Add more groups into 3D Element for After Effects

[Spade Studio]

Hi guys,

I am currently trying to use the 3D Element plug-in for After Effects, and I've realized that, for what I need to do, I would need to add more groups instead of the 5 only allowed: 

Is that even possible to do?

The reason I need that is because I have a 3D model with more than 5 objects which I need to change the colour individually (and that is possible if they one group each). But I need them all in the same layer because if not, they will overlap...

So my question is, how can I add more groups into the same AE layer in 3D Element?

Thank you guys!

[Kyle Hamrick]

You can add a second instance of Element to this same layer & set the Render Mode (the very bottom option) to "Unified." (I believe this setting is applied on the FIRST version, but I'm going off the top of my head here!)

You can also get more flexibility within your existing groups by using the Auxiliary Channels, though that's probably not the solution if you're looking for color control. 

[Spade Studio]

Awesome! I have tried to add two Elements but I haven't know about the Render Mode 😞

You saved me a lot of time! Thank you very much

[Spade Studio]

Sorry for messaging again.

So, for After Effects works fine, but whem I export the AE project to Premiere Pro, the 3D Effects that are set to 'Unified' are not appearing... Is that due to my Premiere Pro Project Settings or has to do with the Render Mode?

Is there any other way to make them visible on Premiere Pro? 😞

Thanks again!

[Kyle Hamrick]

Can you clarify what you mean by "export" here? 
Are you actually exporting to a video file and then importing that into Premiere, or using Dynamic Link? I haven't tried the latter with this stacked-Element workflow before, but I could definitely see that being something that may not always work as expected. 

If you're exporting to a video file from After Effects, and it's not accurately reflecting what you're seeing when working in your comp - are you exporting directly from AE, or using Media Encoder? 

[Spade Studio]

Sorry for not explainig good.

I am exporting it as a '.mogrt' file, and trying to import the file to Premiere Pro, but I can't see the 3D eobjects.

I have also tried to export a video file from After Effects and is also not working (I see the same than in Premiere Pro form the '.mogrt' file 😞

[Kyle Hamrick]

No worries! 

Mogrts already come with some caveats when it comes to third-party tools, so I can see how that might not pass through correctly. 

So just to confirm, you're seeing your work reflected as desired when looking at your comp viewer, but not when exporting. Can you provide specifics on the format you're rendering to, and ideally some screenshots or a screen capture for context? 

[Spade Studio]

Sure!

Here I attached some screenshots and I will try to explain it a bit.

Screenshot 1

This is how the project should look in Premiere Pro or when exporting from after effects. You can see I have a Null Layer - '3D Object'. where I have four 'Element' effects.

If you look at the 'Effect Controls' panel, the 'Element' effects named: 'Front 1', 'Front 2', 'Skeleton&Hair' and 'Back 1' have the render set to 'Unified'. And the last 'Element' effect named 'Back 2' is set to 'Full render' (if I set all to Same Render mode you can't see nothuing).

Screenshot 2

This is how if looks when exporting it to '.mogrt' file or straight from After Effects (Render settings to Quicktime)

If you look at the preview on the 'Essential Graphics' panel, you can see the whole project as in After Effects, but when I drag it to thetimeline, it is only showing the 'Element' effect set to 'Full Render' mode.

I have tried multiple combinations of render mode of the 'Element' effect, but nothing works.

I don't know if this info will help you to understand better, let me know if not.

Thank you!

[Mylenium]

E3D will never work in this manner. The renderer simply consumes way too many GPU resources and all this stuff gets disabled when running in Premiere, which uses an AE instance. Layers of GPU functions on top of each other and something has to give. You have to think of a different approach to whatever you have in mind.

Mylenium