Rendering problem

NMP wrote on 9/14/2008, 2:33 PM
I am using VMS 7 with Vista. I have three layers: top one is text (generated in VMS) solid text with transparent background, next layer is a video file with transparent text and solid background imported into vms, finally I have a motion background underneath, that only shows through the second layer of text. In other words, my video background only shows through some of the text but not all. This is exactly what I want it to do.

When I preview within VMS, it does exactly what I want it to do, but when I render it, the transparent text gets rendered as solid grey and so the video background doesn't show through at all. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Comments

richard-amirault wrote on 9/14/2008, 3:23 PM
I think the problem, I'm no expert, has to do with "Alpha channels" ... that's what deals with "transparency" in Vegas.

I don't think your middle track *has* an alpha channel .. and while it may look OK in preview it does not render that way (don't have a clue *why* it would preview) When importing items with an alpha track .. you have to manually select, after right clicking the clip, under MEDIA the Alpha properties to STRAIGHT (unmatted) for any alpha channel that is present .. to work. You can try this first and see if the video you have works.

Is there any motion on the middle track, or can you use the text capabilities of VMS to do what you want on that track?

Richard in Boston
richard-amirault wrote on 9/14/2008, 3:41 PM
I just tried it using only using text generated with VMS and, as far as I can tell from your description, it works for me.

On the middle channel .. you need to use the Chroma Key option and select the color of the (middle track) text as the chroma key color.

The top track shows over all three tracks normally. The bottom track will show thru only in the text on the second track.

Richard in Boston
NMP wrote on 9/15/2008, 5:44 AM
Hi Richard,

Thanks for your replies.

I did set the second layer within VMS to alpha transparency, that's why it shows in the preview. Sorry, I wasn't clear about that.

I tried what you suggested and made the second layer with the transparent text from the generated media and again it shows fine in the preview but the motion background doesn't come through when rendered. I didn't use the chroma key but just the alpha transparency. I'll give it another try.

NMP
Terry Esslinger wrote on 9/15/2008, 9:47 AM
<<When I preview within VMS, it does exactly what I want it to do, but when I render it, the transparent text gets rendered as solid grey and so the video background doesn't show through at all. Any suggestions?>>

So when you render (as what?) you don't get what you see in the preview? You make no changes between the time you preview and the time you render?

NMP wrote on 9/15/2008, 12:20 PM
Terry,

Exactly! When I render (as avi) I don't get what I see in the preview and I make no changes between the preview and the time I render. I am only rendering a small portion of the total video. Could that be causing it?

Thanks!
gogiants wrote on 9/15/2008, 12:57 PM
The fact that you're rendering only a small part shouldn't matter...