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NoHotBeverages
NoHotBeverages
Participant
August 6, 2018
Answered

Importing Transparent .mov Files?

  • August 6, 2018
  • 3 replies
  • 19932 views

Hey all,

So I've been using After Effects CS6 for years, and just today I finally decided to update to the newest version. In CS6, when I imported a .mov file with no background, it would be transparent in AE. Now, however, the background is a solid black. I'm fairly certain that when I first got CS6 I had the same problem, and there was a setting I had to change, but for the life of me I can't remember what it was. Can anyone help?

Thanks!

    Correct answer Mohammad.Harb

    In the project panel, if the video info shows

    [millions of colors + ] , then the plus sign means the video contains transparency.

    when you place the video in a composition, click on   “toggle trasparency grid “ button in the comp window

    one more trick, place an image or any photograph in the composition, then put the video file on top of that layer, now you can make sure if the video background is transparent or not.

    3 replies

    R
    Community Expert
    Rick GerardCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 14, 2023

    By far, the easiest solution is to use the Output Module's High Quality with Alpha preset. One-click, no problems. The Composition Pre-Render also uses this preset and imports the rendered file directly into After Effects.

      Mohammad.Harb
      Community Expert
      Mohammad.HarbCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      August 6, 2018

      In the project panel, if the video info shows

      [millions of colors + ] , then the plus sign means the video contains transparency.

      when you place the video in a composition, click on   “toggle trasparency grid “ button in the comp window

      one more trick, place an image or any photograph in the composition, then put the video file on top of that layer, now you can make sure if the video background is transparent or not.

      L
      lancew95815442
      Participant
      October 11, 2021

      I'm looking to find out why .mov files that are transparent are not read as transparent in After Effects. I have a .mov file. When I preview it on my mac, it is transparent. Quicktime says its an HEVC with Alpha (8-bit). When I bring it into Ae it loses the alpha. There's no + after millions of colors, and it's not toggling the transparency grid. Any ideas?

        gnyerdua
        gnyerdua
        Participant
        May 14, 2023

        Have you found a solution to this? I'm losing my mind here... and I can't find anything online to solve this


        Hello guys, I just got the same problem but I think I have found a possible way to solve this. This is the way that only works for Mac I guess.

        1. Go to your Finder window that contains your HEVC with alpha .mov file.

        2. Right click on your HEVC with alpha .mov file and click on the option "Encode Selected Video Files" (somewhere almost at the bottom of the option list), there should be a small window with the name "Encode Media" popping up.

        3. Change the setting to "Apple ProRes" (mine was H.264 480p as default), make sure the check box "Preserve Transparency" on the right is checked on.

        4. Click continue and there should be a new .mov being generated. Drag that new .mov into After Effects and it should be working.

          Szalam
          Community Expert
          SzalamCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          August 6, 2018

          What codec is that footage using?

          What settings does it say under the interpret footage dialog?

          When you say it's not transparent, do you have the transparency grid showing and then put the MOV in and it's not?

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