is it possible to export my AE (CS3 version) graphics work (lower thirds, muzzle flashes, blood squirts, etc) with a transparent background into FCP over my video footage? if so then what is the exporting process?

Just export the clip with an alpha channel. Go into the output settings, then video, and choose "RGB+alpha", etc.
Bring the clip into FCP, and it should just work.

hi daniel that's what i did and when i bring it into FCP it has a black background.

what am i doing wrong?

i dunno if FC shows the alpha channel like AE, have you tried dropping something behind just to be sure?

i'm not sure. i'll tell you exactly what i did though.

i made my edits to a 30 second commercial in FCP. Saved that project and exported it to a quicktime file.

then i imported the quicktime file into AE and created some text effects and a coupla graphics. then i turned off the layer with the video before exporting it out of AE again and just selected rgb+alpha channel.

then i imported the AE graphics/quicktime file and placed it above the original project in FCP and i am not able to see anything execpt my graphics from AE. it doesn't overlay on top of my video footage inside FCP.

i was thinking my AE graphics/text effects would line up and you would be able to see everything (video in FCP that's on the layer under it) in the background??? kinda like when you work with FCP & motion graphics.

i'm not sure. i'll tell you exactly what i did though.

i made my edits to a 30 second commercial in FCP. Saved that project and exported it to a quicktime file.

then i imported the quicktime file into AE and created some text effects and a coupla graphics. then i turned off the layer with the video before exporting it out of AE again and just selected rgb+alpha channel.

then i imported the AE graphics/quicktime file and placed it above the original project in FCP and i am not able to see anything execpt my graphics from AE. it doesn't overlay on top of my video footage inside FCP.

i was thinking my AE graphics/text effects would line up and you would be able to see everything (video in FCP that's on the layer under it) in the background??? kinda like when you work with FCP & motion graphics.

Change the composite transfer mode of your AE layer to screen?

When you export from AE try using the animation codec and then "millions of colors+" make sure you get the + as it represents the alpha channel, it works for me when I do it that way.