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Import footage & alpha channel
I apologize if this has been addressed before, I really searched… I have a composition with four layers and I want to bring in some Artbeats fire footage that comes with a separate alpha channel that will sit between layer three and four. I can put the fire footage itself where it belongs, but I can’t figure out how to import and place the alpha channel and set it correctly. The best I’ve been able to do is apply the screen setting in the blend mode to get a kind of washy effect but I know my pilot error is preventing me from true success. Thanks in advance for any help.
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6 Replies
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Does this move comes with two movies one colour and one black and white or it already have alpha channel in the colour fire movie. You can use one stencil alpha. to get your result. Anyway it is one of the stencil blend modes.
Give me more info please if this does not work. -
That is exactly what I’m trying now. One movie is color flames, the other named the same plus M and is the matte. it is black and white… looks like a perfect matte. The scene looks as follows:
Layer 1: actors in front of greenscreen with Primatte keyer.
Layer 2: background photo with windows cut out with masks.
Layer 3: Fire (hopefully with mate so fire looks rich and crisp)
Layer 4: outdoor background photo.I’m not sure the placement of the matte layer and settings. I keep re-ordering the fire and its matte and clicking through the stencil alpha modes but I just get black with background showing through or colorful flames over black. I’m not sure if I’ve imported them correctly for this task.
Thanks for the response. -
Use an image mask. Select the fire layer, choose Object > Add Image Mask, drag the matte layer to the well in the HUD, and in the HUD, change the Apply Mode to Luminance.
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Mark Spencer
Freelance Producer/Editor/Motion Graphics Artist
Apple-certified Master Trainer
Author, Motion 4 from Peachpit Press
https://www.applemotion.net -
Here’s a tutorial on using Image Masks. It is at the back end of the Creating a Hologram Tutorial. Best of luck.
Check out my Motion Training DVD
Check out my Motion Tutorials
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Thanks guys, that is exactly where I needed to be. What I did find out is that my choice of fire footage was wrong. The mask doesn’t start out transparent as I wanted revealing a ring of fire…no need to get into that.
However, that is a great tutorial Stephen! I’m adding another image mask to this and getting great results by intersecting them and creating a completely different effect and a different approach to the sequence.
Thanks again for all the amazing help. -
Michael,
I’m happy my tutorial helped out. Sounds like your project is turning out really cool. Best of luck.Check out my Motion Training DVD
Check out my Motion Tutorials
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