Advanced 3D renderer

Import a 3D model and add it to the composition. 

Advanced 3D gets automatically selected when you add a 3D model to the composition. 

After Effects uses the Advanced 3D renderer to show you the real-time changes or updates you make to your 3D space. The Draft 3D option gets enabled and lets you turn the fast 3D preview On or Off.  

Use the Draft 3D option to view your 3D composition in 3D Ground Plane or Extended Viewer view. 

A ground plane is a horizontal plane of projection that gives you a sense of perspective and space within your 3D scene.

The Extended Viewer lets you view the 3D content outside the composition frame boundaries. 

Use camera controls such as dolly, orbit, and pan to instantly view your designs as you compose.

Select the 3D Renderer option in the Composition panel toolbar to launch the dropdown menu.

Select Rendering Options from the dropdown menu to launch the Advance 3D Render Option dialog.

Use the Advanced 3D Render Option dialog to specify the following settings:

Use the slider to change the Render Quality to adjust a trade-off between interactive and final output quality.  

Use the options under the Shadow section to specify different attributes for the shadow for the previews. 

• Resolution: Choose from Half (2 MB), Full (16 MB), and Double (128 MB).
• Smoothness: Smoothness changes with the set Render Quality. However, for maximum smoothness, you can use the slide bar to specify smoothness quality from 1 to 32. Note that a high value for Smoothness can slow down rendering.
  
• Casting Box Size: Adjust and set the size of the cast shadow box to cast or source shadows onto other objects in the scene. Only objects in this specified area will cast shadows. 
  
• Casting Box Center: Set the point in space around which the Casting Box Size is centered.
  
• Fit to Scene: Set the Casting Box to include all visible layers in the composition that can cast shadows. It sizes the box based on the current frame.
  

Select OK.