Blacks flicker after exporting chromakeyed footage.

[GenghisKhak]

I carefully adjusted my key using the Ultra Key effect and masking where necessary.  Inside of Premiere Pro my footage looks great. However, when I export my footage the blacks in my keyed layer flicker and look pixelated.  The blacks aren't 100% opaque either- I'm able to see through them.

The green screen was poorly lit so there are a lot of shadows, but in the preview window inside of Premiere, it looks perfect.  It's only when I export the sequence and view the file that it look bad.

What is most likely causing this?  Could it be export settings or is there some kind of color correction I can do before keying that will help get a better key?

Thank you for your help!

[Vidya Sagar]

Hi Genghiskhak,

The issue might be with GPU renderer. To corner the issue, just for test, Change the renderer to Mercury Playback Engine Software only & try export.

Instructions:

     [File > Project Settings > General > Renderer,

     Change the Renderer to Mercury Playback Engine Software only > Click OK,

     In Video Rendering & Playback Settings Changes window click on Delete Previews ]

Please let us know the status.

Thanks,

Vidya Sagar.

[GenghisKhak]

My renderer was already set to Mercury Playback Engine Software Only.

Also, I'm not sure what you mean by "In Video Rendering & Playback Settings Changes window click on Delete Previews"

However, I did go into the project file and delete the previews for my project.

I tried exporting again and I had the same issue.  I really don't know what to do here

[Vidya Sagar]

Hi Genghiskhak,

"Video Rendering & Playback Settings Changes" is a dialog box which appears after changing the Renderer in Project Settings.

Just for test, Import the exported file into Premiere Pro & check the flicker & pixelation.

If issue persists,

Render & replace the clips on the sequence & try export.

[Instructions: select all the clips in the sequence > Right click > choose Render & Replace. ]

Please let us know the status.

Thanks,

Vidya Sagar.

[GenghisKhak]

I imported the file back into Premiere Pro and it shows up with pixelated blacks when played inside Premiere Pro. 

I also tried your next tip- to Render and replace clips in sequence and then export again.  This did nothing.  I still have the flickering pixelated/translucent blacks like before.  I'm really getting desperate here!  Any other suggestions or ideas? 

Thank you for your help so far!

[Vidya Sagar]

Hi Genghiskhak,

1. What is the Export format? Have you tried exporting to any other formats?

2. What is the format of the footage? Is this happening with multiple file formats?

3. What is the version of operating system?

4. What is the version of Premiere Pro? Have you tried with any other version of Premiere Pro?

5. Please post a screenshot of the pixelation.

Thanks,

Vidya Sagar.

[GenghisKhak]

Vidya Sagar,

1. I've tried exporting several times in multiple formats and it's always the same.

2. The format of the footage is Quicktime.

3. Operating system is Windows 7 Professional

4. Adobe Pro CC (2017)

5a. Pixelated image

5b. Good Image (Inside of Premiere Pro)

Thanks again,

Dustin Ridling

[GenghisKhak]

And another thing I recently noticed is that when I adjust the "shadow" setting on Ultra Key to a certain point, the image in Premiere Pro looks like the issue I'm having with the exported footage. I got some footage to look decent when exporting by adjusting "shadow".  Only trouble is that it looks good BEFORE and after in Premiere Pro, so that would be a lot of trial and error adjusting and exporting each clip this way.

Thank again!

[rickfike]

Any answer on this? Having the same issue.

[glasj2002]

Well it's 2019 and I am having the same issue too in Premiere Pro CC 2019.  Looks fantastic in Premiere Pro and when I look at the alpha  there is absolutely no flickering - it is only after Render.  Render is set to maximum and using Mercury...Software Only setting.  I have not had this issue previously. 

[glasj2002]

Okay -strange - I set the Ultra Key settings to the Aggressive preset and it renders fine.  What is getting me is that I see absolutely no difference inside of Premiere Pro.  I undocked the Program panel and maxed it to the 32 inch monitor.  No flicker on my custom setting at all.  Also no flicker on the aggressive setting but why the difference after render?. 

This is especially concerning since the green screen lighting was very good (for once in my life )

[defaultwtd93yp5lwv9]

It's 2021 and Im dealing with the same thing!! Makes it hard to trust Adobe Premiere Pro if theres going to be uncertainty that my key light edits aren't going to export exactly how I have it prior to doing so. So I have to use after effects?  That's the only workaround?

[jensswexoe]

I have the same problem too 😞

[RobShultz]

If you have access to After Effects you may want to right click on the footage in the timeline (without Ulta key appled) click on replace with After Effects composition, and try using the Keylight with spill suppressor) effect.

[glasj2002]

Hi, Thanks Rob.  Yes, I do have access and I was aware I could do that.  I appreciate the great suggestion.  But, my concern was more of how Premiere Pro shows the alpha channel and composite as flawless but there are issues after render.  I have used PP without any real issue in the past (I hate to say - probably because green screen lighting was not so great and I used a more aggressive setting to resolve issues ).  For simple keying, I was hoping to leave out the extra step and baggage that comes with bringing in another app.  Thanks again.

[The great dog Chippie]

I am currently experiencing the same thing. Looks perfect in premiere pro after rendering.  When I export to h.264 and review the mp4 file, it looks like I have a Christmas tree lights blinking on and off on my subject in the foreground. Isn't the rule is "what you see in premiere pro is what you get" when you export?

[Peru Bob]

Try turning off Hardware encoding in the Video tab of the export settings.

[brad5D2C]

There's no turning it off. You can just change it to "software encoding." I did that and it didn't work either.