[Josh Harrison]

I am puzzled by something that in my head should work but is not…

I have embedded a composition (80p x 80p) into a main composition(1280p x 720p).

I am using a 3D camera in the embedded composition achieve an effect as I would like to preserve the 3D camera in my main composition for zooming, panning, and rotating after the fundamental animation is completed.

I have made the embedded composition into a 3D Object that is centered in my main composition (Position =[640,360,0]).

I am revolving a 3D Null Object in my main composition such that it should be going in front of and behind the embedded composition. The positional information from the 3D Null Object is manipulated via expression and is a reference for two layers:
– a solid sphere(3D) and
– a Trapcode Particular emitter which is 2D (because of it’s utilization of camera and lights or so the After Effects pop up error box tells me…).

When it passes the embedded composition it always goes in front of or behind depending on layer position and not on Z position like I would expect it too. I have tried to change the Particular to 3D and it still works but the desired effect is still not achieved.

I can’t ditch the Particular either my client loves the way it looks and it would take me forever to figure out the volumes of code necessary to duplicate what this plugin does.

Please help I am racking my brain.