transparent video

thenewoc · 4 Feb 2016 at 14:57

I've created a small clip / transition effect in 'debug mode wax' but I can't figure out how to render it with a transparent background. After some searching the net I think I need a 1080p RGBA avi clip but how can I create one please?

Russinating · 4 Feb 2016 at 20:07

I don't understand the 'debug mode wax' bit :confused:

but you can't have transparency in video. Why do you need it?

Mynight · 4 Feb 2016 at 20:43

"debug mode wax" is a video editing program for creating SFX.

If I understand correctly hes created a overlay for a video thats not working correctly rather than wanting the actual video transparent.

Otherwise Russinating is correct. You can do some stuff in flash but its not nice.

thenewoc · 4 Feb 2016 at 21:10

Hi, that's right regarding 'debug mode wax' it can be used to edit video clips and add special effects. I'm only just using it for the first time but have created some animated overlays that I'd like to use when streaming with OBS. Creating the effect has been ok as I already had the graphics to use for the transitions. However, OBS only has a plugin for including video into a scene and it doesn't have a chroma key feature so what I created has a green background which I'd like to be transparent. I understand a few formats do support an alpha channel such as RGBA with avi but I then need the rendering software I think to render just the alpha channel of the background clip out along with the effect layers.

gord · 4 Feb 2016 at 22:45

I don't use the program but the internet suggests "select uncompressed avi to export as (and select "use alpha channel" in render settings)".

Does OBS only support video for these types of animations?

thenewoc · 5 Feb 2016 at 15:11

Hi gord, yes I thought that was going to be the answer when I found that setting too but still no joy. I either end up with my green background from the green.avi file I made to act as a background as one is needed to apply affects to the graphic track on top or I end up chroma keying out the green or making that track opaque or subtracting it in compositing and ending up with a black background.

I think I'm going to try bringing the green version in to Blender or Sony Vegas and seeing if one of those can swap the green for an alpha channel or moving matte as I think it's also known.

gord · 5 Feb 2016 at 20:34

Do you have access to After Effects? That has good keying and rendering options. If you've got the ability to choose the background colour then pick something that your effect has little of to make your keying life easier. Plenty of info on rendering out of AE with alpha channels.