adobe Media Encoder, After Effects, and Premiere Pro

Similar Messages

I am trying to animate a file in photoshop with vanishing point. And when I "Return 3D layer to photoshop", I'll get a cube with dimensions. It´s not what I can see in tutorials, aperfect 3D space. Using win7.

I am trying to animate a file in photoshop with vanishing point. And when I "Return 3D layer to photoshop", I'll get a cube with dimensions. It´s not what I can see in tutorials, a perfect 3D space. Using win7.

An update -
The libraries appear to all be in tact, now.
The error I am getting,
Parms are; 800/S80/5069660
ERROR - detected an exception: Unexpected database connector error
is a connection issue.
Any ideas??

Problem with Vanishing Point

hello!
I've got a problem using Vanishing Point filter in Photoshop CS4. When I load this filter an error message pops saying "The operation could not be completed"
I attach a screen cap of the error. Somebody can help? thanks.

I run into this problem with Vanishing Point on about a quarter of the files I run the filter on. I can initially create a grid and do one transform, but the next time I try to run the filter I get the error, "The operation could not be completed". Then the error seems to stay attached to the file. I can run the filter on another file, but even if I close and reopen the file, I still can't run the filter. Even doing Save As and renaming the file doesn't rid it of the error.
This has been the case since VP was introduced. I'm now on CS4. MacPro Dual-Core, 8GB Ram.
I've tried changing the memory allocation to 55% with no change.
I see that this has been addressed before in the Forum with no solution, Chris Cox care to wade in?
This is a potentially valuable tool if it were implemented better.
Craig

Is there a way that when using airplay with power point the ATV does not sleep/screen saver frequently

s there a way that when using airplay with power point the ATV does not sleep/screen saver frequently???

I have done this for several Titles, using Photoshop and a Layer Mask, that gets "erased," revealing the letters. My Titles were of "handwriting with chalk" on a blackboard, so I could keep the edge of that Layer Mask, looking more like the "chalk." Photoshop also makes it easy to output Layer Comps for each "step" in the handwriting process. IIRC, I did about 5 Frames per Layer Comp on Import, but do not recall if I used an extremely short Cross-Dissolve Transition between those - I intened to do so, but just do not remember if I liked that, or went with just the Still Images? Will try to find that animation, and maybe create a full tutorial of the process. In my case, I also added an SFX of chalk on a chalkboard.
If you have Photoshop, it's really quite easy to pull off.
Now, I do not know if Photoshop Elements has Layer Masks yet, which make it so very easy to accomplish. One could do it backward, where the Text Layer gets Erased, and then one would have their full Image as the last in the sequence, and then the next would have a little bit of the Text removed, then a bit more, then a bit more - going backward, until the "writing surface" is clean. One could also do this with a Transparent Background, so that one saw the Video below, and no actual "writing surface" visible.
Good luck,
Hunt

Preserving alpha channels

Hope I can explain this clearly...
I created a simple sequence of frames in photoshop with alpha channels, saved them as .tif, and imported them to FCP. They work fine, but now I'd like to save the sequence as a quicktime (conversion?) and preserve the alpha channel. Haven't had any luck yet.

and DONT render the timeline before you export ... if you have rendered then trash those renders first and then re-export to an alpha compatible codec (to trash renders simply toggle visibility, or use Tools > Render Manager)

"Preserve alpha transparency" with flattening for PDF

For what reason, in Illustrator CS3, is the option for preserving alpha transparency not available in the PDF flattener, but only under the object menu by choosing Flatten Transparency...
The reason i'm asking, is because when using some effects and spot colors, the background of the flattened object becomes a white bounding rectangle that overlaps other objects. I can workaround this by saving a copy, flatten all objects and then save a PDF. But isn't it possible to directly save a correctly flattened PDF from the original unflattened file with spot colors, without having to flatten the objects manually?

here is an example, when I upload this image to the printers I loose the white background and eveything on the bottom of the card is pushed up. The same thing happens with the brochure I have. I can't upload that because this site will not allow it.

