Chroma to Black Transparency to Flash

jhowlett · Post by **jhowlett** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 9:16 pm

Thank you in advance to anyone who reads this post and can save me the hair that I haven't pulled out. OK, here is my dilemma...

What I am wanting to do is to take video edited with VideoStudio 11+ and use it on my website. The video is supposed to have a transparent background and will be converted to flash for the website.

So here's what I have done:

1. Take the video using the green screen, put the video in the VS Overlay track of the timeline, and use the ChromaKey function to eliminate the green.

So far, so good.

2. The video now has a black background--which I understand that in the video world, is normal for transparency.

3. I then save the file as AVI, and import the avi into a couple of different flash converters. The problem is that the converters seem to interpret the "black transparency" as "a regular black background", and thus the SWF is made has a black background instead of a transparent one.

Not so good.

4. So, being an amateur at this, I come up with another idea...I make a transparent GIF file and put it in the video track. I again save the file as an AVI. Now the background shows up as white.

5. After importing the new AVI file into either of the flash converters, the same thing basically happens. Except now it creates a white background instead of transparent.

Not so good again.

I am about to pull my hair out....is there a better video format to save this as that flash converter software programs interpret correctly as "transparent" instead of assigning an actual color? Or is there some setting that I am missing? Or is this a problem with the flash converter programs--in which case, any suggestions on an inexpensive one would be appreciated...

Basically, anything to help would be appreciated!

Thanks,
John

Post by **Ken Berry** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 9:26 pm

I may be missing something here, but wouldn't you be better off inserting your new background (i.e. not the transparent one, but the one that substitutes for the green), during the editing stage? Then render that and convert it to flash?

jhowlett · Post by **jhowlett** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 9:33 pm

Thanks Ken,

The issue is that there is no other background but the website itself.

Here is a similar example to what I am trying to do...I use these folks for web hosting and I decided I wanted something similar for some of my own sites.

http://www.ixwebhosting.com

If the video doesn't come up automatically, click the "Play Erika" link in the bottom right hand side.

You'll notice that the video has a completely transparent background, and you can see behind her wherever she is on the page.

John

Post by **Ken Berry** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 9:42 pm

OK, I see what you mean. Neat effect (I run a website for a dog rescue service!) Mind you, they might have achieved the Erika effect by simply having the white background you describe, given that their website background is dead white itself.

Sorry I can't help on this one -- though I will be very interested myself if someone else posts a solution.

Post by **Ron P.** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 11:13 pm

John,

The problem you're having is that VS does not output 32 bit avi files, only 24 bit. The extra 8 bits are the alpha channel or transparency. VS can see and recognize the alpha channel on video that you input to one of the overlay tracks. However as you have found out, that when you render your video project, it will use what is on the Main video track as the background, or absent of that, black.

I even looked at MSP8, and could only find 24 bit output. I think you will need to determine the color of the background this video is to be placed against, and use it for your background color in your video. That way it will appear to be transparent.

jhowlett · Post by **jhowlett** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 11:50 pm

Thanks Ron,

That's what I call a good answer...I guess I have one more question though...does anyone know if any other output format from VS would work? Many of the flash converters out there can input many types of files...so I'm grasping at one more straw here...

Thanks!

Post by **Ron P.** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 12:41 am

John,

Try this to see if it will work....

When you go to Save/Render your video file, Choose Quick Time .mov file, and then click on Options>Compression. Then on the drop-down menu beside Data Type you can select 32 Bit.

railroadguy · Post by **railroadguy** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 12:50 am

vidoman wrote:John,

Try this to see if it will work....

When you go to Save/Render your video file, Choose Quick Time .mov file, and then click on Options>Compression. Then on the drop-down menu beside Data Type you can select 32 Bit.

Not for me. I was playing around when I saw this topic. It's still a 24 bit master. Like saving an 8 bit GIF into a 24 bit JPG. It appears you must have the alpha channels in the master to do what he wants.

I found this http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m ... i_n6078090 that may help explain this.

railroadguy · Post by **railroadguy** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 12:58 am

Here is a better link: http://www.adobe.com/support/documentat ... mples.html

In short: In general, the video file must meet the following requirements:

* 32-bit video with million+ colors
* Includes a color-key background
* Is encoded to enable the alpha channel

jhowlett · Post by **jhowlett** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 12:35 pm

Unfortunately, I'm not getting it to work either. My thanks to all of you who helped with this.

Since I really like the "Erika effect", I'm going to have to look for another software solution I guess. In the meantime, I may use the white background approach.

Thanks again.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 1:40 pm

Given that Adobe now own Macromedia (and thus the origins of Flash), one suspects that their programs might produce the desired effect. In other words, Premiere Pro 2.0 (soon to be 3) -- which is, of course, hellishly expensive. Perhaps their Premiere Elements too, but you would need to check beforehand.

AlanN · Post by **AlanN** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 12:32 am

Hi . I'm looking at solving the same issue as this original post from 2007.
By now I'm guessing everyone is more familiar with the effect that John was attempting to produce, basically the walk on actor with a transparent background which is turned into a flash movie and uses the website as the background.

I Just bought a copy of VideoStudio Pro X2 (Not specifically for this), and hoping that there has been an enhancement in the last 3 years to allow this ?.

Now we already have CS3 including flash, so I'm ok with converting the output into a flash movie, the problem is getting some kind of output from VideoStudio that has the alpha channel properly encoded to remove the background.

Is it possible, or am I wasting my time trying ?

I know it can be done with After Effects or Premiere, but I'm not for splashing out that kind of money for what might be a single project never to be repeated. (Although I might try the 30 day trial)

All suggestions appreciated. Thanks

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 1:17 am

As has been stated, you need to output to 32 bit AVI. As far as I know no VS version is able to do that.

However, as also has been stated, you can try to render as a Quick Time MOV file. Playing around with the different types of compression reveal some that are 32 bit.