This is pretty awesome actually, in experimenting with position and normal passes, BurryPixel posts and interesting technique for using Maya’s Batch Bake Command to create 32 bit texture maps that one can use to recreate 3D geometry back in After Effects with Pixel Cloud. This can be done by creating a Position Pass out and a Normal Pass as a UV texture in Maya.
Using these maps you are able to recreate a point cloud in After Effects, not just from one angle, but from all angles, essentially giving you a re-created 3D representation in After Effects of your original 3D model in Maya. Check out the tutorial for Using Maya’s Batch Bake to Generate Maps to ReCreate 3D Models in After Effects Using Pixel Cloud here.
Last night, I was experimenting with outputting a PPass and a Normal Pass as a UV texture from within Maya. Using this technique, you can create a point cloud not just from the view of the camera, but from all textured points on the model
The Pixel Cloud plugin is a compositing tool for After Effects that allows you to displace the pixels in 3D space or relight a 3D generated image. Simply making use of Position and Normal Passes in conjunction with the 3D lights and cameras in After Effects you are able to change the lighting of your composite on the spot right in After Effects.
Pixel Cloud is available on AEScripts for $129.99 – check out the page at AEScripts for more information on Pixel Cloud.
