No alpha channel renders into After Effects

[Adam Trachtenberg]

Object buffers need to be set up on AE. Use them as luma mattes to knock out the background.

If you render with a full scene alpha it will be recognized automatically.

[Ron Moore]

Thanks for the tips but I’m still unclear on the procedure for setting up the object buffers. I set them up in C4D but when I have them on the timeline in AE and choose Luma Matte, I do get a transparent bg but the object itself is partially transparent. Also, I’m not sure how to render with a “full scene alpha.” I checked the Alpha Channel box in the Save tab of the Render Settings but keep getting the black bg over in After Effects. I’ve been working with Cinema 4D now for 6 months but apparently am not straight on some fundamental workflow between C4D and AE. I think once I get past this I’ll be able to make some strides, but it’s just not quite sinking in. I’ve watched some tutorials on Cineversity on this topic but even that info didn’t make it clear enough for me.

[David Hooper]

Having the EXACT problem but in Nuke! Can’t get a Cinema 4D scene to export with an alpha to save my life!! I think it must be so fundamental that I actually can’t find anything on it on the web. So crazy. I just create a simple opaque sphere, rendered it as a QuickTime WITH alpha checked…but alas…it is basically a “transparent” bubble looking thing in ANY composite. I’m sure there is just some tiny check box I have missed somewhere. Let me know if you find anything.

Thanks from grinline.com

[Ron Moore]

I just always remember to render out with the Animation compression and the alpha channel is preserved.