Using an alpha channel in Lightworks editor

[SpaceBoy64]

I know this is less to do with AS and more of a Lightworks question, but I figure maybe someone out there uses these two together, since Lightworks is a free editing program.

First, I need to know the best way to export my animation. I used to use Animation codec in Adobe After Effects, but I don't see that as an option in AS. Do I need to pay for QuickTime Pro before I have the option of saving to QuickTime? I read a similar thread here that recommends rendering single frames in PNG format. Does this automatically save the alpha channel? Do I have the option of ignoring the alpha channel if I want to? or is it embedded? Should I just use PSD format?

I tried using uncompressed avi last night, and while that works, and I know it has an alpha channel because it shows up in After Effects, Lightworks does not acknowledge it. Is Lightworks simply not capable of making use of an alpha channel? I could find no reference to it anywhere.

It's frustrating not being able to do something so simple. I kept running into brick walls last night at every turn. I was also looking for a way to download old Underdog cartoons from YouTube and look at them frame by frame, like maybe saving them to an image sequence, so I could examine how things were animated. None of my video conversion programs will do this.

[synthsin75]

Quicktime is only available to the 32bit version of AS.

[SpaceBoy64]

Quicktime is only available to the 32bit version of AS.

Okay thanks, I read that somewhere else too. That's good to know. I just relaunched in 32 bit mode and I see QuickTime as an option.

Now about the other question, still looking for an answer.

Thanks,
-Don

[synthsin75]

In Quicktime, millions of colors+ preserves alpha. You may also need to select "do not premultiply alpha" when rendering from AS. I don't work with Lightworks though, so I'm only guessing.

[SpaceBoy64]

Thanks.

I don't see any mention of alpha channels in Lightworks. They do have an option of using a mask, which seems to have to be a third separate source. AS doesn't have the option of saving the alpha separately does it?

Oh, and I was able to load in the Underdog episode and look at it frame by frame in AS. When I tried to save out frames, it crashed though. Last night I just took some screen grabs. Actually it was from Go, Go, Gophers, which was part of the series. I wanted a hand drawn looking explosion. What I did worked out pretty well. Not exactly like the original, but very close in feeling. I made individual puffs of cloud with textured outline on the outside only. I scaled these up individually, then down to nothing. with layering, parts of the lines are hidden. It looks pretty good.

I found that the animation in that series was really shot on twos, I think. The first frame is a half dissolve, then two frames the same, a half dissolve to the next frame, followed by two frames the same. Has anyone played around with the frame rate to duplicate this look?

-Don

[SpaceBoy64]

I finally figured it out, but it was not intuitive at all. Anyway, here's my animation. I used a stock character I purchased on Content Paradise. She was TV news reporter character, but I modified her slightly. I got rid of the microphone, and I modeled her hand to hold a frying pan. I also purchased the "Painter" character which is done in a similar style. I modified him to be an appliance delivery man. I made the delivery truck a couple of years ago for another commercial.
The background I made in Lightwave 3D.

Check out the animated explosion that I copied after Go, Go, Gophers. It need tweaking, but I think it works pretty well.

http://youtu.be/KD5XUWr4_b0

[synthsin75]

I finally figured it out, but it was not intuitive at all.

Maybe you could explain the steps to help others.

[SpaceBoy64]

Maybe you could explain the steps to help others.

Yes. put the clip with the alpha channel onto the timeline above the other video tracks. Then go to the Effects tab and drag Blend onto the truck clip.

-Don