Alpha Channel with text

I am trying to have two tracks and "hide" the footage underneath the writing - using "impact" font.
Does anyone know how to do this?
I did it a couple of times but can't remember. I can only recall using the alpha channel available on right click.
Thank you so much, Tupy.

There's a tutorial on this here: http://library.creativecow.net/articles/biscardi_walter/FCPTravelMat1.php

Struggling with vanishing point

I am playing with different materials in a ren dering and the vanishing point tool seemed appropriate. The trouble though is that no matter how much fiffdling it doesn't "get" the persepctive I'm working in - when I pull off planes in the perpindicular they never correspond with the unde rlying perpedicular planes in the image, even though i know they're orthogonal. SHould i just ignore this and tweak it do that the perspective looks ok with each plane, or is there a way to get ortho planes to line up with ortho planes in the image underneath...

Never really seen this. The success of this is all about placing the points accurately. Also things such as wide angle lenses (used to shoot the original) can make vanishing point, which only works on a rigid 3D grid structure not work properly. Any geometric distortions caused by lenses can be 'corrected' with the 'Lens Correction' filter.
A tip - using the Z key will allow a temporary zoom and allow you to place the grid points more accurately.

Alpha channel weirdness with hardware MPE

To begin, I'm using a GTX 480 with the hack, so I'm not going to complain too loudly it this is a result of using as-yet unsupported hardware. However, I just want to verify with other hardware MPE users (both legit and unsupported) if this issue is happening on other systems.
I've noticed some oddities with imported PSD files and the way that their alpha channels are rendered with hardware MPE, versus software MPE. I'm putting up a couple frame grabs with GPU acceleration turned on and off at couple different point where I'm using the PSDs. Forgive the PNG compression; you should be able to see the difference, nevertheless.
First up, 100% opaque text over a background. The edges of the text are... fuzzy, maybe?
Software:
Hardware:
Second, a couple layers Fast Blurring and fading in. The logo is 100% opaque, and there is a separate "glow" layer (rasterized in PS) behind it. Pretty obvious, here...
Software:
Hardware:
Finally, a mostly-transparent logo bug. The hardware version is not as transparent.
Software:
Hardware:
The only difference between each of these examples is that I turned on or off GPU acceleration in the Project Settings; it's the same PSD for each grab. I've also noticed that standard cross dissolves are a little chunky when dissolving to or from a graphic (even a flattened version); the opacity change is not as linear as it usually is. In software mode, this goes away.
Anyone witnessed similar results? Again, I want to believe that this is just a result of using the GTX 480 and the hack, without official support. It could very well be the nVidia driver, too, I suppose, but I haven't tried rolling back to check that (I'm running the latest versions).
Thoughts?

I can confirm this.
I do not think its the psd but the Alpha Channel in general.
The colours are off when in MPE (Nvidia GTX 285)
I filed a bug report.

ProRes 4444 with BOTH Alpha Channel AND Timecode?

Recently did a large project of creating alpha channels from green screen footage.
Made the timelines 4444 and tried to output.
If I export as Quicktime, I get the timecode but not the Alpha channel.
If I export as Quicktime Conversion, I can get the Alpha channel, but not the timecode.
Am I doing something fundamentally wrong?
Is there a way to get both on the same output?
Like I said, this project is large -- 91 files -- and it takes more than 8 hours to export out either way even on a current 6 core machine.
What I really do NOT want to have to do is some crazy copy and paste of the timecode information from two separate exports.

You said, "'export as Quicktime' is a very vague description."
Actually, it's not.
A person only has a few choices in Final Cut Pro. If you want to get really specific;
File > Export > QuckTime Movie...
Or
File > Export > Using QuickTime Conversion...
That's it!
With the first and ONLY the first, it will export whatever is on your timeline and you can get Timecode, but I can't figure out a way to make it output the Alpha channel with it.
With the other, you can get any sort of converted output you can input, including ProRes 4444 and Alpha, but unfortunately not the Timecode track.
UNLESS some Guru out there knows some sort of trick.
I'm hoping to find somebody that knows one.

