Transparency in Motions canvas

Hi all,

I've created a little animation in Motion which I'd like to overlay on a clip in FCP. The project in Motion is set up so that the canvas is transparent, but displays in black (the default actually). But when I import the clip in FCP, it is not very transparent at all, it looks just as solid black as it does in Motion.

Just to be sure, I switched the display color in Motion to white and exported again and it comes up as solid black again.

Why is it not transparent?

Oh... and is there an easy way to reorder a bunch of sequence tabs in the FCP timeline?

Thanks,
Stefan

--
macpro 2x3 ghz dual core intel, 10.6.8, FCS 2

Are you using the project file in FCP or a rendered output from Motion? You can just drop the project file on the timeline and render in Final Cut 7. If you render in Motion be sure that you use a codec that supports alpha transparency. Either Apple Pro Res 4:4:4:4 or Animation codec are the usual suspects.

As for re-ordering the tabs, you can just drag them around. Or are you looking for some sort of sorting?

-Vance

Hi Vance,

thanks for your input. I rendered in normal ProRes 4:2:0 which explains the missing alpha channel. I'll try again with the animation codec. I didn't know you can use the Motion project file directly in FCP, so that's a good idea, too.

Regarding the dragging of tabs, that doesn't work for me. Whenever I drag, FCP will tear off the tab and make a new window from it. Dragging it back to the original window puts it last in the order. So yes, supposedly you could reorder tab that way by tearing them all off and dragging them back in the desired order, but that's pretty cumbersome. Perhaps it's possible in FCP7? (I have v6.)

Thanks,
Stefan

--
macpro 2x3 ghz dual core intel, 10.6.8, FCS 2

Well this is just as cumbersome I suppose. How about closing them all and re-opening in the order you want the tabs?

Great tip to drag the Motion project file to the FCP timeline. Worked perfectly fine, although for this project, I've rendered out with the Animation codec, because I have more direct control of the sequence that way.

And reducing the open sequence tabs to about 10 helped with the reordering mess ;-)

Thanks,
Stefan

--
macpro 2x3 ghz dual core intel, 10.6.8, FCS 2

To speed up access to tabbed windows or timelines, tap either Command-Shift -Left Bracket [ or
-Right Bracket ]. And close any active tab with Control-W. And I recall you could also hot wire an unmapped Close Other Tabs command as well.

- Loren

Today's FCP 7 keytips:
Copy clip Attributes with Command-C
Paste selected Attributes with Option-V
Remove selected Attributes with Command-Option-V !

Your Final Cut Studio KeyGuide™ Power Pack.
Now available at KeyGuide Central.
www.neotrondesign.com

Thanks Lore,

I haven't been 'on' for a while and just saw your shortcut. Very nice indeed.

Stefan

--
macpro 2x3 ghz dual core intel, 10.6.8, FCS 2