3D layer interactions, render order, and collapsed transformations

The positions of certain kinds of layers in the layer stacking order in the Timeline panel prevent groups of 3D layers from being processed together to determine intersections and shadows.

A shadow cast by a 3D layer does not affect a 2D layer or any layer that is on the other side of the 2D layer in the layer stacking order. Similarly, a 3D layer does not intersect with a 2D layer or any layer that is on the other side of the 2D layer in the layer stacking order. No such restriction exists for lights.

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3D layers intersecting (left), and 3D layers prevented from intersecting by intervening 2D layer (right)

Just like 2D layers, other types of layers also prevent 3D layers on either side from intersecting or casting shadows on one another:

• An adjustment layer

• A 3D layer with a layer style applied

• A 3D precomposition layer to which an effect, closed mask (with mask mode other than None), or track matte has been applied

• A 3D precomposition layer without collapsed transformations

A precomposition with collapsed transformations (Collapse Transformations switch   selected) does not interfere with the interaction of 3D layers on either side—as long as all of the layers in the precomposition are themselves 3D layers. Collapsing transformations exposes the 3D properties of the layers that compose the precomposition. Essentially, collapsing transformations in this case allows each 3D layer to be composited into the main composition individually, rather than creating a single 2D composite for the precomposition layer and compositing that into the main composition. The tradeoff is that this setting removes your ability to specify certain layer settings for the precomposition as a whole—such as blending mode, quality, and motion blur.

Shadows cast by continuously rasterized 3D layers (including text layers) are not affected by effects applied to that layer. If you want the shadow to show the results of the effect, then precompose the layer with the effect.

To ensure that the shadow remains where expected on a 3D layer with a track matte, precompose the 3D layer and the track matte layer together (but don’t collapse transformations), and then apply the shadow to the precomposition.

Effects on continuously rasterized vector layers with 3D properties are rendered in 2D and then projected onto the 3D layer. OpenGL rendering does not support this kind of projection, so results may differ when rendering using OpenGL. This projection does not occur for compositions with collapsed transformations.