More CS 5 - ProRes 4444 Alpha channel nonsense

Hi:
Quicktimes I render out of After Effects CS 5 using the ProRes 4444 codec are tagged as having an alpha channel even though my settings in the Output Module are RGB and Trillions of Colors. NOT RGB + Alpha and Trillions of Colors+. It doesn't matter whether my project is 8 bit or 16 bit.
When I bring such movies back into AE it shows them as having an alpha channel (Trillions of Colors+). If I do a Get Info in QT player it shows Millions of Colors+, and FCP shows them as having an alpha, too.
I just upgraded to Snow Leopard 10.6.8 (figured it was safe after two years) and in the process switched full time to CS 5 (I only used it in the past to open other's projects). I never had these issues with CS4. I have not installed any AJA codecs into this new OS (clean install over wiped HD).
This appears to be the opposite of the problem most have been having, which is AE won't generate an alpha in ProRes 4444 without moving codecs and other nonsense.
The reason this is a problem is because when I bring these Quicktimes with faux alphas into FCP for editing I can't export a reference movie. FCP rewrites the whole timeline.
Haven't these CS 5/ProRes 4444 codec/Alpha channel issues been going on for over a year? Do I have to buy CS 5.5 to get this to work correctly?
Thanks.
Shawn Marshall
Marshall Arts Motion Graphics

PR422HQ is way overkill for 99% of the video and film producers in the world. It's there for a specific elite of the entertainment biz, those who work in 4k on 64bit systems, I guess, that' ain't me! It's one of those "if you have to ask, you can't use it" sort of things. Anyone who uses the advanced features of the ProRes family knows why. That's the theory. In my practical experience over on the FCP forum at Apple, 99% of those using ProResHQ believe they are improving their original footage.
Apple ProRes 4444
The Apple ProRes 4444 codec offers the utmost possible quality for 4:4:4 sources and for workflows involving alpha channels. It includes the following features:
Full-resolution, mastering-quality 4:4:4:4 RGBA color (an online-quality codec for editing and finishing 4:4:4 material, such as that originating from Sony HDCAM SR or digital cinema cameras such as RED ONE, Thomson Viper FilmStream, and Panavision Genesis cameras). The R, G, and B channels are lightly compressed, with an emphasis on being perceptually indistinguishable from the original material.
Lossless alpha channel with real-time playback
High-quality solution for storing and exchanging motion graphics and composites
For 4:4:4 sources, a data rate that is roughly 50 percent higher than the data rate of Apple ProRes 422 (HQ)
Direct encoding of, and decoding to, RGB pixel formats
Support for any resolution, including SD, HD, 2K, 4K, and other resolutions
A Gamma Correction setting in the codec’s advanced compression settings pane, which allows you to disable the 1.8 to 2.2 gamma adjustment that can occur if RGB material at 2.2 gamma is misinterpreted as 1.8. This setting is also available with the Apple ProRes 422 codec.
Apple ProRes 422 (HQ)
