-
Repost: FCP alpha issue persisting
Hi all,
Forgive the reposting, but I’d really appreciate some suggestions about why this is happening.
I’m attempting to export out of FCP a graphic with an alpha channel > export using QT conversion > animation > millions of colors+
The clip then imports into AE on a solid black background – despite AE asking how it should treat the unlabelled alpha channel – I’ve attempted all 3 options just to be sure and they all have the same result. I import it back into FCP and, yup, it’s on a solid background.
Other tests, such as simple, non-animating text is producing the same results – the timeline is on a checkerboard background so the unexported version is clearly transparent, but the exported version imported back in is on black.
Maybe I’m missing a step but I can’t think what it is. Any ideas?
-
20 Replies
-
What codec are you starting with? What format is the clip? The sequence? Why are you exporting a graphic from FCP? Where did the graphic come from? Why not export from there with the alpha?
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Ok, here’s the workflow.
I’m working with one of Andrew Kramer’s flourishes from his Evolutions set. I’m starting in AE, manouvering the flourish in 3D space to give it a nice plain and exporting from AE as an animation with alpha.
I then put it into an animation timeline in FCP. Turn the background to checkerboard and sure enough, the background is transparent.
When I add extrude with the face set to gradient and the black switched off, it gives a very nice 3D effect similar in look to the ‘clay’ renders you see in 3D max. (If there’s a way to achieve this same look in AE, I don’t know how to do it!)
However, when I try and export from FCP (animation, mills of cols+) to take it back into AE to work with, FCP isn’t exporting the alpha channel.
AE asks on import what I would like to do with the alpha and none of the options result in a transparent BG.
QT properties detect the alpha as ‘none allow dithering’. Changing it to straight alpha results in no change to the clip.
-
I’m going to hazard a guess, because I am not 100% sure…but I know how FCP acts somewhat.
When you put the file into a sequence in FCP, that file will then render to the sequence settings. Even if you don’t render, when you export, FCP renders that export AS it exports…thus making it the same codec as the sequence. And THEN it converts it to Animation.
But that is a guess.
Try this…use a ProRes 4444 sequence. That one has an alpha channel. put the clip in there, then export.
But that is just a guess.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
ProRes 4444 – is that one of the new codecs with FCS3 cos I don’t seem to have that option?
I’ve not made the upgrade yet!
-
Yup, that’s a FCS 3 thing…FCP 7.
Do you need to do this work in FCP? Is that not something you can do in AE? So you can bypass FCP altogether…
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Darn. Gonna have to bite the bullet then and upgrade then!
There’s doubtless a way to achieve a similar effect in AE, but my skills in that dept are a little basic to say the least!
I thought I had a real easy way to fake it there for a minute. Oh well, upgrade here we come.
-
Wait until someone else confirms my thought. Again, I’m only guessing.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Hi Shane, Dylan. I don’t think that is it. I quickly made a prores 422 timeline, put some text in it and exported it Animation Millions + and then re-imported it to FCP and AE and the Alpha is fine. Not your work-flow exactly but close enough?
Matt. -
Hi Matt,
Close enough, definitely. In fact it mirrors a test I did with some sample text just to see what would happen and FCP exported it with a solid black background.
Two weird things are happening.
– The very first attempt I did at this worked – I’ve just been unable to repeat it since.
– AE detects there is an unlabelled alpha channel and as usual asks me what to do with. But selecting straight unmatted, (or any of the other choices just to see), results in it still displaying as a solid black background.
Have I got a back end issue do you think?
-
[Dylan Hargreaves] “However, when I try and export from FCP (animation, mills of cols+) to take it back into AE to work with, FCP isn’t exporting the alpha channel.”
You need to set your sequence codec Animation Millions+ too.
rafael
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up