Simon Edmondson Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 This may sound a bit convoluted but, I've spent the last few days trying to learn how to use Flash and produced a short New Year greeting in it. Rendered that as a QT movie file and want to use that as a cookie cutter decal in AM. NY.mov This is the result. The cutting seems to take place on the first frame but then stops. It uses the background colour rather than an alpha channel. could that be the problem ? regards simon V17g OSX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Rodney Posted December 31, 2013 Admin Share Posted December 31, 2013 Nice test! A problem with using key color is that any shift to another color will cause the transparency not to work. A question though... Are you using a .MOV file or sequence of images? I believe you'll have more success with an image sequence. Added: If keying out a background that you are creating yourself it can be useful to create the background as a solid color such as pink... or some other color that isn't close to anything else in the image. Even better though... You should be able to create a transparency (Alpha Channel) background via Flash. Again, you might have to save out as a sequence of images. I can't think of a time where it would be better to create a false background that will be removed when you can remove it from the very beginning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Edmondson Posted December 31, 2013 Author Share Posted December 31, 2013 Nice test! A problem with using key color is that any shift to another color will cause the transparency not to work. A question though... Are you using a .MOV file or sequence of images? I believe you'll have more success with an image sequence. Rodney Thank you for your reply. I was using a movie file. Two reasons really, I can't remember properly how to convert the files to have a transparent alpha channel. If I could it might take too long to get it done by the new year. regards Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Rodney Posted December 31, 2013 Admin Share Posted December 31, 2013 I can't remember properly how to convert the files to have a transparent alpha channel. You should be able to just turn the background off in Flash and draw over a transparent background. Any rotoscope you'd use would then be another layer on top of the background but under your drawing layer. Note that a roto can be on top of your drawing layer if it is set to not being pickable or editable. As I recall, converting to .MOV will remove transparency as that format does not store Alpha Channels. AVI does but that probably won't help you here. Trying to save time often wastes time. If you are in a pinch and there is a sequence of images you need converted to have a transparent background perhaps you can post a link to the files and someone (like me) can remove the background for you. If you go this route zip up any sequential files so they can be downloaded in one file. Added: To troubleshoot the setup you have in A:M perhaps you could share the project. It may be something simple such as the key color not being key'd correctly so it only works on the first frame of the animation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Edmondson Posted December 31, 2013 Author Share Posted December 31, 2013 Rodney Thank you for your kind offer. I'll have a bash at it the frames again tomorrow. Having recently done a LOT of single frame roto work I wouldn't wish it on anyone else. This was the project file NY_.prj and this was the flash file exported as a QT file Message_2.mov One curious thing that seemed to happen was, the first frame worked, but, after the test render, it no longer did ? I would have posted it to Esoics New Year thread, but didn't want to lower the tine with the awful joke. Happy New Year all. regards simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Rodney Posted December 31, 2013 Admin Share Posted December 31, 2013 Gah... I got it to partially work but as a transparency. I'm headed out the door so can't finish it up at the moment. I'll be back later tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Edmondson Posted December 31, 2013 Author Share Posted December 31, 2013 Gah... I got it to partially work but as a transparency. I'm headed out the door so can't finish it up at the moment. I'll be back later tonight. Rodney Thank you once again for your help. following your info regarding Flash, I went back and re exported them as PNG files then went back into photoshop to draw over them again. Its very rough at the moment but I did get several ideas for how the technique could be used in future. Hope you have a good evening. Happy new year. Thanks again. regards simon NY.mov Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted January 5, 2014 Hash Fellow Share Posted January 5, 2014 My first guess is that it's a bug that the movie version didn't work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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