How to render VID's with Alpha Channel? AVI doesnt...Cant output as QT becuz I use PC

# 1 12-11-2004 , 04:57 PM

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How to render VID's with Alpha Channel? AVI doesnt...Cant output as QT becuz I use PC

I was integrating most of my 3D with 2D backgrounds so I wanted to have movies outputed with alpha channels. I have the box checked that says alpha when outputing but it doesnt work when I output as AVI into After effects.

I know a quicktime would work but I was wondering if you guys knew how to get a alpha channel to work or how to get Maya to output a Quicktime movie. I have Quicktime pro and it still doesnt work, user added image

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# 2 12-11-2004 , 05:35 PM

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Render out as tga or tif frames with the alpha box ticked and import into AE. Render a final AVI from AE.

"Terminat Bora Diem, Terminal Auctor opus."

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# 3 12-11-2004 , 07:26 PM

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hmmm

first off I just want to say thanks for the reply. I read the other topic in the "noob" section about rendering and I didnt see anyone say anything about alpha channels.

Its a bit of a shame they didnt give the option to output into Quicktime or give an option to output into a AVI that actually has non-stutter as well as alpha channeling.

so strange.

Does this mean I should get a Macintosh eventually or something? (hmm....)

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# 4 12-11-2004 , 07:59 PM

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Maya does what it's supposed to....allow you to model, texture, rig, animate, create dynamics, etc. The traditional way of rendering is to output image files and create your footage with compositing and/or editing software, outputting in whatever format you need. That's just the way it is. There are free editors out there like VideoMach in which you can import maya's rendered image sequence. It doesn't do QT but does support avi, mpg, divx, etc. Does QT Pro on a PC not support image sequence import? Seems like it does from reading the specs on Apple's site.

"Terminat Bora Diem, Terminal Auctor opus."

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# 5 12-11-2004 , 08:59 PM

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ah

i see. I just came back from a MAcintosh lab from school and Maya 6 was able to render out the animation into a quicktime, witht he alpha channel.

then I could import that to a AE animation Im doing, and walah, transparent Alpha chanell and my animation!!

It was a very nice process so I was just a bit surprised that when I came back to my PC at home, I wasnt able to output into any video format while retaining the Alpha (and QT option wasnt available)

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So I did it the traditional method. importing TIFFS to AE and then rendering a video. that worked great! (although the process seemed redundant not much I can do I suppose)

last question then: Everytime I tell MAYA to batch render, can it create its own folder with the project name and all the tiffs inside when rendering? Its not a big deal but it just would save the trouble of clicking and dragging all the tiffs created into one single selectable folder.

this might be hard to explain but when EVERYTHING is outputted into the projects/image folder (or something like that) other images in the image folder may prevent me from effectively highlighting the whole batch to make one solid movie in AE.

anyway this is the first time I've posted here and you guys really helped out. Thankyou so much!!!!!!

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# 6 12-11-2004 , 09:40 PM

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QT output is a mac-only maya feature, unfortunately so you'll have to go with the traditional method. Regarding your output question, you shouldn't have to create a separate folder. You know that when you set up a new project, you can choose "use defaults" which gives each part of the project its own directory within the project, right? Well, after you render out your images, and assuming you went into render globals and chose the proper naming convention and padding for your images so that it renders out with a sequential number (i.e., something like myrender.001.tif or myrender001.tif), you should just be able to open up AE and import (a Dialog box should ask you whether not it's an image sequence if Im remembering correctly...say, "yes" and it will import the whole sequence).

If you really want the images to render to a different folder in maya, create a separate folder on your HD and after you "use defaults" when setting the project up, change the path of the default folder the images save to, to the location of the folder you just created.

If you need help on Render Globals you could download our freebie video tutorial
here. You could also check out our Intro to Compositing video with Maya and AE here.

"Terminat Bora Diem, Terminal Auctor opus."

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