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Cris_is_Bliss
Known Participant
November 3, 2009
Answered

Importing Google Sketch up into AE

  • November 3, 2009
  • 1 reply
  • 25235 views

I must admit that I'm comopletely stumped on this.  I was playing around with Sketch Up and trying to imports some art objects from it into AE.  But AE doesnt seem to recognize the Sketch up objects.  Do I need the profession version of sketch up to do this??  According to what I think I read in Sketch Up Help, I should be able to import the 3D objects and move around them in 3D space with the 3D camera in AE.

Thank You

Cris

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer

    After Effects can only import 3D objects in PSD files.

    So, to get your Google SketchUp 3D objects into AE, you'll need Photoshop Extended.

    In Sketchup, go to File > Export > 3D model. Choose Collada (DAE), since that works nicely with Photoshop CS4 Extended (some Sketchup features may be lost in the export, though).

    Open the DAE file in Photoshop CS4 Extended and save it as a PSD file.

    Import that PSD file into AE as Composition or Composition - Cropped Layers. Make sure you enable the "Live Photoshop 3D" option in the dialog.

    Note that this doesn't actually bring 3D geometry into AE and also that these 3D models won't intersect AE's own 3D layers in 3D space.. Instead, it brings a layer that has the 3D model rendered inside ("live") as you move around AE's 3D camera. You can also move the 3D object using a Null object automatically created by AE for that purpose.

    More info in the After Effects Help page on 3D object layers from Photoshop.

    1 reply

    Correct answer
    November 3, 2009

    After Effects can only import 3D objects in PSD files.

    So, to get your Google SketchUp 3D objects into AE, you'll need Photoshop Extended.

    In Sketchup, go to File > Export > 3D model. Choose Collada (DAE), since that works nicely with Photoshop CS4 Extended (some Sketchup features may be lost in the export, though).

    Open the DAE file in Photoshop CS4 Extended and save it as a PSD file.

    Import that PSD file into AE as Composition or Composition - Cropped Layers. Make sure you enable the "Live Photoshop 3D" option in the dialog.

    Note that this doesn't actually bring 3D geometry into AE and also that these 3D models won't intersect AE's own 3D layers in 3D space.. Instead, it brings a layer that has the 3D model rendered inside ("live") as you move around AE's 3D camera. You can also move the 3D object using a Null object automatically created by AE for that purpose.

    More info in the After Effects Help page on 3D object layers from Photoshop.

    Participant
    March 2, 2014

    What about AE CS6? Live Photoshop 3D is not supported in AE CS6. Is it still possible to import sketchup files?

    Todd_Kopriva
    Inspiring
    March 2, 2014

    > What about AE CS6? Live Photoshop 3D is not supported in AE CS6. Is it still possible to import sketchup files?

    No.

    You can import 3D data of many sorts through Cinema 4D into After Effects using After Effects CC (12):

    Import the Sketchup data to CInema 4D, save a .c4d file, and import that into After Effects CC (12).