Problem with shadows (pic)

[Roland R. kahlenberg]

It’s the dreaded AE shadow problem that has been around for eons. If your comp/layers aren’t too complex then try using a point light instead of a spotlight. This may help but not always.

Another possible solution is to move your layers further apart from each other. It seems like layers close to each other have a higher tendency to exhibit this artefact.

HTH
RoRK

Intensive AE & Mocha Training in Singapore and Malaysia.

[Darby Edelen]

This tends to happen when layers are too close together. So try Roland’s suggestion of moving them a little farther apart. You probably won’t have to move them too much.

Also you can increase the size of your Shadow Map, which generally helps to decrease the jaggies in any shadows. It will also increase your render time though. This option is in Composition Settings > Advanced then the “Options” button next to the Advanced 3D renderer.

Darby Edelen

[Roland R. kahlenberg]

[Darby Edelen] “So try Roland’s suggestion of moving them a little farther apart. You probably won’t have to move them too much.”

Yup, move them apart in Z-position coupled with a Scale change to keep size as per the original.

[Darby Edelen] “Also you can increase the size of your Shadow Map, which generally helps to decrease the jaggies in any shadows. It will also increase your render time though. This option is in Composition Settings > Advanced then the “Options” button next to the Advanced 3D renderer.”

I’ve never found this to help much with this problem Darby. Have you had success with this?

RoRK

Intensive AE & Mocha Training in Singapore and Malaysia.

[Hannes Paulsson]

I’ve already tried increasing the shadow-map, but that didn’t do much difference.

Since this is for a tv-show and I’ll have to do pretty much the same thing about a gazillion times, I think I’m just gonna go with dropshadows on the layer styles instead (even though they give another bug, track mattes doesnt work).

There’s way to many bugs in this program.

[Roland R. kahlenberg]

[Hannes Paulsson] “Since this is for a tv-show and I’ll have to do pretty much the same thing about a gazillion times, I think I’m just gonna go with dropshadows on the layer styles instead (even though they give another bug, track mattes doesnt work).”

Do take note that layer styles inhibit interaction within applicable 3D layers.

[Hannes Paulsson] “There’s way to many bugs in this program.”
The shadow thingy is a major bug that’s been around for about 5 years, at least, IIRC. It looks like ‘Macrodobe’ are more than happy to support the middle ground but aren’t interested in the lower and higher market segments from the industry’s outputs.

But with professional work pushed upwards in terms of technical requirements, it looks like AE is quickly losing ground to Nuke. And rightly so. Other than the bugs, it’s the lack of a true 3D environment and especially how 3D plugins work within a secluded 2D/3D environment.

With plugins being an essentially part of AE’s production work, this anomaly, 3D effects working as 2D layers, has been a major bottleneck for creativity and productivity (where pre-rendering may occasionally solve issues).

Purchasing companies and bundling high-end software is moot if Adobe isn’t willing to spend resources to build a truly viable 3D environment for its users

RoRK

Intensive AE & Mocha Training in Singapore and Malaysia.