From: "Chris Zwar" <chris@chriszwar.com>
To: "After Effects Mail List" <AE-List@media-motion.tv>
Importance: Normal
Sensitivity: Normal
Message-ID: <W839592282133871354584442@webmail27>
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2012 01:27:22 +0000
Subject: Re:  [AE] Generate Z-depth pass in AE
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Particular can obscure particles based on a Z depth map.  It can only obs=
cure 1 3D After Effects layer.  

If you have a composition made up of multiple 3D layers then the only way=
 to get Particular to obscure particles correctly is to use a z depth map=
.  Once the particles made by particular react to the 3D layers in your c=
omp everything looks much more integrated.

It can be a bit of a pain, but basically you duplicate the comp, apply th=
e fill effect / expression, and then use that as a z depth map with parti=
cular in your main comp.

As I said it isn't perfect but usually good enough for particle and atmos=
phere effects.

Unlike some other plugins which let you choose, in Particular white is al=
ways close and black is always far.  The expression might need to be adju=
sted to do that.

I have been living out of a suitcase for a while, and this won't change s=
oon, but I have a backlog of tutorials planned for the ProVideo Coalition=
.  One of them will demonstrate this approach...

-Chris

(BTW I don't think Form has the same functionality, I might be wrong ther=
e)

-----Original Message-----
From: jarret langmeire [mailto:langmeire@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, December 4, 2012 12:16 PM
To: 'After Effects Mail List'
Subject: Re: [AE] Generate Z-depth pass in AE

Just wondering what you mean by "integrating Particular / Form" as this i=
s
something I will probably need to look at as well?


> On 4 December 2012 09:50, Chris Zwar <chris@chriszwar.com> wrote:
>
>> I do this a lot so I can integrate Particular / Form with the rest of =
my
>> comp.
>
>