Exporting an Alpha

[Walter Biscardi]

Can’t export with an alpha channel from FCP. No idea why, but you can’t.

You can create a Matte for the object and export that as a separate file and use that to cut the object in.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters

[Zak Mussig]

I have heard, but not tested, that you can export with alpha from FCP so long as your sequence settings use a codec that supports it (animation) and you export without rendering your sequence. The reasoning I heard was that rendering the sequence would flatten your layer with alpha into the back background whereas exporting without rendering would maintain the alpha channel in your clip. Take that with a grain of salt, and good luck.

Walter’s comment about the matte is probably more sound.

Zak

[Marc Bostrøm]

You export Alpha from FCP by:

– placing your video over the first video track. On track 3,4,5 and so on
– shut of video track number 1
– export with quicktime conversion to Animation codec with millions of colors+

The result, a movie with alpha channel.

Marc Bostrom
FCP & AE post production

[Zak Mussig]

I just did a quick test while I was thinking about it…

I dropped a Motion project file with alpha on V1 of a new sequence, and exported the sequence as Animation (millions + colors) without rendering it. Imported the resulting file, and it has an alpha channel. So there that is.

Zak

[Bret Williams]

Well, yes, if your sequence on V1 HAS alpha then that is retained. But if for example you have a video clip on V1 with motion effects, then black will be mixed in to the blank areas. No alpha. If you were to place the same on V2, and nothing on V1 and turn off V1, you’d get alpha.

Walter, I’m a little surprised!

[Dean Steinmann]

Thanks guys,

Not rendering the file is the trick. Works fine now.

Dean