My 3D After Effects scene needs help!

[Steve Roberts]

Sometimes 3D scenes look unrealistic because the objects seem to be self-lit. Try to make the objects look as if they were lit by lights (or the movie screen) in the scene. Otherwise, they should be dark … if they’re not lit by a visible light source.

If you can’t actually light them that way, consider using a ramp overlaid over each object, and/or using the Bevel Alpha effect with a deliberate light direction.

Just a thought. 🙂

[Grunze]

Hi,

Thanks so much. Your suggestions were terrific.
Here is an update…
https://www.imaginationcreations.com/clients/merck/TheOC2.jpg

I’m not sure how t handle the back wall/ceiling. Any ideas?

Thanks!

[Darby Edelen]

[Grunze] “I’m not sure how t handle the back wall/ceiling. Any ideas?”

My suggestion would be to not have a back wall or ceiling, extend the floor farther into the background and obscure it using shadows. This way the scene recedes into darkness.

Other than that it looks pretty darn good. I like the light transmission you’re using on the screens, but is there any way you could separate the metal frames so that they aren’t transmitting light? Also, you might want to blur the light transmission from the screens either by increasing the shadow diffusion on the light or another more elaborate technique if you want to maintain hard shadows elsewhere.

Another idea might be introducing pixelation or scanlines to the screens, which would add some realism but might be undesirable if it distorts the footage too much.

Darby Edelen
Designer
Left Coast Digital
Santa Cruz, CA

[Steve Roberts]

Yeah — good ideas.

It does look good, but I think the frames around the large screens are too bright. I might separate the top and side frames, and apply Bevel Alpha with a different light orientation to each, as if the light is coming from the screen. If there’s some clever way you can blur the movie (a lot, but mostly vertical) , lay it over the frame, and use add or screen mode … all this to make it look as if the movie is lighting the frame … so the frame is brighter near the brigher areas of the movie. And I’d make the frames a darker gray.

Loking good, though.

[Grunze]

Thanks everyone!
Your suggestions were great!