Rendering object into AVI with transparent Background in 3D Studio Max

[bjory]

How can I render an animation which consist of an object rotating in 3D studio Max to AVI with the background as transparent?

I would want to use the AVI on an overlay in a video in Premiere. As currently, when I use the AVI in premiere, the overlay shows the object together with the black background. Anyway to get rid of the black background? Either in Premiere or 3D Studio Max?

[eilsoe]

I believe there's a way to save the alpha map alongside the actual frame. Dunno if it's possible with avi files, but I'm suer it can be done with single frames, you could just put 'em together in Premiere then...

I think the alpha frame selection is under "Render Elements" in the render menu (F10)... But I'm not sure, I don't have max open right now :)

[ironikart]

I've tackled this one recently. Best method of saving transparency with an animation is to render frame sequences as a transparent format (*.png etc) and import them into premier. You can render a seperate video to act as a transparency mask, but far too messy.

[.soulty]

always render to sequence image files (that include transparency). Not only because you will get no quality loss as you would with compression in video, but you also have the safe guard of when video renders stuff up..(which is more than often the case).

Say you were rendering a hi-res , hdri scene to video file and it gets to the last frame... then *zapp* your computer turns off.... you will now need to render from frame 1 again, another 2 day render and your time down the drain, when if rendered with sequence images you can then just render the frames not rendered yet ;)

Major life saver..trust me.

[Mohit]

There is a way out!

Import the avi in Premiere with black background(as you have mentioned).....

Use the "blue screen " concept to remove the black background of the movie.....

Alternatively, you can also render the movie in 3DS Max using blue background and then import it in the Premiere......and use the blue screen concept.....

It definitely works otherwise there is no way to store transparency in an "avi" file.

Hope you work it out.......

[MZA]

just something to keep in mind, png and gif destroys the quality. i would probably use the bluescreen concept.

[.soulty]

so what are you guys talking about when you say the bluescreen concept? render straight to video? are you serious?

:: just use the sequence images in premier, or pre comp the sequence into video with alpha.