Keynote does not create transparent backgrounds anymore when exporting movies with Apple ProRes 4444

Question

Level 1

14 points

Keynote does not create transparent backgrounds anymore when exporting movies with Apple ProRes 4444

I upgraded to Catalina today. I wish I hadn't. Since then Keynote does not render any transparent backgrounds anymore when I try to export the slides as movie with Apple ProRes 4444.

This is so bloody frustrating. You want to sit down, get some work done, instead you have to deal with this stupid upgrade which took nearly 2 HOURS!!!! just to find out that afterwards you CAN'T get the work done you were planning, because of some "improvements" which were forced upon you.

How do I fix this now??!!

Why can't I download Keynote movies with transparent background anymore?

Mac OS X Server

Posted on Oct 8, 2019 9:39 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

kwpapke

Level 1

8 points

Oct 18, 2019 7:54 PM in response to Teddy_B

I can verify that the problem happens on Catalina, Keynote 9.2. I first noticed it when importing to iMovie, a Prores 4444 video with transparent backgrounds had an opaque black background. I also verified that the same video file would render an opaque black background when reimported back into Keynote, so I concluded that it is not an iMovie problem. Here's the iMovie screen capture:

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Answer 2

Teddy_B

Community Specialist

Oct 10, 2019 9:46 AM in response to Paola4444

Hi Paola4444,

Thanks for posting. As I understand it, you're finding your transparency settings aren't rendering when you export a Keynote.

As a test, do you see similar results if you export to a different format? This would help to narrow things down a bit.

Also, do you have any updates for Keynote in the App Store? If so, install those updates and test again to see if that helps.

I hope this helps get you started. Kind regards.

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Answer 3

NoSiri

Level 1

8 points

Oct 18, 2019 11:51 AM in response to Paola4444

OH MY GOD, I am having the same freaking issue. I am SO mad right now. SO SO SO Mad... I have so much work to do, I spent 3 hours upgrading to this piece of crap and now this. WTF? Can you not get it right, Apple... geezus. FIX THIS PLEASE. There is also not an update for Keynote TO fix this.

I am so upset right now.

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Answer 4

Paola4444 Author

Level 1

14 points

Oct 18, 2019 12:15 PM in response to NoSiri

There were more posts in this thread, it appears they have been deleted by Apple for not expressing enough gratitude for their innovative "improvement". When they deleted the first post of mine they notified me about the deletion. So I reposted and toned down the rage I was feeling. But it still was not PC enough for them, since it's gone now, too. But this time they did NOT notify me about the deletion. There was also another poster who complained about the same Keynote problem after Catalina upgrade. His posts are gone now, too. And his post was totally tame in comparison to mine. So I hope you'll get to read this one before they delete it as well. So here is what I've learned after 3 different sessions with Apple Support, around 6 hours spent on the phone with them, having to buy a cable mouse (since the original Apple bluetooth mouse stopped working during a Catalina re-installagion), so a total of a week to fix that problem: you have to go back to Mojave. Only then will Keynote work again. So you need to do this via TimeMachine. They do not have a Keynote update to fix this as of yet and they don't know when it will come out. I also doubt that it can be fixed with a Keynote update. I think it has to be a Catalina update. Since we deleted and re-installed everything on my computer: Keynote, iMovie, Catalina and the problem persisted. It only was fixed after I reversed to Mojave.

Good luck!

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Answer 5

NoSiri

Level 1

8 points

Oct 21, 2019 6:51 AM in response to Paola4444

UGH... i am busy! I just don't have the time to revert back to an operating system... I wonder, if this just a massive mistake or is this how it's going to be from now on? It's such a huge inconvenience.

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Answer 6

NoSiri

Level 1

8 points

Oct 21, 2019 6:52 AM in response to kwpapke

Agreed... I have trouble shot myself into the ground, it's not an Imovie issue at all... a huge issue with the new OS and Keynote. Hopefully they can and will issue a patch to fix this. I guess it's green screening everything now but what a Pain in the ***.

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Answer 7

Oct 23, 2019 5:34 AM in response to Paola4444

Hi,

I have reached the support, no solution at this time.

In the meantime, I tested on macOS Mojave with Keynote 9.2 (the same version as Catalina). The export of the video in proRES 4444 with transparency works perfectly.

I'm thinking of switching back to Mojave while waiting for a solution

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Answer 8

kwpapke

Level 1

8 points

Oct 29, 2019 2:17 PM in response to kwpapke

I just recreated the problem in MacOS 10.15.1 and it is NOT fixed. Same problem. Not surprising, since there was no mention in the release notes. There is still no mention of this bug in the press.

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Answer 9

lcrow001

Level 1

4 points

Jan 15, 2020 10:03 AM in response to Paola4444

I've been having this issue since I upgraded as well, but I think I found the solution. What I found out is that Keynote automatically selects "Optimize videos for iOS," which removes the alpha channel from ProRes 4444. I deselected this, and bam! The transparent backgrounds showed up again.

Hope this helps!

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Answer 10

Jan 25, 2020 1:50 AM in response to Paola4444

Found a solution, which at least works for the purpose of usage in iMovie as a transparency.

When exporting, don't choose 'Movie' - choose Animated Gif. The box opens up and you can choose your frame rate; default is 24, but you'll probably need it at 30 for standard digital stuff these days. Choose your resolution and then make sure Export with Transparent Backgrounds is checked. You'll get your file. Just import into your iMovie and do Picture in Picture when you place it on the timeline.

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Answer 11

NoSiri

Level 1

8 points

Oct 18, 2019 11:52 AM in response to Teddy_B

not helpful.

Thanks.

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Answer 12

Oct 23, 2019 10:31 AM in response to Paola4444

Thanks so much for finding and explaining this bug guys. I was about to upgrade to Catalina but heard about this bug. Can't upgrade until this is fixed.

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