Hi
How to make a transparent background in Cartoon Animator 4 so that when putting in front of another video, only the character appears?

Benny

I use Green screen technique (Chroma key).
In the video editing, use this technique to make the Green screen invisible.

76% of original size (was 661x19) - Click to enlarge
YouTube Tutorials Here

Green Screen is ok. So is it not possible to make transparent background in Cartoon Animator?

To export as video with a transparent background is NOT possible.
You render video in image sequence (with transparent background).
I have never done this before.  Perhaps someone who knows this process can enlighten the process.




76% of original size (was 661x19) - Click to enlarge
YouTube Tutorials Here

If you’re working on a Mac, yes you can export a video that has a transparent background.  The "trick" is to export as "Apple ProRes 4444".  This can then be imported into apps such as iMovie or FinalCut Pro for compositing with other videos.  Adobe's Premiere probably works too.

If you’re working on Windows, you have an alternative approach, apart from greenscreen removal, though this will depend on your video editing software supporting this workflow.  Here, you have to export a series of PNG files and your video editing software has to be able to import these to reconstitute your CA4 animation.  (Note JPG's are no use, since they doesn't support transparency and GIF's have a limited colour pallette.  It has to be PNG to get the transparency option.)

If you've used any assets in your animation that you want excluded in your final render, go into the Scene Manager and hide anything you want hidden before you do the final render/export.

I think my double-screenshot highlights the important render settings for both platforms.

76% of original size (was 661x19) - Click to enlarge

Edited 2020-05-24: have checked and confirmed that iMovie works too.

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Cartoon Animator 4 Pipeline (always the current production version, unless otherwise stated)
Mac mini M1, macOS Big Sur (11.6.5)
Signature data last updated 2022-05-15

Hello -- Thanks for your help. I followed your instructions for exporting a video with transparent background. However, I get a video with a black background not a transparent one. Is there something else I need to do?

Hi Smart Ears - I'd have to guess that you're just looking at the exported file on your desktop.  The transparency (the alpha channel) appears black in that situation.  But if you bring the new asset into iMovie and drop it on top of a regular video background, it should work as described.

If that doesn't clear things up for you, let us know the answers to the following questions: 

1. what version of macOS are you running?
2. what version of CA4 are you running
3. what video editor are you using?
4. Is there anything odd about your machine that might be relevant?

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Cartoon Animator 4 Pipeline (always the current production version, unless otherwise stated)
Mac mini M1, macOS Big Sur (11.6.5)
Signature data last updated 2022-05-15

Ahh! I see. Ok Let me try dropping it onto another background. I assume this would work with any program? Such as adobe premiere or after effects as long as I’m dropping it onto a video background I want?
Thanks!!! Let me try that and I’ll post the results.

I haven't used either of the Adobe apps but, since they're approximately the equivalent of Apple's FinalCut Pro and Motion, then yes - I would expect that they would also work this way.  Let us know how you get on!

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Cartoon Animator 4 Pipeline (always the current production version, unless otherwise stated)
Mac mini M1, macOS Big Sur (11.6.5)
Signature data last updated 2022-05-15