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1. Re: Client needs ProRes with alpha - what are my options?
Dave LaRonde Jan 3, 2012 7:53 AM (in response to spdorsey6969)The ONLY flavor of ProRes that supports alpha channels is ProRes 4444. You need ProRes? That's what you use.
And yes, you'll get trillions of colors +; if that weirds you out, use the PNG codec, which also supports alpha channels.
Make sure you get the frame rate straight in AE, too. It is NOT 23.98, it's 23.976, and the difference can kill you.
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2. Re: Client needs ProRes with alpha - what are my options?
Rick Gerard Jan 3, 2012 7:58 AM (in response to spdorsey6969)Set your project bit depth to 16 or leave it to 8. Changing to 32 will change the appearance of motion blurs and blend modes in some projects. Then select RGB + Alpha and pick ProRez 4444 as the codec. That's all there is to it. No further changes necessary. Don't worry about the color depth because the codec handles it just fine. ProRez 4444 is always a 12 bit codec no matter what your source. Just make sure that you're matching the client's color management setup.
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3. Re: Client needs ProRes with alpha - what are my options?
spdorsey6969 Jan 3, 2012 8:04 AM (in response to Dave LaRonde)Well, it's not a "weirding out" issue, so much as that I don't want to give the client files they cannot use. I use 16-bit often in AE and Photoshop, but it doesn't seem to be very necessary as a delivery format for use in broadcast.
These are lower thirds. I'll have to have them check to see why they need ProRes, and to see if other options are acceptable. I'm sure they don't need anythign more than 8-bit color.
Thanks
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4. Re: Client needs ProRes with alpha - what are my options?
Rick Gerard Jan 3, 2012 8:10 AM (in response to spdorsey6969)Like I said, ProRez 4444 is always 12 bit. It can't be anything else. Trillions is the only option in AE's encoder because AE only has 8, 16 and 32 (float). Don't worry about it. Extra color bit depth can't do anything but help.
As a side note I always, and I mean Always transcode DSLR footage to a 10 Bit codec before doing anything with it in AE. This gives me more control for color corrections, better control of keying, better rotoscoping, better everything. I use MB Grinder. I also almost always do my final color correction pass with the project set to 32 bit because everything behaves more like it should, even when my delivery to a client is a h.264 movie for the web.
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5. Re: Client needs ProRes with alpha - what are my options?
Dave LaRonde Jan 3, 2012 8:12 AM (in response to spdorsey6969)The nice thing about ProRes 4444 is that FCP 7 can play it back in real time with no rendering necessary, and the extra bit depth won't hurt a thing. PNG would require rendering.



