Alpha Channel Export

Having trouble exporting an alpha channel from FCP 5.0 for use in AE 6.5 Pro. My steps: From FCP, export QT conversion using Animation codec, Millions of colors+. Import into AE, use set matte effect with correct layer and use for matte: Alpha Channel. No transparency though. Help.

If your sequence settings are not set to animation/millions of colors +
Actually learned that part here from "worldwidestudios".
G4 Dual 1 GHz/1.5 ram/Lacie(FW400)externals FCP 5.1.2/ Shake Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Similar Messages

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 Export from FCP?

Hi all,
I need to export video with the alpha channel embedded. The video is going to be used for Flash (.FLV). Is this possible to do from FCP6?

Avid Codecs from their website, they are freely available for both Mac and PC and can work very well as an alpha channel capable compressed interchange format
all of their codecs except Avid 1:1x support embedded alpha data, even their DV codec<
Andy, having never used Avid (what's that?) I had no idea there was a DV codec that could carry an alpha. According to ancient writings by the ancient and venerable Philip Hodgetts (IIRC), "DV" has no capacity to do so, simply can't be done.
Back to the OP, the Animation codec is universal on any NLE system but the issue of going to Flash is a bit more complicated by where you're going to be building the Flash. Further, no knowing what you know about Flash, creating alpha effects shots in FCP/Motion/LiveType won't gain you anything you can't do in some Flash assembly systems. Lots of posters we get about Flash innocently expect Animation to deliver compact files. It doesn't. And your flv won't be compact either once the video has been rasterized.
bogiesan

Problem with aLpha channel export to quicktime

Hi! after hours of trying this here is my last hope:
I masked an imported qt-movie with chroma key a person in FCE 4. That was fine. But when I export Quicktime (million+, without compressor, etc.) there is no alphachannel anymore. I need that for the web (FLV). I f I export FLV FCE freezes at 0%.
I am shure out there is somebody who has an idea. Pleaes

Do not render the contents of the sequence. If you render, the sequence is exported using the render files. With the sequence unrendered export using the Animation codec with colors set to millions+.

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

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 - can't export to psd after update?

Been doing this for years... from After effects CC
Composition, Save frame as, File, Photoshop, RGB+Alpha etc - and its worked fine exported with transparency like you'd expect.
Updated Photoshop CC this morning and suddenly alpha channel not being recognised...
Bug...or have I gone mad in the last 24 hours??

Maybe I misunderstand your question but Photoshop CC opens psd files with Alpha Channels just fine here, so it seems likely that the issue is with the files.
But you seem to be mixing Alpha Channels and Transparency – so what are you talking about exactly?
Could you post screenshots to illustrate what you are doing and what results you get?

How do I create or export a logo in Illustrator CS5 with an alpha channel to use in Final Cut Pro 6?

To anyone who can help:
I have created a logo using Illustrator CS5 and need to import it into a video sequence in Final Cut Pro 6. The logo has a transparent background. It seems FCP 6 will import both native .ai files as well as .tiff files, but when I open them in FCP 6, the alpha channel (transparent background) is no longer there; there is just the logo over a white background. Is there a setting or step I am missing?
Shaun MacLellan

I have to insert AI images into Final Cut Pro and Motion quite frequently.
The most effective way I've found to get an AI image into Final Cut is to:
1. Select/copy all the objects in the AI doc.
2. Create a new file with a transparent background in Photoshop and paste.
3. Merge the layers and make sure the mode is RGB.
4. Save out as a .PNG or .PSD.
5. Drag the result into Final Cut (or Motion).
6. Resize and position the result to taste.
Attempting to export directly from AI to .PSD or .PNG is a wasted effort and the results may not even be recognized by Final Cut.
Yes, it requires Photoshop and it is a few extra steps...but it works like a charm.
Additionally, when creating a new file in Photoshop, you may want to initially set its size to match the aspect ratio of your video. For example, if you're making an HD video, you might set the size to 1280x720 and position the AI elements where they are supposed to be in frame. You can set the AI elements in accurately by cutting and pasting a frame from your video into Photoshop and positioning the AI elements in place on another layer above the video layer. Delete the video layer before saving out as a .PNG or .PSD and it will appear in Final Cut exactly where it should be.

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.

Can't export with alpha channel - Again!!!,

So, I have an intro that is designed as an overlay of the incoming video. The objects move out the way to reveal the video underneath. BUT, when I export the sequence the resulting movie has black in the background.
Now, I had this issue several months ago, and after tons of research and trial and error, all of a sudden it worked when I came back to Motion on another project. No explanation. It just worked.
Usually, I have the background set to Transparent and then export using Lossless and Alpha. Works fine. Well, not today. I've changed every export setting under the sun trying variations of Lossless with Alpha and also tried the Animation codec. No luck.
So, what is going on? Any thoughts?

Thanks for your help Patrick. I tell ya, I can't believe what's going on. As I said, this project until today has not caused me any issues what-so-ever. The other six sessions are totally fine. I also created a quick project with the same settings added text - then exported using the same settings I've used before, and it exports with the proper alpha channel.
Yet, I rebooted the Mac, made sure to delete old versions in the trash can and everything. Still, no alpha.
To keep moving forward, I literally had to use a color key in FCP to cut out the background color.
Crazy!

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!

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.

Getting alpha channel to export from AFX to Photoshop

I have an image in After Effects CS4 with some text on it and a transparent background. I need to export this as a png (retaining the background transparency). I've tried to do this in many ways (as single frame or as png sequence after reducing work area to my single frame, and as prematted or straight alpha (both with RGB 16million Plus) . . . but I keep getting a black matte in background. Tried exporting both as png and as photoshop file.
Can someone explain the correct way of doing this? (The alpha channel does transfer to photoshop, so if there's a simple way to use that to mask out the background (or mask in the part of the picture I need) I guess that would suffice. It was just mean I need to make my text brilliant green or something in AFX and then convert to black in photoshop.
Is this some kind of bug or am I just missing the simple way to do this?
Thanks for any help.

Thanks Mylenium.
Can you explainyour method in more detail.
I double clicked the later title to create a floatin layer.
Then I went into Channels and CTRL clicked no the alpha layer which makes a selection of the correct portions of the image.
Clicking delete (or inverting selection and then clicking delete) doesn't get rid of everything.
Can you spell out what else I have to click on first - do I go back to the regular image in layers and then hit delete or apply my selection as a mask?
I did manage to fumble through things once, but if you don't mind spelling out the right method, I'd like to learn the right way.
Thanks

JSFL SpriteSheetExporter exports png's without alpha channel.

Hi,
When I generate spritesheets using the JSFL SpriteSheetExporter it seems the generated png's always come with a solid background. I have found no information in the documentation on how to control this (e.i make the background transparent).
SpriteSheetExporter.format returns "RGBA8888", so the image appearenly has an alpha channel.
Grateful for any information or ideas to help resolve this issue.
Cheers!

Esdebon,
Thanks for the reply.
No, the movieclip has a transparent background.
Note that this question concerns the JSFL SpriteSheetExporter (scripting). The tutorial you refer to seem to cover the sheet exporter in the Flash IDE.

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.

Alpha Channel Export

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for