- By default, After Effects comes with the Classic 3D renderer enabled, which allows for flat layers to be positioned in 3D space.
- The CINEMA 4D renderer, will allow you to extrude shapes and text in 3D space in addition to other 3D-specific features
- On a shape or type layer enable 3D in the timeline. This will reveal the renderer option on the top right of the stage:
- This opens the Geometry Options in the layer on the timeline which customizes extrusion
- It introduces extrusion and depth:
- Make sure to include a light layer
- Classic 3D layers and CINEMA 4D layers can be combined by creating sepate compositions
- Each render option has pluses and minuses. These are the Cinema 4D options:
- Draft settings can be changed with the settings button 3 is good for working
- Try this...start with text on a layer
- Enable 3D and make sure Cinema 4D renderer is selected
- Add a point light layer on top
- Twirl the text layer down and twirl Geometry options (This will be grayed out if Cinema 4D renderer is not selected)
- Add to extrusion depth and then rotate the text to see the result
- To further customize the extrusion click the animate drop down and choose side
More on extrusion (introduces Motion Graphics concepts which will be covered in the Motion Graphics course