The Apple ProRes 422 (HQ) codec offers the utmost possible quality for 4:2:2 or 4:2:0 sources (without an alpha channel) and provides the following:
Target data rate of approximately 220 Mbps (1920 x 1080 at 60i)
Higher quality than Apple ProRes 422
Apple ProRes 422
The Apple ProRes 422 codec provides the following:
Target data rate of approximately 145 Mbps (1920 x 1080 at 60i)
Higher quality than Apple ProRes 422 (LT)
Apple ProRes 422 (LT)
The Apple ProRes 422 (LT) codec provides the following:
Roughly 70 percent of the data rate of Apple ProRes 422 (thus, smaller file sizes than Apple ProRes 422)
Higher quality than Apple ProRes 422 (Proxy)
Apple ProRes 422 (Proxy)
The Apple ProRes 422 (Proxy) codec is intended for use in offline workflows and provides the following:
Roughly 30 percent of the data rate of Apple ProRes 422
High-quality offline editing at the original frame size, frame rate, and aspect ratio
High-quality edit proxy for Final Cut Server
The Apple ProRes family of codecs provides these advantages:
Quality indistinguishable from that of the most pristine sources: Maintains superb quality even after multiple encoding/decoding generations.
Mastering-quality 4:4:4:4 RGBA: Provides a lossless alpha channel with real-time playback (Apple ProRes 4444 only). Mastering-quality 4:4:4 Y′CBCRcolor and 4:2:2 Y′CBCR color are also available.
The quality of uncompressed HD at data and storage rates lower than those of uncompressed SD: Provides real-time editing performance comparable to or better than that of any other HD codecs in Final Cut Pro.
Apple ProRes encoding at any frame size—SD, HD, 2K, 4K, or other: Apple ProRes codecs can also be encoded into nonstandard frame sizes, but nonstandard frame sizes are not supported for real-time playback in Final Cut Pro.
Variable bit rate (VBR) encoding: “Smart” encoding analyzes the image. Efficiency is increased because excess bits are not wasted on simple frames.
10-bit sample depth: Preserves subtle gradients of 10-bit sources (sunsets, graphics, and the like) with no visible banding artifacts. When you import a file using an Apple ProRes codec, you don’t have to first determine whether the file is an 8-bit or 10-bit file. Apple ProRes codecs always preserve the bit depth of your original source files.
I-frame–only (intraframe) encoding: Ensures consistent quality in every frame, with no artifacts from complex motion, and speeds up editing.
Fast encoding and decoding: Delivers high-quality, real-time playback and faster rendering times.
Equipment affordability: Because of low bit rates, you can edit more streams with more real-time effects on slower drives, or have more users accessing the same media over shared storage devices.
Workflow options for any video format that does not have native Final Cut Pro support: The Apple ProRes format provides an effective workflow for projects involving multiple acquisition formats when you want to standardize on a single codec.
Better rendering for native editing: Can be used to render long-GOP MPEG-2 formats (such as HDV and XDCAM HD) to speed up editing and avoid MPEG-2 reencoding artifacts before output.

