After Effects exporting with solid grey background despite current RGB + Alpha Settings

[Workshop Film Company]

Hi there, I am trying to export a graphics composition to lay on top of an interview in Premiere Pro. I am using the same tried and tested method I have used for years:

Creating my graphics, turning off the video layer to see the checkered backdrop, and then adding to render queue with the animation codec, RGB + Alpha etc. but it exporting with a solid grey background every time. I am at a loss for ideas here.

I am sending them to another editor via G Drive and Vimeo (we have tried twice) which I have also done before. I notice the thumbnail does have the expected black backdrop in Quicktime player. But with VLC and any sharing platform, it is appearing as grey

Project deadline is fast approaching so any help would be greatly apprecaited

[Warren Heaton]

What happens if you use the Lossless with Alpha Output Module Template?  Since you can see the checkerboard background in your Comp, that Output Module Template should result in a file that can be superimposed in Premiere Pro (it's Animation CODEC and Millions of Colors+).

You can also double-check your CODEC in the Video Options.  A CODEC that does not support an alpha i's the most likely cause of an alpha not being in the rendered file.  So, ProRes422 HQ was used instead of ProRes4444.  Of course, if the CODEC selected does not support an Alpha, you should see RGB+Alpha dimmed out in the Output Module settings.

While it's not ideal, you could also try an Image Sequence like PNG with Alpha or TIFF with Alpha and then import the resutling Image Sequence into Premiere Pro. 

Also, you could do a Collect Files of the Comps going to the editor (File > Dependencies > Collect Files), create a Zip archive of the results, and then the editor can import the Comps directly.  The editor may have to render the Comps, though, as well as have 3rd party effects - if used - missing, font dependencies may be missing, and the editor can make unwanted changes to the keyable graphics.