Adobe 12040118 - After Effects Standard Tutorial page 166

time by deselecting the Create Layers At Composition Start Time preference (Edit > Preferences > General (Windows) or After Effects >
Preferences > General (Mac OS)).
Change light settings
Double-click a light layer in the Timeline panel or select the layer and choose Layer > Light Settings.
Select Preview in the Light Settings dialog box to show results in the Composition panel as you modify settings in the dialog box.
Light settings
Light Type Parallel emits directional, unconstrained light from an infinitely distant source, approximating the light from a source like the Sun. Spot
emits light from a source that is constrained by a cone, like a flashlight or a spotlight used in stage productions. Point emits unconstrained
omnidirectional light, like the rays from a bare light bulb. Ambient creates light that has no source but rather contributes to the overall brightness of
a scene and casts no shadows.
Note: Because the position in space of an Ambient light does not affect its influence on other layers, an Ambient light does not have an icon in
the Composition panel.
Intensity The brightness of the light. Negative values create nonlight. Nonlight subtracts color from a layer. For example, if a layer is already lit,
creating a directional light with negative values also pointing at that layer darkens an area on the layer.
Color The color of the light.
Cone Angle The angle of the cone surrounding the source of a light, which determines the width of the beam at a distance. This control is active
only if Spot is selected for Light Type. The cone angle of a Spot light is indicated by the shape of the light icon in the Composition panel.
Note: In After Effects CS6, a selected spot light's cone can be extended to the point of interest.
Cone Feather The edge softness of a spotlight. This control is active only if Spot is selected for Light Type.
Falloff (After Effects CS5.5 and later) The type of falloff for a parallel, spot or point light. Falloff describes how a light's intensity is lessened over
distance.
For details, tutorials, and resources about light falloff, see
Falloff types include the following:
None Illumination does not decrease as the distance between the layer and the light increases.
Smooth Indicates a smooth linear falloff starting at the Falloff Start radius and extending the length specified by Falloff Distance.
Inverse Square Clamped Indicates a physically accurate falloff starting at the Falloff Start radius and decreasing proportionally to the
inverse square of the distance away.
Radius (After Effects CS5.5 and later) Specifies the radius of falloff from a light. Inside this distance, the light is a constant light. Outside this
distance, the light falls off.
Falloff Distance (After Effects CS5.5 and later) Specifies the distance a light falls off from a light.
Casts Shadows Specifies whether the light source causes a layer to cast a shadow. The Accepts Shadows material option must be On for a layer
to receive a shadow; this setting is the default. The Casts Shadows material option must be On for a layer to cast shadows; this setting is not the
default.
Press Alt+Shift+C (Windows) or Option+Shift+C (Mac OS) to toggle Casts Shadows for selected layers. Press AA to show Material Options
properties in the Timeline panel.
Shadow Darkness Sets the darkness of the shadow. This control is active only if Cast Shadows is selected.
Shadow Diffusion Sets the softness of a shadow based on its apparent distance from the shadowing layer. Larger values create softer shadows.
This control is active only if Casts Shadows is selected.
Note: For After Effects CS5 and earlier, light falloff is not available. However, you can simulate light falloff using expressions or one of several
third-party plug-ins created for this purpose. Dan Ebberts provides an expression on his
Material Options properties of a layer to simulate the result of light falloff when the layer is further from the light.
Online resources about lights
Eran Stern provides a video tutorial on the
which layers are affected by which lights.
Chris Meyer provides a basic overview of lights and their properties in a video tutorial on the
Chris and Trish Meyer provide tips about shadows and lights in 3D in an article on the
Trish and Chris Meyer provide a tutorial for using 3D layers, lights, and cameras in a PDF excerpt from their book After Effects Apprentice on the
Focal Press website.
Chris and Trish Meyer provide a tutorial on the
layers, such as onto a wall.
Adjust a 3D view or move a camera, light, or point of interest
Camera layers and light layers each include a Point Of Interest property, which specifies the point in the composition at which the camera or light
points. By default, the point of interest is at the center of the composition. You can move the point of interest at any time.
A one-node camera ignores the point of interest. (See Camera settings.)
this article on the Adobe
Creative COW website that demonstrates the use of lights as adjustment layers, to precisely control
Artbeats website that demonstrates how to use lights and 3D layers to project a video onto other
website.
MotionScript website that uses expressions on the
Lynda.com website.
ProVideo Coalition website.
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