How to Export Rotoscope from After Effects

Exporting your rotoscoped footage from After Effects involves rendering your composition using the Render Queue, allowing you to specify the output settings crucial for preserving the transparency and quality of your rotoscope.

Here's a straightforward guide based on the standard After Effects workflow:

The most common method to export your rotoscoped composition from After Effects is by using the Render Queue. This built-in feature provides detailed control over your output settings.

Steps to Export Your Rotoscope

1. Prepare Your Composition: Ensure your composition with the completed rotoscope is open and ready for export.
2. Add to Render Queue: Go to File > Export > Add to Render Queue. This adds your active composition to the Render Queue panel.
3. Configure Render Settings (Optional but Recommended): In the Render Queue panel, click on the blue text next to "Render Settings" (usually "Best Settings"). Here you can adjust quality, resolution, and frame rate if needed, though often the default "Best Settings" are suitable.
4. Set Output Module: Click on the blue text next to "Output Module" (usually "Lossless"). This is where you define the file format, video codec, and crucial alpha channel settings for your export.
   • Format: Choose a format that supports an alpha channel. Common choices include:
     • QuickTime (ProRes 4444 is excellent for quality and alpha)
     • PNG Sequence (Exports each frame as a PNG, preserving alpha)
     • EXR Sequence
   • Video Output: Ensure "RGB + Alpha" is selected under Channels. This is critical for preserving the transparency created by your rotoscope. If you only select "RGB", your transparent areas will typically become black or white.
   • Color Depth: Select the appropriate color depth (e.g., Millions of Colors+ for 8-bit, Trillions of Colors+ for 16-bit). Higher depth retains more color information.
   • Format Options: Depending on the format, you might have additional options (e.g., codec settings for QuickTime). Choose a codec that balances quality and file size.
   • Audio Output: Decide if you need to include audio.
5. Specify Output To: Click on the blue text next to "Output To" to choose the file name and location where your exported footage will be saved.
6. Render: Once all settings are configured, click the Render button at the top right of the Render Queue panel. After Effects will then process and export your composition based on your chosen settings.

Summary of Key Output Module Settings:

By carefully configuring the Output Module settings, particularly selecting a format that supports transparency and setting the Channels to "RGB + Alpha", you ensure your exported rotoscoped footage retains the isolation and transparency you worked to create.