After Effects Apprentice: 11 3D Space

Get an introduction to 3D space in After Effects, plus advanced 3D workflows involving Photoshop.

Introduction

• Welcome
• Software versions and exercise files

1. Basic 3D

• Comparing 2D and 3D
• Rotation in 3D
• Keyframing in 3D

2. Multi-planing

• Multi-planing workaround in 2D
• Using 3D views
• Natural multi-planing in 3D

3. Animating in 3D

• Keyframing a fly-in
• Editing 3D motion paths
• Auto-orienting a layer along its path

4. 3D Cameras

• Adding a camera to a composition
• Comparing camera presets
• Using the camera tools with the active camera
• Using the camera tools in the alternate views
• 3D view options
• Animating a 3D camera
• Creating an orbit camera rig
• Extending your camera rig
• Auto-orientation with 3D cameras
• Depth of field blur in CS5.5 and later
• Controlling the focal plane in CS5.5 and later
• Iris properties in CS5.5 and later

5. 3D Lights

• Creating a 3D light
• Working with Point lights
• Working with spot lights

6. Using the Ray-Traced 3D Renderer in CS6

• Enabling ray-traced 3D in CS6
• Extrusions in CS6
• Bevels in CS6
• Bending layers in CS6
• Transparency in CS6
• Refraction in CS6
• Targeting Surfaces in CS6
• Reflections in CS6
• Environment layers in CS6
• Quality vs. speed in CS6

7. Quizzler Challenge for CS6

• Quizzler challenge for CS6
• Quizzler solution for CS6

8. 3D Workflows Between After Effects and Photoshop Extended

• Vanishing Point Exchange in Photoshop Extended
• Vanishing Point Exchange in After Effects
• Importing a 3D model into Photoshop Extended in CS5.5 and earlier
• Creating 3D objects using Repoussé in CS5.5 and earlier
• Live Photoshop 3D inside After Effects in CS5.5 and earlier

9. The Dimensional Stills Technique

• Introduction to dimensional stills
• Cutting up the source image
• Repairing the layers in Photoshop
• Animating the resulting layers in After Effects

10. Sidebars

• Rotation vs. orientation
• Understanding the axis modes
• Scaling issues in 3D
• OpenGL acceleration in CS5 and earlier
• Fast previews in CS6 and later