Adobe 65008009 - After Effects CS4 Using Manual page 186

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Last updated 12/21/2009 USING AFTER EFFECTS CS4
Layers and properties
2D layers (left) and layers with 3D properties (right)
Any layer can be a 3D layer, except an audio-only layer. Individual characters within text layers can optionally be 3D
sublayers, each with their own 3D properties. A text layer with Enable Per-character 3D selected behaves just like a
precomposition that consists of a 3D layer for each character. All camera and light layers have 3D properties.
By default, layers are at a depth (z-axis position) of 0. In After Effects, the origin of the coordinate system is at the
upper-left corner; x (width) increases from left to right, y (height) increases from top to bottom, and z (depth) increases
from near to far. Some video and 3D applications use a coordinate system that is rotated 180 degrees around the x axis;
in these systems, y increases from bottom to top, and z increases from far to near.
You can transform a 3D layer relative to the coordinate space of the composition, the coordinate space of the layer, or
a custom space by selecting an axis mode.
You can add effects and masks to 3D layers, composite 3D layers with 2D layers, and create and animate camera and
light layers to view or illuminate 3D layers from any angle. When rendering for final output, 3D layers are rendered
from the perspective of the active camera. (See "Create a camera layer and change camera settings" on page 186.)
All effects are 2D, including effects that simulate 3D distortions. For example, viewing a layer with the Bulge effect
from the side does not show a protrusion.
As with all masks, mask coordinates on a 3D layer are in the 2D coordinate space of the layer.
Note: After Effects 7.0 and earlier included a Standard 3D rendering plug-in; this plug-in is not included with After Effects
CS3 or later. In After Effects 6.0 and later, the default plug-in for rendering 3D layers has been the Advanced 3D rendering
plug-in. When you open a project that was created with the Standard 3D rendering plug-in, the project is converted to
use 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.
More Help topics
"Per-character 3D text properties" on page 363
"Importing and using 3D files from other applications" on page 99
"3D layers (keyboard shortcuts)" on page 750
"Cameras, lights, and points of interest" on page 186
"Layer 3D attributes and methods (expression reference)" on page 672
Online resources for 3D layers
Alan Shisko provides a detailed video tutorial on his website, demonstrating how to create a complex 3D environment
from 3D layers, beginning with simple 2D assets.
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.