How do I create a vector animation with a transparent background??
 

I'm creating an animation using Animate>Set Key in Maya.

The main thing is that it needs to be a wireframe AND it needs to have a transparent background.

The animation will eventually be played in FLASH MX and I don't know how to retain the transparent background when I batch render (and produce .iff sequence files)

Can anyone tell me what I need to do???

I already tried doing the following:

In Maya's 'Render Global Settings' window I set it to:

MayaVector
name.ext Vector Multi Frame
Macromedia SWF

Then batch rendered?
........., but I ended up producing a load of black images with nothing in them.

I'd appreciate any help you can give :-)

Well I can tell you the reason for the black images, if your camera background color is set to black and your vector lines are set to black with fill off there's your problem ;)

As for trans on a vector render I can't really help there because I have never done it. Though I beleave that Vector images can't care Alphas though I could be wrong there. Off the top of my head though I would try this first to see if it worked....

Uncheck Fill object
Check Include Edges
Turn Edge Style to Entire Mesh
Make sure to leave Hidden Edges un-checked
Set your camera background color to a bright green or something that will stand out from your lines
Render as a Tiff sequence
Use After Effects's Color Key or Create a PhotoShop action for all of the images and batch render it out of PS that will cut out the Green leaving the wireframe with an alpha.

You may have to render at a higher res then your final to make this work then just scale it down. I am sure there is a better way though....

D.

thanks for your suggestions.....
 

I'll be trying them out later.;)

For now I've decided to render vector files (illustrator wireframes) and I'm composing them in Flash MX instead, to make a simple transparent animation,..........but I'll try out your method later on too.

Cheers!!!