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Animated Environment Lights

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Learn how to light your 3D compositions by using a composition, video, or image layer as an environment light source.

  Use new beta features

Animated Environment Lights are now available for testing and feedback. Try it now in After Effects (beta).

Get started

In addition to using HDR and EXR still-image files, you can now assign videos, still images, animated compositions, and other layers as sources for Environment light. This added flexibility when working with Advanced 3D Render Engine allows for greater creative control, resulting in more dynamic and realistic lighting effects in your 3D projects.

Animated Environment Lights allow 3D models to dynamically respond to variations in light brightness, color, and position from the video, resulting in natural and contextually accurate lighting and reflections.

Animated Environment Lights allow 3D models to react to changes in light brightness, color, and position in the video.

Add a video as a source of Environment Light

  1. Import a 3D model into your project and add it to a composition by dragging and dropping it to the Timeline panel.

  2. Add the video you want to use as environment light to your project and drag and drop it to the Timeline panel.

  3. Add an environment light by seelcting Layer > New > Light, and set the Light Type to Environment.

    In the Light Setting dialog, Environment is selected from the Light Type dropdown list.
    In the Light Setting dialog, select Environment from the Light Type dropdown list.

  4. Twirl open the Environment Light properties in the Timeline panel.

  5. Under the Light Options, set the Source property to the layer with video.

    Select the layer with the video file from the Source drop-down list.
    Assign videos, still images, animated compositions, and other layers as sources for Environment light.

    Note:
    • Apart from videos, you can also point Environment Light to animated native layers such as Shape, Text, and Solid layers and animated compositions.
    • If a layer is a 3D object, a light, a camera, a 3D null, or a normal layer with the 3D switch applied, you cannot choose it as a source for Environment Light. 

Result

An example where a video was used as the Environment light.

The 3D model and background video used are available on Adobe Stock.

Add a composition as a source of Environment Light

  1. Create a composition and animate it.

    The Timeline panel shows shape layers and animation keyframes.
    Create a composition and animate the layers to use it as an animated Environment Light.

  2. Create a new composition and import a 3D model into your project.

  3. Add the imported 3D model to a composition by dragging and dropping it to the Timeline panel.

  4. Drag and drop the animated composition from the Project panel to the timeline.

    A composition is added as a layer in the Timeline panel.
    Drag and drop the animated composition into the Timeline panel to use as a source of Environment Light for your 3D composition.

  5. Add an environment light by seelcting Layer > New > Light, and set the Light Type to Environment.

  6. Twirl open the Environment Light properties in the Timeline panel.

  7. Under the Light Options, set the Source property to the layer with video.

    Select the layer with the video file from the Source drop-down list.
    Assign animated compositions as a source for Environment Light.

Join the discussion on Animated Environment Lights in the After Effects (Beta) community.

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