Skip to main content
kparla
kparla
Participant
July 16, 2014
Answered

After Effects lights not working

  • July 16, 2014
  • 3 replies
  • 34594 views

I am working in After Effects CC. I added a light to my scene and it just turns all of my 3d layers black. I am a very seasoned AE user. I have worked with lights before. I don't know what is going on here. It's not a draft mode issue. And my lights are not behind my layers or anything like that. I have found other people in the online forums with this problem from over the years but never a solution. Ambient light is the only light that works. Spot, pin, and parallel turn everything black. Thoughts?

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Rick Gerard

    The problem is falloff distance and radius. With the fall off distance at 24 and the radius 75 when you light is 24 pixels away from the 3D layer the spot of light will be 75 pixels wide. By the time you move the light about 100 pixels (4 times the distance) the falloff will be nearly complete so no light will fall on the layer. Change the falloff to Inverse squared and you'll be able to move the light about another 100 pixels away before the light no longer reaches the layer. Set the falloff to None and the falloff distance and radius will have no effect. The radius also effects the distance where the lights stop reaching the lights. If you want falloff then you'll have to experiment with these settings to get the lights to behave as you want them to but 24 and 75 are way too small for a reasonable 3D lighting setup.

    3 replies

    P
    Palanikumarm
    Participant
    April 2, 2021

    I Can See The Light Rays In Top View But I Cant View The Light Rays In Active Camera, I have Not Set Any Cameras.. That Is Only Camera View, Everything Is Turned On In My Layers Specially Accept Lights, Accept Shadows, Light Transmission Everything....Anyone Have Any Idea?

    Thanks In Advance For Your Answers

     

    A
    Community Expert
    Ali JaberCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    April 2, 2021

    Move the layer "EXPO" to the top, it looks like it's breaking 3d space between layers at top of "Expo" and at the bottom of it

      P
      Palanikumarm
      Participant
      April 3, 2021

      Thanks a Lot Brother... Its Working.......!!!     But Still I Cant Understand The Mistaken Why Its Happened? Please Describe Brother If You Have a Time... 

      Thanks Again For Your Valuable Timings....

       

      hussein.sabbah
      hussein.sabbah
      Participant
      December 30, 2020

      hello, i try what you says but nothing

      please help

      R
      Community Expert
      Rick GerardCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 16, 2014

      Select the light, press the a key twice to reveal all of the properties, make sure that the light has a positive value. Check the light falloff if you happen to have a version that supports that. Then do the same with the 3-D layers and make sure they are set to receive lights.

      if that doesn't do it then tell us how your composition is set up, classic or ray traced, and tell us what effects you have applied to any of the layers.

      kparla
      kparlaAuthor
      Participant
      July 16, 2014

      Once the problem presented itself I started fresh with a new project and very simple comp and still had the same problem.

      So my settings are pretty straightforward.

      I am using After Effects CC (not the 2014 version)

      I have one 3d solid that I pushed back in z-space. It is set to receive lights.

      I am using Classic 3d.

      I created a new spot light.

      The settings are as follows:

      Intensity: 100%

      Color: white

      cone angle 90

      cone feather 0

      falloff smooth

      radius 75

      Falloff distance 24

      Casts Shadows on

      Shadow Darkness 20%

      Shadow Diffusion 0

      If I turn my light off you see my solid. If I turn it on you see only blackness.

      If I add a 2d layer you can see it. Once I make it 3d, it turns black.

      Thanks for any advice you have. I'm guessing I probably need to do a clean install or something because this is crazy. It's not like I've never used lights before. They just up and stopped working.

      R
      Community Expert
      Rick GerardCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      July 16, 2014

      The problem is falloff distance and radius. With the fall off distance at 24 and the radius 75 when you light is 24 pixels away from the 3D layer the spot of light will be 75 pixels wide. By the time you move the light about 100 pixels (4 times the distance) the falloff will be nearly complete so no light will fall on the layer. Change the falloff to Inverse squared and you'll be able to move the light about another 100 pixels away before the light no longer reaches the layer. Set the falloff to None and the falloff distance and radius will have no effect. The radius also effects the distance where the lights stop reaching the lights. If you want falloff then you'll have to experiment with these settings to get the lights to behave as you want them to but 24 and 75 are way too small for a reasonable 3D lighting setup.

        Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
        Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices