Adobe AFTER EFFECTS 7.0 - Importing Still Images; Interpretation Methods; Preparing Still-Image Files for Importing

ADOBE AFTER EFFECTS 7.0
User Guide
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2 Choose File > Interpret Footage > Main.
3 In the Alpha section, select an interpretation method.
4 If you want to switch the opaque and transparent areas of the image, select Invert Alpha.
5 Click OK.
You can also change the default alpha channel interpretation by changing Import Preferences, in the Interpret
UnlabeledAlphaAsmenu.Thisisespeciallyusefulforimportingfootagefromanapplicationthatconsistentlyuses
one type of unlabeled alpha channel.
A footage file with a premultiplied alpha channel (left) appears with a black halo (center) when interpreted as Straight-Unmatted, or Premul-
tiplied-Matted with Color (white selected). When the footage file is interpreted as Premultiplied-Matted with Color (black selected) the halo
does not appear (right).
See also
“About straight and premultiplied channels” on page 242
Interpretation methods
Ask User Displays a dialog box containing interpretation options each time you import an unlabeled alpha channel.
Guess Attempts to determine the type of alpha channel used in the image. If After Effects cannot guess confidently,
it beeps.
Ignore Alpha Disregards all transparency data in the file.
Straight (Unmatted) Interprets the alpha channel as straight alpha. If the application you used to create the footage
does not premultiply the alpha channel, select this option.
Premultiplied (Matted With Black) Interprets the alpha channel as premultiplied with black.
Premultiplied (Matted With White) Interprets the alpha channel as premultiplied with white.
See also
“About straight and premultiplied channels” on page 242
Importing still images
Preparing still-image files for importing
You can import individual still images into After Effects or import a numbered sequence of still images as a sequence.
You can import still images from Adobe applications such as Photoshop and Illustrator, or import Adobe Stock
Photos from Adobe Bridge. For information about the still-image formats that After Effects imports, see “Supported
file formats for import” on page 69.