urgent question about transparencies!!!

[pcgui2001]

hi guys,
take a look at this site...http://www.imax.com/santavsthesnowman/flash.html
question about the floating santa graphic....... how did they keep the transparency on the light rays coming out from behind the sleigh. i mean i could just save my images as png from photoshop but how did they do it so that the softness of the rays stay??

tell me if im not being clear.
Thanks

[BerksWebGuy]

It was done in flash...or in fireworks and exported to flash.

Its done with layers. The graphics are on layers on top of each layer:

bottom layer: the rays
middle layer : snow
top layer : santa/sleigh


So any snow flake would travel on top of the rays...and you get the effect you're seeing.

Clear...or still confused?? :cool:

[pcgui2001]

yup, clear, thanks a lot

[snakekiller]

Actually, the sleigh and rays are 1 layer, and on top of the entire movie. The snowflakes are under santa and sleigh. you can see them go under the rays if you look close.

[BerksWebGuy]

It depends...the rays could be on a seperate layer.

They are transparent...so it has to be a different image. I just depends if they put it on a different layer or not.

Either way...the rays are somewhat transparent.