MXF Assets with Alpha Channel No Longer Transparent

[garym46149099]

Last night I ran the update from After Effects 23.2 to 23.3. 

Today, I opened a project that contains multiple ProRes MXF assets with Alpha channels. Those MXFs are no longer transparent. See attached image showing shield assets and individual items that no longer have alpha transparency.  This project includes dozens of these assets and, as it stands, is now unusable.

I am on a PC running Windows 10.

[JohnColombo]

Hi @garym46149099,

Thank you so much for reporting this issue. Would you be able to provide a sample file that renders without alpha in AE 23.3? I'll let our Format team know in case we are already aware of this.

Thanks for reporting this issue and for any further information you can provide,

- John, After Effects Engineering Team 

[garym46149099]

Just to clarify, the issue is not specifically about exporting from After Effects, but is about using ProRes 4444 with Alpha MXF files IN After Effects. Those MXF files now have a solid background instead of a transparent one. I'm not sure if there is anything to learn from a sample file, but I am happy to try and upload one.

[garym46149099]

Sorry, John. I don't see any way for me to attach a sample video. Am I just missing it?

[JohnColombo]

Hi @garym46149099,

Unfortunately, I don't think these forums allow the direct upload of a video file and they explicitly disallow .zip files. Would you be able to upload the files to a service and either post the link or share it with me in a direct message? A shared link from Creative Cloud would work, or a free sharing service like WeTransfer.

Ideally, we can take a look at how After Effects is handling the .mxf metadata differently between AE 23.2 and 23.3 to see why the alpha is no longer being rendered the same in the latest version. It would be helpful to know what application rendered the .mxf files as well.

Thanks again for any additional info you can provide,

- John, After Effects Engineering Team  

[JohnColombo]

Hi @garym46149099,

Thanks for sending that footage! We can reproduce the issue and are now investigating possible fixes. If a workaround is available for 23.3, I will update this post as soon as I hear about it.

Thanks again,

- John, After Effects Engineering Team 

[duanew68417658]

I have also just opened a file that was a few months old and am experiencing the same issue.
I see it's being investigated, I am just also throwing it out there and I'm also curious how the investigation is going.

[JohnColombo]

Hi @garym46149099 & @duanew68417658,

This issue has been fixed in After Effects (Beta) version 23.4.0.40 and later, which is now available via the "Beta apps" tab in the Creative Cloud app. You should see your MXF alpha render the same in the latest Beta builds as it did previously. This fix will also be included in the next release version of After Effects.

Thank you both for reporting this issue so we could get it fixed,

- John, After Effects Engineering Team 

[garym46149099]

Awesome! Thanks!

[ShiveringCactus]

Hi @JohnColombo 

I work in software development myself so I should know better than to ask this question, but do you have an ETA for when the fix will be released for post-beta

[Mary5E2C]

I realize it has taken me many months to realize this, but there is no way to output RBG with Alpha now?! I work on a Mac M1 Studio and there are no more Apple Pro Res options and the quicktime output option which does allow for RGB + Alpha doesn't give me a file I can use. And of course I'm super irritated because I need to create a deliverable that seems like it is not possible to create now. ::madface::

[JohnColombo]

Hi all,

A fix for this issue has been released in the 23.4 version of After Effects. Please install that version and let us know if you continue to have this issue with the alpha channel on your MXF footage.

Thanks again for reporting this!

- John, After Effects Engineering Team 

[JohnColombo]

@ShiveringCactus Apologies for not answering sooner, but you are correct, we aren't able to discuss future release dates as a publically-traded company.

@Mary5E2C Would you mind creating a new bug report about this issue? There may also be one already reported.

Cheers,

- John, After Effects Engineering Team