Rendering Animations with Transparency

[PhotogCda]

I've created an animation in PS CC on a transparent background.  I want to import the animation into PP CC in order to have it play over other video frames.  It used to be possible to render an AVI out of PS and maintain the transparency.  That no longer seems to be possible with the new, unimproved, stripped down export options.

Is it possible to render out an animation with transparent background from PS that can be imported into Pr?

If rendering an animation with transparent background out of PS isn't possible, what is the best way to create the animation I need?

Thanks.

[davescm]

Hi

Go to the menu at the top right of the timeline and use Render Video.

Use the format below and it should import to PP with transparency

Dave

[PhotogCda]

That's the problem.  QuickTime (AVI) isn't an option.  It seems it was removed in CS6, as far as I can determine. 

[davescm]

That screenshot is from CC2017.0.1.

It renders as a ***.mov file which opens in Premiere Pro CC2017 without an issue and drops in above another with transparency. I tried it

Dave

[Silkrooster]

Some codecs are only installed if premiere pro or after effects is installed. Once one of them is installed, then the extra codecs are available for Photoshop or any other program that can access them.

[davescm]

Hi

The OP gave the impression he had Premiere CC. Hence the options under AME should be there.

I am on Windows here so not sure what is on MAC.

Dave

[PhotogCda]

After Effects is installed.  PPro is installed.  All the latest versions.  PS is v 2017.0.1.  Apple QuickTime is installed.  It is v7.7.9.  That's the latest I can find.  I'm on Win7 x64.

I state, once again, QuickTime is ​not available as an option in the Format dropdown.  The only options are H.264 and DPX.

[PhotogCda]

It can be done by exporting as a PNG image sequence.  That will allow the transparency to be preserved.  That image sequence can then be imported into PP.  It works, it's just not as convenient as an actual video file.

[davescm]

Hi
I've just checked the QuickTime version here - and it is the same as yours. The other apps are the same. I am using Windows 10 but I wouldn't have thought that would make a difference.

The only recent thread I turned up on this was due to QT being missing of the PC and was resolved by installing QT. Not the case in your PC.

Can you see QuickTime as an option in Adobe Media Encoder? If missing from both it may be worth taking QT off and re-installing it.

Dave

[Silkrooster]

The last I heard, was QuickTime should be uninstalled due to Apple no longer supporting it. It is considered a security risk because of the lack of updates.

This may have changed, but I haven't heard anything yet.

[davescm]

You are right and I've not seen anything to change that.

However the codec is handy for cases like that shown in this thread, and QT is still required to see video in Steinberg's Cubase when adding and mixing multitrack audio (I believe a replacement is being worked on) . So until it is replaced then I've kept it here.

Dave

[Silkrooster]

I don't blame you. I have quite a few QuickTime videos I have rendered over the years. I prefer codecs over dedicated apps

[PhotogCda]

Un/reinstall did it. 

WRT QT should/should not be installed, I'd prefer to have nothing related to Apple installed, but it is what it is.  QT needs to be installed to be able to export QT/AVI files PS.

[Silkrooster]

Are you on a Mac or Windows system? Apple is refusing to update QuickTime on Windows, so it may be possible that Apple has pulled the avi codec from QuickTime on the Mac.

The format avi on Windows, you can choose uncompressed for the codec to render transparency with the video. It is possible that frames could drop, do to a slower processor and lack of compression.

If I recall, on Microsoft's web site, you can download an avi codec for QuickTime on a Mac.