After Effects On the Spot[c] Time-Saving Tips and Shortcuts from the Pros

There's a Stain on My Window!

When you shine a light on a 3D layer, you can make the light pass through it just like sunlight passing through a stained-glass window. The light casts a shadow on any layers behind the stained-glass layer, and the shadow's color and shape will be taken from the layer it passes through.

1. Remember to enable shadows for the light layer.

2. Then twirl open the stained-glass layer's Material Options. Turn Cast Shadows on and set Pass Through to 100 percent.