Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, along with Known Issues in the current build. We will be keeping this page updated.

Last updated: Oct 18, 2022

Model Import

Formats

GLB, GLTF, and OBJ are currently supported. Other formats are possible in the future, please let us know what you need!

Animated models

Currently all models are static inside After Effects. Built-in animation will be supported in the future.

Camera and Lights

Cameras and lights in a 3D model are not currently imported. After Effects cameras and lights work with models in the composition.

Empty 3D Cache

There are a couple of cases where 3D model data must be extracted before After Effects can use the files: GLB files must be unpacked and OBJ files are converted to GLB. The new 3D Cache folder is stored in the same location as the default for the disk cache; this is currently not a user-definable location. Clicking the new Empty 3D Cache button in Preferences > 3D that deletes all files from this folder except for any cached files in use by the current project.

Where can I get 3D models?

Anywhere you can find them!
Models from Adobe Stock may have extended attributes that After Effects does not handle yet. Importing/exporting via Adobe Substance Stager will strip those attributes if you need to bring those files into After Effects.

How can I get a 3D model from Substance?

The easiest path is to import your model into Stager. Select the model, go to File > Export > Selected models, and choose either GLTF, GLB or OBJ to export.

How can I get a 3D model from Illustrator?

From the Asset Export panel you are able to export OBJ files. These can go directly into AE, or you can take them into Substance to apply materials first.

Can I edit 3D models in After Effects?

After Effects currently does not support 3D modeling. The focus is currently on PSR (Position/Scale/Rotation) animation of static models. If you would like to animate different meshes in your model, you'll need to extract them in other software and bring them in as separate models.

What sort of rigging is available?

Internal rigging/bones/joints are not accessible, however you can use parenting and expressions to connect 3D objects to each other as you have always been able to do.

My 3D Model imported weird?!

We tested a lot of models but are very interested in seeing what models you may be working with that are not importing correctly. Tell us about what you ran into!

Do you plan to support USDZ?

Currently under investigation. Let us know what you want supported!

Materials

Texture Formats

PNG and JPEG are the preferred formats. TIFF and MTL files are not currently supported for materials within your model.

Can I modify, change, or replace the materials on my model?

Not at this time. Keep watching that beta...

When I import some 3D models, it creates a folder for the files in the project, including a tex subfolder. What's up with that?

For future material support the texture files need to be imported into the project. The folder structure created in the project keeps things from getting messy. We'd appreciate your feedback about this.

Using Your Model in a Comp

Shadows

In this first build, all layers will be lit by all lights in the scene. But shadows are not implemented yet, so you won't see results from Cast Shadows/Accept Shadows/Accept Lights.

How do I make this one specific area darker though?

It's a hack, and it may not stay, but setting lights to a negative intensity will remove light from the area surrounding it. You can use this to artistically simulate shadows while we build the engine out.

I added a light and now everything looks different?

Adding a light disables the default IBL (HDRI) included in a scene. Currently, there is no way to re-enable the IBL. Stay tuned.

Is this the final quality of your rendering engine?

We have only begun to work on rendering quality, and many attributes typical to rendering engines have not been implemented, for example - shadows or light occlusion. Stay tuned for a lot of future work on this, and help us build what you need by giving us feedback!

Opacity

Changing the layer opacity for a model does not currently work.

Effects

Can you apply 2D effects to 3D model layers?

2D effects are not supported on 3D model layers. However you can add an adjustment layer that uses your model as a Track Matte to add effects to those rendered pixels. Keep in mind that the Track Matting does not take occlusion by other layers into account.
Please see the Known Issue below regarding Effects in Mercury 3D.

My 3D text layer isn't intersecting with other layers? What gives, I thought this was a unified 3D Space?

Remove (don't just disable) all effects on the 3D layer as this is breaking the binning and you're rendering into different 3D spaces.

Miscellaneous

Can I create 3D primitives?

3D primitives are not yet supported. You can extrude shape or text layers, which can provide a limited amount of primitive-like objects (cubes and cylinders). and if you are using text you have bevel options. You cannot apply materials to these layers, but you can modify various parameters.

Can I curve or warp 2D layers in 3D?

2D plane layers (solids, footage, pre-comps, etc.) can be curved in 3D space. Enable the 3D layer switch for the layer, then twirl open the layer properties > Geometry Options. There is no option or effect to warp layers in 3D, currently.

Can I access AOVs for my models or scene?

Not at this time.

Is this production ready? Can I start making stuff?

Yes and no. Currently, 3D model import is very, very stable and capable of making beautiful and powerful things. However, as this is currently in active development, there's no guarantee that a project made yesterday will render exactly the same today.

Known Issues

• Mercury 3D - Effects on Adjustment Layers: Some effects are not working on Adjustment layers when using Mercury 3D. NOTE: If you run into this issue, we would love your feedback on which effect you were using that did not work.
• Mercury 3D: Can get a blank frame applying effect to nested 3D comp. NOTE: If you run into this issue, we would love your feedback on which effect you were using that caused it to happen.
• Mercury 3D: Disabled Effect on Text Layer causes a bin break. A 3D text layer with Per-Character 3D enabled breaks the 3d render order and doesn't combine with imported 3d models. Workaround: Removing the per-character 3d functionality corrects the render order issue.
• Mercury 3D: Able to get into a state where no layers are visible unless they have the solo switch on.
• Mercury 3D: When Layer Styles are applied, the composition can stop attempting to preview, and kick out an error: Cached Preview needs 2 or more frames to playback.
• C4D models: Some exported models from Cinema 4D don't render at default Model Settings values. If you get an empty bounding box upon import, try modifying a scale value.