11. Hide all properties for the layer.
3D channel effects
Several 3D channel effects (3D Channel Extract, Depth Matte, Depth of Field, and Fog 3D)
can extract the image depth data (called z-depth) from a nested 3D composition to apply
special effects. First, precompose 3D layers if they’re not already nested. Then apply the
effect to the nested composition, and make adjustments in the Effect Controls panel. You
can learn more about depth passes and 3D channel effects in After Effects Help.
Working with Cinema 4D Lite
After Effects installs a version of Maxon Cinema 4D that lets motion graphics artists and
animators insert 3D objects directly into an After Effects scene without pre-rendering passes and
potentially complicated file exchanges. You can continue to edit 3D objects in Cinema 4D Lite
after you’ve added them to your After Effects composition.
You’ll use Cinema 4D Lite to create a textured subtitle, which you’ll add to the After Effects
scene below the main text.
note
After Effects uses a different coordinate numbering convention than other 3D
applications. In After Effects, the upper left corner of the composition is considered
0, 0. In many 3D applications, including Maxon Cinema 4D, the center of the world
(often the screen) is the origin, or 0, 0, 0 point. Additionally, the Y distance
increases as the cursor moves down the screen in After Effects.
Creating a new Cinema 4D layer
You can add a Cinema 4D layer to a composition in After Effects. When you add the layer, After
Effects opens Cinema 4D Lite so you can create your 3D scene in a new C4D file. When you