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Lights turning every 3D layer black
Hi,
I’m a rather seasoned After Effects user so this question might seem simple but it’s not a simple answer.
I have some 3D layers setup in AE (ALL not colored balck and ALL have the appropriate “accept lights” “cast shadows” etc switched on), and basically when I add any light into the scene they all suddenly turn completely black. This even happens with ambient lights which don’t even have a position in space.
Has anybody had this problem before?? I can’t find anything about it on the web. It started happening in the middle of a project and I thought perhaps it has something to do with 3D rendering but everything seems normal and I haven’t changed any settings recently.
Any help would be appreciated.
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16 Replies
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Have you accidentally clicked the Draft 3D mode button at the top of the timeline panel?
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 -
Since we are exploring accidents area….are the lights by any chance set to -100% on the intensity value?
Just a thought.
Cheers.
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To both Adriano and Walter I’m afraid the answer is no (but you guys both have cool names!)
My comp is not set to draft mode and the lights are set to a normal 100% intensity. It’s a really strange problem and it just got stranger…
It started happening in the middle of a project and I’ve found that if I add a new light via a menu it makes everything black no matter where I position it or what type of light it is. However, if I copy a light from a previous composition (where the lights are working) to the current problem composition, they will work perfectly normally.
So…i basically have no idea what’s going on, it’s really weird. I explained it to a fellow co-worker/after effects user (in real life) and she couldn’t understand it either. She did nicely title the problem as “Devil lights” though. hehe
I thought perhaps it’s something to do with rendering but then I don’t understand why a copied light would suddenly make it work.
Anyway at least i’ve found a workaround for now.
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The same just started happening to me this morning. Nothing I try will make lights work again. Very frustrating.
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I see this is an older post but I am having the same issue. Is there any chance you have resolved this issue and if so can you please tell me how?
Thank you
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Same here. Text layers, colored solid layers, all black. The lights cast no shadows on anything either. Accept shadows, etc are all enabled. Draft 3D is not enabled either. Very strange. Does anyone have any clue why this would be happening ? I am using CS6 and in ray trace mode.
This is just like a party except there isn’t any music. And there aren’t any woman. And we aren’t having any fun.
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Can anybody post a sample AEP project here showing the problem?
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 -
I just had the same problem and I figured it out.
When I added a light the view was at “Back” and not “Active Camera” (I don’t know why)…
The view as Active Camera fixed my issue. -
I know this was a long time ago, but for anybody looking for an answer, I was having the same problem, and just went into Material Options and then turned Accepts Shadows to Only. That seems to keep my white layers white after turning them all black.
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Sorry for necroposting again, but no, it just turns it to white. Having issue, anyone up with solution? Tried all kind of lights.
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