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  • Can’t control active range of lights

    Posted by Gabe Blank on October 9, 2018 at 7:09 pm

    Hello all,

    I’m having an issue with my lights in After Effects. I’m using them to light objects in Element 3D so the problem could be from either end. (I’m also posting this in Element forums, apologies for repeating.)

    Long story short, when I create a light After Effects seems to arbitrarily decide when the light will be active. If I trim the layer in my timeline, After Effects might still show the light even when the layer is not active. And visa versa, if I have the layer active, After Effects might not show the light at all.

    For obvious reasons, this is very frustrating.

    Sometimes I can predict what After Effects is going to do after trouble shooting. Meaning I can tell AE is going to have a light disable 5 seconds after the layer ends, then I can shift it 5 seconds backwards in the timeline to time in properly. Obviously, this is not a real solution. Just another variable to consider.

    Anyone have any idea what’s up?

    Walter Soyka replied 7 years, 7 months ago 2 Members · 4 Replies
  • 4 Replies
  • Gabe Blank

    October 9, 2018 at 11:13 pm

    I am very aware that trimming a light layer is *supposed* to disable it. That’s the problem, After Effects doesn’t recognize my trims and arbitrarily decides when to turn on/off the light layer.

    For instance, when I trim a light layer it will stay on after the layer has long since ended. Or, it will randomly turn off even though the layer is still active.

  • Walter Soyka

    October 10, 2018 at 1:30 am

    I think this is an Element 3D bug — and we’ve seen it, too. Try creating a new comp and copy/pasting everything in there. (You’ll need to reset any custom layers in Element.)

    Walter Soyka
    Designer & Mad Scientist at Keen Live [link]
    Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
    @keenlive   |   RenderBreak [blog]   |   Profile [LinkedIn]

  • Gabe Blank

    October 11, 2018 at 4:28 pm

    I suppose it’s comforting to know it’s not just me. Hopefully the VC team will fix this soon.

    In case it’ll help you out, what I’ve ended up doing is creating lights that cover my entire timeline and using the intensity control alone to turn the light on/off. Never move the physical layer after placing. If you don’t move the layer you won’t get the bug and I always get the bug when I move the layer.

    So far no problems using intensity.

  • Walter Soyka

    October 11, 2018 at 9:27 pm

    [Gabe Blank] “In case it’ll help you out, what I’ve ended up doing is creating lights that cover my entire timeline and using the intensity control alone to turn the light on/off. Never move the physical layer after placing. If you don’t move the layer you won’t get the bug and I always get the bug when I move the layer.”

    That’s a great tip, thanks!

    Walter Soyka
    Designer & Mad Scientist at Keen Live [link]
    Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
    @keenlive   |   RenderBreak [blog]   |   Profile [LinkedIn]

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