CompuServe Messages

Tad, 3DS produces what is called an alpha channel. The alpha channel is a soft edged mask that you can use as a matte. This is what your video enginner is calling his key channel. You can split off the Alpha channel and do what is called a double dump to tape. After you dump the animation to tape and the alpha channel to tape you would lock the decks together via timecode. Feed the alpha channel tape into the switcher as the matte along with the live video and the animation. Then the switcher will do the rest. If you use transparent objects the matte would allow the live video to show through the transparent objects. I use the alpha channel to do mattes for single frame animation. It is a powerful tool and would take up a chapter in a book on how to use it.