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HD CODEC for Alpha Channel Graphics?
We produce a daily program that includes many lower third motion graphics. In the standard definition world we used the Animation CODEC exporting from After Effects to FCP for motion graphics requiring an alpha channel-now in HD we are using the ProRes 4444 CODEC in our ProRes HD sequences-does this sound right? Is anyone using any other CODEC for sequences requiring alpha channel graphics?
John Pipes
Senior Producer
Joyce Meyer Ministries
http://www.joycemeyer.org -
3 Replies
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You should use this for standard def too…all flavors of ProRes can be used for SD (unlike Avid DNx).
ProRes 4444 is the best choice for alpha graphics in FCP. It’s higher quality than Animation and can play in real time on many systems.
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One important caveat: FCP will only accept ProRes in broadcast frame sizes in the timeline. It’s easy to create any ProRes frame size in AE and all will appear fine, it will even play in the source window in FCP, but when you try and place it in the timeline… no go! You’ll get an error. The good old Animation will work at any frame size. Odd Apple imposed this restriction even in ProRes4444.
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[John Pale] “ProRes 4444 is the best choice for alpha graphics in FCP. It’s higher quality than Animation and can play in real time on many systems.”
I agree that this is a good codec to use.
On the After Effects side, you should these entries from Todd Kopriva’s blog about ProRes 4444:
ProRes 4444 colors and gamma shift when working with After Effects CS4
ProRes 4444 and ProRes 422 in After Effects CS5
Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
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