Adobe After Effects CS4 - Manual (Page 199)

193 USING AFTER EFFECTS CS4
Layers and properties
Last updated 12/21/2009
Track Z Camera Adjusts the 3D view along the line from the camera to the point of interest. If you are using an
orthographic view, this tool adjusts the scale of the view. (To temporarily activate the Track Z Camera tool when the
Unified Camera Tool is active, hold the right mouse button.)
3 Drag in the Composition panel. You can drag outside the panel after you’ve begun dragging within it.
Rolling the mouse wheel forward and backward when the Unified Camera tool is active has the same result as
dragging with the Track Z Camera tool.
After you’ve modified a 3D view, you can reset it by choosing View > Reset 3D View.
Chris and Trish Meyer provide a video tutorial on the ProVideo Coalition website that demonstrates the use of the
Camera tools to adjust cameras and 3D views.
More Help topics
“ Choose a 3D view ” on page 204
“ Choose a view layout and share view settings ” on page 204
“ Move a camera, light, or point of interest ” on page 191
“ 3D layers (keyboard shortcuts) ” on page 750
Material Options properties
3D layers have Material Options properties, which determine how a 3D layer interacts with light and shadow.
Casts Shadows Specifies whether a layer casts shadows on other layers. The direction and angle of the shadows are
determined by the direction and angle of the light sources. Set Casts Shadows to Only if you want the layer to be
invisible but still cast a shadow.
Use the Only setting and a nonzero Light Transmission setting to project the colors of an invisible layer onto another
layer. Steve Holmes provides a video tutorial on the
Artbeats website in which he demonstrates how to use layers with
Cast Shadows set to Only to cast shadows of specific shapes within a 3D scene.
Light Transmission The percentage of light that shines through the layer, casting the colors of the layer on other layers
as a shadow. 0% specifies that no light passes through the layer, casting a black shadow. 100% specifies that the full
values of the colors of the shadow-casting layer are projected onto the layer accepting the shadow.
Use partial light transmission to create the appearance of light passing through a stained glass window.
Accepts Shadows Specifies whether the layer shows shadows cast on it by other layers.
Accepts Lights Specifies whether the color of a layer is affected by light that reaches it. This setting does not affect
shadows.
Ambient Ambient (nondirectional) reflectivity of the layer. 100% specifies the most reflectivity; 0% specifies no
ambient reflectivity.
Diffuse Diffuse (omnidirectional) reflectivity of the layer. Applying diffuse reflectivity to a layer is like draping a dull,
plastic sheet over it. Light that falls on this layer reflects equally in all directions. 100% specifies the most reflectivity;
0% specifies no diffuse reflectivity.
Specular Specular (directional) reflectivity of the layer. Specular light reflects from the layer as if from a mirror. 100%
specifies the most reflectivity; 0% specifies no specular reflectivity.
Shininess Determines the size of the specular highlight. This value is active only if the Specular setting is greater than
zero. 100% specifies a reflection with a small specular highlight. 0% specifies a reflection with a large specular highlight.