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Exporting 422 HQ + Alpha channel from After Effects CS5 = quality loss when paste into FCP
First of all I’m french so i apologize for any future grammatical mistakes.
Now for my editing configuration :
Mac Pro OS X 10.6.8
After Effects CS5
Final Cut Studio 2 suite (FCP Pro 6)Here’s the problem… I know it has already been discussed elsewhere but I haven’t find any solution at this point.
I’m working on some motion graphics in AE that needs to be incorporated into an FCP timeline…
my FCP timeline have these settings :
– Apple Pro Res 422 HQ progressive
my export settings from AE are these :
– Quicktime Animation codec quality 100 RGB + Alpha
The output video is fine when played on Quicktime Player but when pasted into FCP the quality loss is visible.
I have then made a second export from AE with Apple Pro Res 422 HQ codec settings and when paste into FCP timeline, the result is perfect (i mean no quality loss) but the alpa cannel is gone by the way and so i can’t composite it anymore with the underneath video (because of the black background of course)…
I’m pretty lost now…
If anyone have already been through this particular workflow i would be glad to know how…
Here’s my screen capture
On the upper side of the picture you can see the Animation + Alpha channel
And on the bottom the Apple Pro Res 422 HQ export
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20 Replies
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[Enguerrand Bouillaguet] “I have then made a second export from AE with Apple Pro Res 422 HQ codec settings and when paste into FCP timeline, the result is perfect (i mean no quality loss) but the alpa cannel is gone by the way and so i can’t composite it anymore with the underneath video “
In FC you can use the picture from the ProresHQ file and the Alpha from the Animation file.
Set the Prores picture (as Travel Matte Alpha) picture over the Animation.
rafael -
Thanks but it can’t be done this way…
Because if i use as alpha matte the QT animation as a shape for my nice 422 export well… guess what? I’m getting the pixellated edge of the QT animation… So unfortunately it’s pointless.. 🙁
But thanks anyway 😉 -
[Enguerrand Bouillaguet] ” I’m getting the pixellated edge of the QT animation.”
That sounds to a wrong interpretation of the kind of Alpha Channel.
Are you exporting “Pre-Multiplied” from AE?
Have you checked the Alpha options in FC?
rafael -
You should not be getting that kind of degradation with Animation.
Are your frame sizes set correctly? Field order (if any) ?
Anyway..if you can find an upgrade to Studio 3, you can use ProRes 4444, which has support for Alpha Channels and keys in real time in FCP. I would not pay for an upgrade to Studio 3, though, as with the arrival of FCP-X, its a dead product.
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Pre-Multiplied from AE
Where do you find Alpha options in FCP ? -
frames sized to 1920×1080 progressive in both applications
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The weird thing is that there’s absolutely no trace of image degradation in Quicktime player the quality loss happens only in FCP, so what the hell ???
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[Enguerrand Bouillaguet] “Pre-Multiplied from AE
Where do you find Alpha options in FCP ?”
By default FC works with “Strait Alpha”, so if you can export from AE that way, better.
In FCs Browser > Alpha column, you can change the clip Alpha (Strait/black/white).
rafael -
It should look fine in FCP.
Are you Fully Rendering?
View on external monitor?Chris Tompkins
Video Atlanta LLC -
yep fully rendered !
results equal on two different monitors…
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