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In the timeline, when you expand a 3D layer and then expand the Material Options for that
layer, the following properties appear:
Casts Shadows Used to cast a shadow on layers within the range of that shadow. The
direction and angle of the shadows is determined by the direction and angle of the light
sources.
Accepts Shadows Used to show the shadow cast on a layer by another layer.
Accepts Lights Lets the layer be illuminated by any light that reaches it.
Ambient Sets the level of ambient (nondirectional) reflectivity of the layer. A setting of
100% creates the most reflectivity; a setting of 0% means that the layer does not exhibit
any ambient reflective properties.
Diffuse Sets the level of diffuse (omnidirectional) reflectivity of the layer. Applying diffuse
reflectivity to a layer is like draping a dull, plastic sheet over it. Light that falls on this sheet
reflects equally in all directions. A setting of 100% creates the most reflectivity; a setting of
0% means that the layer does not exhibit any diffuse reflective properties.
Specular Sets the level of specular (directional) reflectivity of the layer. Light reflecting
from a layer with specular reflective attributes reflects from the layer as if the layer were a
mirror. A setting of 100% creates the most reflectivity; a setting of 0% means that the layer
does not exhibit any specular reflective properties.
Shininess Sets the size of the specular highlight. This value is only active if the specular
setting is greater than zero. A setting of 100% produces a reflection with a small specular
highlight. A setting of 0% produces a large specular highlight.
Understanding 3D layer order
Because of their depth properties, After Effects 3D layers can be placed behind or in front
of each other in the Composition window, but they do not change their position in the
Timeline window layer hierarchy. Therefore, the layer order of After Effects 3D layers in the
Timeline window does not necessarily represent their order in the Composition window
(as would happen with 2D layers).
In addition to determining the actual positioning of the layers, the order in the Compo-
sition window also determines how Transfer Modes work. Transfer Modes affect only layers
positioned behind the original layer (the layer to which the Transfer Mode is applied) in
the Composition window.
However, layer order in the Timeline window is still honored when you use Track Mattes.
Track Mattes work only between layers that are adjacent in the Timeline window.
Use the additional views available from the 3D View menu to determine the actual
position of the 3D layers. For more information on 3D views, see "Understanding 3D
views" on page 234.
Combining 2D and 3D layers
Because 3D is a layer property in After Effects, compositions can contain both 2D and 3D
layers. Though you can combine 2D and 3D layers in your animations, lights do not affect
2D layers, nor will shadows cast by 3D layers affect 2D layers.
The position of 3D and 2D layers in a composition can also affect how a composition is
rendered. See "3D rendering" on page 242 for more information.
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3D Compositing
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