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

So you've tried pointing an AE light directly at the active camera, hoping to see rays bursting out of it. But instead, you got darkness . What gives? Light that emits rays is called "volumetric light." (Think of light that fills up a volume), and unfortunately AE's lights aren't volumetric. This is where third-party plug-ins come to the rescue. Three popular ones for creating rays of light are Trapcode's Shine and Lux as well as Red Giant's Knoll Light Factory.