Alpha channel matte

Is FCE capable of creating a composite using material that already includes an alpha channel? I have friend who is creating some computer generated models he wishes to composite into a scene. Instead of using the keyer in Final Cut to create the matte I was hoping there was a way he could include an alpha channel with his renderings and I could use that. It seems possible in a still image but can it also be achieved in a shot where the CG model moves? Thanks for any help.

Thank you for your help. I'm still banging my head against the wall over this one but I just can't seem to get it figured out. I have a grayscale Jpeg image that I wish to use as the Alpha matte. It includes a "cut out" for the foreground object which is some CG rendering. The "cut out" is black and the background is white. There is an area of gray tones meant to create a drop shadow on the video plate. This is the way I have it set up:
V3 = CG artwork - 24bit RGB JPEG file
V2 = Matte - 8 Bit grayscale JPEG file
V1 = DV footage of live action scene
V3 has its composite mode set to Travel Matte Alpha.
So all I'm seeing in the canvas is my CG art on its white background. Its as though it doesn't recognize the matte on V2. Is my thinking completly off ? If there is something very obvious that I am not understanding about alpha channels or compositing I hope the forum will understand. Thanks for any help!

Alpha channel video makes for a larger-than-target bitrate flv

I'm looking for some information regarding the final bitrate of alpha channel encoded video. We are producing transparent flvs. When targeting a number, say 200kbps, in Adobe Media Encoder, the final encoded flvs has a bitrate of sometimes as high as 350kbps or 400kbps. And that's just the video.
When I encode without the alpha channel with final flv video bitrate is basically exactly what I targeted.
I'm assuming GSpot and MediaInfo to look at the final flvs.
Why doesn't Media Encoder produce and flv at the target bitrate? Why the higher bitrate? Is there a way to set the final target for an flv? Is there better software?
Thanks,

Since the lounge is for non-technical discussions, you need to start at
http://forums.adobe.com/community/premiere and select the forum for the product you are using
I will GUESS you are using some flavor of Premiere Pro, so that is most likely where you should post

Drop Zones: Video and Alpha Channels

Is it possible to create a drop zone where the asset is a video clip that contains transparency by way of an alpha channel such that portions of the video allow for the background image to show through?
I am familiar with setting up drop zones and custom shapes and I have used static images with transparency, but I've never done the same with video.
I am away from my system right now or I could test this myself. Thanks in advance for the help!

hi
depending on how complicated your shot is, you may be able to get away with simply placing the image within the frame on top of the background shot. Then resize down to fit. You may then need to tweak its corners using the corner pin tool to get it to sit in the right perspective plane. You may find you need to soften the edges of the top layer image so its not so sharp and hard. For this you probably would need to add a mask and soften its edges. Then you might need to add some noise and/or colour correction to make it sit naturally with the background image. and finally if there are any shadows cast over the picture frame you will need to add them back over the new image. You can use a black shape, with its opacity cranked down with a blur filter on it.
The manual describes all of these process pretty well.
hth
adam

Procedure for Integrating Alpha Channel when saving as .dds file

Hello,
I'll try to keep this brief but that may be tough...
One project I use Photoshop CS4 for is painting aircraft used with Microsoft Flight Simulator X (FSX). Here is some background for folks who aren't familiar with this.
Each aircraft is downloaded as a "Paint Kit". The kits look much like the "trees" that plastic aircraft model kit pieces come attached to (see picture below).
I paint and add layers onto the kit until the aircraft resembles the design I chose. The paint kit includes a background, base parts usually in white, and an assortment of layers adding physical wear, shading, lines and rivets you see on actual aircraft.
Additionally, the kit includes an RGB Alpha Channel and Specular Maps. In this application, the Alpha channel provides the reflectivity or gloss on the aircraft paint. The Specular maps provide a sheen much like the subtle reflections you see from a metal flake paint job when the sun hits it directly.
Once all painting and manipulation is complete, the kit is "cut" into specific sizes. Once the kit is cut, each section is saved as a DDS file using NVidia tools. The resulting DDS files are placed into folders within the main FSX program folder. The FSX program "assembles" the sections and processes the different layers and channels resulting in aircraft that are incredibly detailed and realistic.
My problem is I don't know how to properly integrate and preserve the Alpha channel during the "Flatten Image" and when saving the file as a dds file. As you can see in the "Layers" section in the picture, the Alpha channel is already made. I just don't know what to do with it to preserve it and ensure the reflectivity it provides is visible in the final product.
Any help is appreciated - what I need to know isn't what the alpha does, but how to properly integrate it into the final product. I've searched for this info for the last several days, but I've had no luck in finding specific information on how to do that. I believe it's one of those procedures that is so simple, everyone knows how to do it. I guess I'm the only idiot on the planet that doesn't know how... .
The paint kit can be downloaded at http://library.flight1.net/wp-content/plugins/download-monitor/download.php?id=1467 if you need it to answer my question or if you're just curious about it.
Thanks for your time and consideration.
Mark

I know nothing about Nvidia DDS file format or 3D. From you screen capture you have no Alpha Channel. You do have a normal layer named Alpha Channel with its visibility turn off. Why are you flatting ? When I use Save As and use the file type pull-down and select DDS format to save I get the Nvidia DDS save Dialog that I do not know how to use or understand the buttons options or pull-down menu items. The file instruction and its background make no does not seem to match up with the parts.
I think you have to read the documentation for the Nvidia DDS plug-in. and the normal map plug-in https://developer.nvidia.com/nvidia-texture-tools-adobe-photoshop

No way to preserve Alpha channel with vanishing point?????

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