Adobe AFTER EFFECTS CS3 PROFESSIONAL User Manual page 181

Note: After Effects 7.0 and earlier included a Standard 3D rendering plug-in; this plug-in is not included with After
Effects CS3. In After Effects 6.0 and later, the default plug-in for rendering 3D layers has been the Advanced 3D
rendering plug-in. As third-party plug-ins become available, you can choose them from the Advanced section of the
Composition Settings dialog box.
See also
"Work with per-character 3D text properties" on page 291
"3D files from other applications" on page 84
"Shortcuts for 3D layers" on page 642
"Cameras, lights, and points of interest" on page 179
"Layer 3D attributes and methods" on page 568
Convert 3D layers
When you convert a layer to 3D, a depth (z) value is added to its Position, Anchor Point, and Scale properties, and
the layer gains Orientation, Y Rotation, X Rotation, and Material Options properties. The single Rotation property
is renamed Z Rotation.
When you convert a 3D layer back to 2D, the Y Rotation, X Rotation, Orientation, and Material Options properties
are removed, including all values, keyframes, and expressions. (These values cannot be restored by converting the
layer back to a 3D layer.) The Anchor Point, Position, and Scale properties remain, along with their keyframes and
expressions, but their z values are hidden and ignored.
See also
"Work with per-character 3D text properties" on page 291
"Layer switches and columns in the Timeline panel" on page 151
"Shortcuts for 3D layers" on page 642
Convert a layer to a 3D layer
❖
Select the layer's 3D Layer switch
Convert a text layer to a 3D layer with per-character 3D properties enabled
❖
Choose Animation > Animate Text > Enable Per-Character 3D, or choose Enable Per-Character 3D from the
layer's Animate menu in the Timeline panel.
Convert a 3D layer to a 2D layer
❖
Deselect the layer's 3D Layer switch in the Timeline panel, or select the layer and choose Layer > 3D Layer.
Show or hide 3D axes and layer controls
3D axes are color-coded arrows: red for x, green for y, and blue for z.
• To show or hide 3D axes, camera and light wireframe icons, layer handles, and the point of interest, choose View >
Show Layer Controls.
in the Timeline panel, or select the layer and choose Layer > 3D Layer.
AFTER EFFECTS CS3 175
User Guide