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Create a “reflection only” layer
Hello.
I am trying to create a reflection cast by some words I’ve positioned above a table (words = generated in AE, table = in the footage). I’ve positioned a solid “on” the table (with the aid of the camera tracker) and I’ve set the reflectivity to a high value, and it’s reflecting the text nicely. If I wanted to cast shadows on the table, I could set the shadows to “only”. I can’t set the reflections to “only”, adn have tried tweaking all the material settings to make the solid behave like a piece of (non-refracting) glass placed on the tabletop. I’ve also tried making it various shades of black/white/grey, to no avail. The solid always shows up as a large, translucent black rectangle.Any suggestions, please?
– Paul
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17 Replies
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Paul
Try using Blending Modes (say Multiply and overlay).
If there is a hard edge around the solid then you can make an oval mask(select solid layer and double click on Ellipse Tool) and give it a high feather value.
Vishesh Arora
3D and Motion Graphics Artist
Films RajendraBlog:
https://digieffects.wordpress.comDemo Reel(3D):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHPgIJU_BR8 -
That was my first thought – use an ‘add’ blending mode, but blend modes are not available when using Raytraced 3D.
I could use a mask, but there must be a way of making a solid completely transparent (other than the reflections)? Maybe the problem is that I want a 2D layer (the original footage) to show through it. I might try positioning it as a 3D layer. Not ideal.
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Nope, made no difference (making my background plate a 3D layer and pushing it way back in z behind all the other layers). The solid still appears as a black lump, even if I change the colour of the solid to white. I assume it’s because it’s reflecting the “nothingness” that is most of the AE universe. I tried making the background colour of the comp white instead of black – but no change.
I even tried adding a keyer to key out the black from that layer, but it just keyed out the whole thing, reflections and all.
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Is it possible to just duplicate your text, flip it & position it where the reflection would be? Then use masks to constrain it to the table and mess with the opacity to blend it in? Probably not ideal, but might get the job done.
Johnny Cuevas, Editor
Thinkck.com“I have not failed 700 times. I have succeeded in proving that those 700 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work.”
—THOMAS EDISON on inventing the light bulb. -
Yes, I might have to do that (duplicate & flip text).
Interestingly, exactly the same thing is being discussed today on another forum!:
https://forums.adobe.com/message/4994672
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The flippiness is not ideal because instead of a mirror image, I’ve made a solid thing, so it picks up the highlights and shadows directly from the lights. In reality, a reflected letter O would be showing a lot of shadow in the reflection, because we’re seeing the underside of it, but because it’s a ‘real’ O, it’s got highlights on from the lights.
Ah well, nobody will notice!
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this tutorial should get you the kind of reflection that you are after. of course you’ll still need to composite it on the table.
another option… render the raytraced 3d relfection, then bring it back in to composite using blending modes.
Kevin Camp
Senior Designer
KCPQ, KMYQ & KRCW -
Kevin, I think you might have missed out a link to the tutorial in your message!
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Kevin,
I have this exact same need. I don’t see a link in your post though, could you provide one?
Thanks
Chris Tomberlin
Editor/Compositor/Owner
OutPost Pictures -
We should all suggest to Adobe that they implement a ‘reflection only’ option in a future release.
– Paul
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