ProRes 4444 with BOTH Alpha Channel AND Timecode?

Question

Paul Quade Author

Level 1

78 points

ProRes 4444 with BOTH Alpha Channel AND Timecode?

Recently did a large project of creating alpha channels from green screen footage.

Made the timelines 4444 and tried to output.

If I export as Quicktime, I get the timecode but not the Alpha channel.

If I export as Quicktime Conversion, I can get the Alpha channel, but not the timecode.

Am I doing something fundamentally wrong?

Is there a way to get both on the same output?

Like I said, this project is large -- 91 files -- and it takes more than 8 hours to export out either way even on a current 6 core machine.

What I really do NOT want to have to do is some crazy copy and paste of the timecode information from two separate exports.

Posted on Dec 16, 2011 2:35 PM

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Answer 1

RatVega™

Level 4

2,005 points

Dec 16, 2011 3:45 PM in response to Paul Quade

"export as Quicktime" is a very vague description. In order to maintain the alpha channel, you must explicitly request it by selecting a codec capable of handling an alpha channel and then set it up correctly. After selecting the codec, you still have to make sure the color depth is set to Millions +.

Hope this helps.

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Answer 2

Paul Quade Author

Level 1

78 points

Dec 16, 2011 4:14 PM in response to RatVega™

You said, "'export as Quicktime' is a very vague description."

Actually, it's not.

A person only has a few choices in Final Cut Pro. If you want to get really specific;

File > Export > QuckTime Movie...

Or

File > Export > Using QuickTime Conversion...

That's it!

With the first and ONLY the first, it will export whatever is on your timeline and you can get Timecode, but I can't figure out a way to make it output the Alpha channel with it.

With the other, you can get any sort of converted output you can input, including ProRes 4444 and Alpha, but unfortunately not the Timecode track.

UNLESS some Guru out there knows some sort of trick.

I'm hoping to find somebody that knows one.

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Answer 3

RatVega™

Level 4

2,005 points

Dec 16, 2011 4:36 PM in response to Paul Quade

Paul Quade wrote:

You said, "'export as Quicktime' is a very vague description."

Actually, it's not.

True if you had no idea at all how to export. I recommend you spend more time understanding the workings of your system and less demeaning those who try to help you. It's all in the help files...

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Answer 4

Paul Quade Author

Level 1

78 points

Dec 16, 2011 4:48 PM in response to RatVega™

Oh please . . .

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Answer 5

Dec 17, 2011 7:22 AM in response to Paul Quade

As Ratvega suggested, did you make sure that the sequence settings were set to millions+ colors? The + indicates an alpha channel and is found in the advanced quicktime settings. I'm pretty sure it's set by default for prores4444 but worth a check. I've done this recently without a problem (exporting a prores4444 sequence with an alpha), and brought it back in to fcp and used it to superimpose. Didn't check the timecode, but since you're getting this successfully using the quicktime export option (which is what I used - not quicktime conversion), it seems you should be able to get this to work.

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Answer 6

Nick Holmes

Level 7

30,018 points

Dec 17, 2011 8:21 AM in response to Michael Grenadier

Just tried exporting to ProRes 4444. it has the Alpha channel and sequence Timecode. all I did was change "Current Settings" to the 4444 codec.

QT 7 Timecode display...

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Answer 7

Paul Quade Author

Level 1

78 points

Dec 17, 2011 9:09 AM in response to Nick Holmes

Yep, I have the timeline for the sequences set up as 4444 and when exporting using File > Export > QuckTime Movie... the alpha channel still doesn't export with it. It's really weird because I'd never had an issue like this before.

I suspect it's some setting somewhere, but it's not solved just by setting the sequence to 4444. Yes, I understance about setting colors to millions+.

My problem today is it's a client system and I'm not there so I can't check it out over the weekend.

Thanks for the help though.

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Answer 8

Dec 17, 2011 9:16 AM in response to Paul Quade

MAke sure the sequence is NOT rendered before export and that the alpha channel for the exported clip is set correctly in your clip settings.

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Answer 9

Paul Quade Author

Level 1

78 points

Dec 17, 2011 1:45 PM in response to Michael Grenadier

I had done that as well; timeline was "red."

I wish I was working at the client's office today so I could poke around a few other things, but as far as I could tell all the "normal" things one normally needs to do wasn't working.

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Answer 10

Dec 18, 2011 7:22 AM in response to Paul Quade

What version of fcp are you running?

First thing to do is to try deleting your preferences

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-2491

Describe your workflow in detail. Both Nick and I seem to be able to make it work, so perhaps you're doing something differently.

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Answer 11

Dec 18, 2011 9:12 AM in response to Paul Quade

Post screen shots of your sequence settings, footage properties and export settings, plus any advanced settings....

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