Lighting issue

[Dave Johnson]

I’m not sure I fully understand your question, and I also don’t have AE open right now so my wording is probably a little off, but have you tried using the 3D layer controls to turn off “accept shadows” on the white layer or turn off “cast shadows” on the blue light layer?

[David Bogie]

[Michael Brookes] “I have a blue spot light on a white solid in my composition. I want the solid to look completely white, but in order to see the light, it is set to 3D and so the solid becomes black in shadow. If I add a second light, I cannot get the flat look I am looking for for the Solid (an Ambient light removes the blue light altogether).

I’ve tried using blending modes to remove the black and just have the blue light, but this doesn’t work either. Does anyone have a solution?
“

If the white layer goes black, the light isn’t shining on it. Open up four views and carefully examine the xyz coordinates of your camera and your blue light. I’m guessing you accepted the default creation space for the light and it’s not where it will shine on your layer.

bogiesan

[Michael Brookes]

I think basically what I want to create is a blue light beam (am just looking at Trapcode Lux), but I want the light to ‘hit” the solid. In order for it to recognise the solid, it must be 3D and therefore everywhere the blue light doesn’t hit is in darkness. However if I add another (white) light the blue light is distorted or lost.

The blue light would be perfect were it not for the surrounding darkness. I guess maybe Lux is the best way to go here…

[Matt Waryga]

I picked right up on what you were talking about as I too wondered about this problem before.

It is not completely clear though what your final result is so this may not work. but. . .

Create your white BG layer make it 3D and turn off accepts lights.

Make your blue light.

Then Make a circular shape layer with a blue radial gradient and the center a slightly lighter blue than the outer area. Then mask the shape with a feather to mimic the light. You may want to wait to turn off the BG’s ‘accepts lights’ so you can size up the blue circle.

then create an expression on the position of the shape and simply pick whip it to the POI of the light.

This way anything in front of the BG will still have the lighting on them it and it will appear to be on the BG too. You can have the shadows of items in the foreground appear on the BG too by turning on accepts shadows on the BG layer. kinda corny looking but maybe it’ll help you. The only problem is that it only will mimic the movement on the XY axis. However, you can probably figure out an expression to match the z depth of the light to the scale of the shape layer.

good luck