Adobe AFTER EFFECTS CS3 PROFESSIONAL User Manual page 184

3D layers intersecting (left), and 3D layers prevented from intersecting by intervening 2D layer (right)
Just like 2D layers, other types of layers also prevent 3D layers on either side from intersecting or casting shadows on
one another:
• A precomposition without collapsed transformations
• A 3D layer to which an effect, closed mask (with mask mode other than None), layer style, or track matte has been
applied
A precomposition with collapsed transformations (Collapse Transformations switch
with the interaction of 3D layers on either side. Collapsing transformations exposes the 3D properties of the layers
that compose the precomposition. The tradeoff is that this setting removes your ability to specify certain layer
settings for the precomposition as a whole—such as blending mode, quality, and motion blur.
Shadows cast by continuously rasterized 3D layers (including text layers) are not affected by effects applied to that
layer. If you want the shadow to show the results of the effect, then precompose the layer with the effect.
To ensure that the shadow remains where expected on a 3D layer with a track matte, precompose the 3D layer and
the track matte layer together (but don't collapse transformations), and then apply the shadow to the precomposition.
Effects on continuously rasterized vector layers with 3D properties are rendered in 2D and then projected onto the
3D layer. OpenGL rendering does not support this sort of projection, so results may differ when rendering using
OpenGL. This projection does not occur for compositions with collapsed transformations.
See also
"Render order and collapsing transformations" on page 119
"Precompose layers" on page 118
"Continuously rasterize a layer containing vector graphics" on page 154
AFTER EFFECTS CS3
User Guide
selected) does not interfere
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