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Activity Forums Adobe After Effects 3D layers

  • Posted by Bob Weasel on July 16, 2011 at 11:20 pm

    I need to have a multi-layered 3D green screen shot. I am duplicating the layer many times and need some of the duplicated layers behind some of the other layers. When I try this they always go in front of the other layers no matter where I place the layer. When I turn off the 3D, it’s fine and layers correctly. Is there a way I can keep the 3D layers and still have multi-layered 3D option?

    Walter Soyka replied 14 years, 9 months ago 3 Members · 4 Replies
  • 4 Replies
  • Tudor “ted” jelescu

    July 17, 2011 at 9:05 am

    are your green screen layers offset in z space? do you have 2d layers in between?

    Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
    Senior VFX Artist

  • Bob Weasel

    July 17, 2011 at 12:18 pm

    Well my BG layer for the green screen footage isn’t a 3D layer. Is that my problem?

  • Tudor “ted” jelescu

    July 17, 2011 at 4:19 pm

    Not unless it is not setup as the bottom layer under all 3d layers.
    If you have no adjustment layer in between the 3d layers of the green screen and they are all at different points in z space you should be ok.
    One more thing- if you have OpenGL on turn it off.

    Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
    Senior VFX Artist

  • Walter Soyka

    July 18, 2011 at 6:05 pm

    [Bob Weasel] “I need to have a multi-layered 3D green screen shot. I am duplicating the layer many times and need some of the duplicated layers behind some of the other layers. When I try this they always go in front of the other layers no matter where I place the layer. When I turn off the 3D, it’s fine and layers correctly.”

    I’ll try to explain what Ted was saying a little differently.

    In 2D, there is no depth and the layer order in the timeline panel determines the visual compositing order.

    In 3D, depth counts and the layer order doesn’t affect the visual compositing order (except when 3D layers are interspersed with 2D layers as Ted said). The visual composite is determined by layers’ positions in Z-space. A 3D layer can be buried on the bottom of your layer stack in the timeline, but it may appear in your composite above other layers if its position in 3D space is closer to the camera than the layers stacked above it.

    [Bob Weasel] “Is there a way I can keep the 3D layers and still have multi-layered 3D option?”

    Adjust the Z coordinate of the layers’ position or anchor points to move them closer to or further from the camera in 3D space.

    Walter Soyka
    Principal & Designer at Keen Live
    Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
    RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
    Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

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