Importing transparent feathered Photoshop files

[Oliver Peters]

If you read pages 294-300 in the larger manual that comes with Xpress Pro HD, there’s a lengthy description of behavior with single-layered and multi-layered Photoshop files. One issue, not mentioned so far, is that you should be using Photoshop 6.0 or higher when these are Photoshop files, as opposed to PICT, TGA, etc.

Sincerely,
Oliver

Oliver Peters
Post-Production & Interactive Media
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com

[J Smith]

Hmmmm, maybe it works differently on Meridian systems (I’m on Xpress, not Xpress Pro HD), but the slight “fringing” I’m describing seemed to be present regardless of file format or alpha vs. transparency. Mind you most of our stuff is now either AE or Marquee so it’s no longer an issue. Or maybe I’m remembering it wrong–that’s certainly possible!

You’re right though, this certainly doesn’t seem to be the issue he’s encountering.

Sorry I couldn’t help.

[David Braswell]

I’ve had best results in PS and After Effects by exporting over checkerboard. Don’t create your own alpha channel in Photoshop, especially with PNG, as the 24 bit version contains its own alpha channel. I think the graphic imorts for Avid leave something to be desired anyway, but I have discovered it would rather handle the alpha itself, rather than you creating one in PS.

[Mike Cornett]

Has anyone figured out this problem??? I’ve never experienced this before.

I originally worked on an Xpress Pro system and have switched to an Adrenaline. How can a lower end system out preform a higher?

I’m baffled….

[Maxence Matteau]

All the answers from Oliver Peters are relevant. I found a solution so simple I wanted to cry when i found it. If you change the video quality of the playback in Avid and put it to Best (The complete green rectangle), the white lines disappear. Simple as that…

The transparency of the PSD isn’t good, I found PNG was the best. 8 bits, RGB color.

I can’t believe I’ve been looking for a solution so simple all that time… Hope it can help someone in the future (7 years later…)

[Redford]

Ha – I’m having this problem too.

seems to improve if you promote the effect to 3d and then twiddle with the erode function, and promoting it to higher res playback helps too.

What a pain in the ass though – it should just be perfect, surely?

[Matts Barrett]

Exactly, if you export an “un-premulted” alpha you should be fine.
It’s the same if you export a motion graphics clip from after effects with the alpha channel premultiplied (matted) the same problem appears. But if you export it as “straight” (unmatted, unpremultipled) avid imports it perfectly.

In photoshop you can choose File/Render Video/Render Options/
there sould be a setting for the alpha that has “straight” (Unmatted Alpha).

Hope this helps!

Editor / Compositor