after-effects 3d help

[atomicone]

Hi all,

I'm doing the video design for an awards show, and have to do a 3d rendering of the award itself, which is made of glass.
I'm making it using Zaxwerks 3d invigorator in After-effects 6.0. (I really hate 3d and this is the only 3d program i use for any special 3d logo requirements and such).
My only problem is I can't get the glass to actually look clear, it is made of 3 panels of glass and I want the lines from each one to show up through the others.
Anyone out there familiar ae and zaxwerks that can help me out? I can't even find anything like this on the creative cow forum.
If I can't figure it out soon I think I'll have to just film it with a dome and turntable and use that.

cheers

[vjrei]

Damn, I'm sorry I can't help your there. What I would do is to post that at macrumors.com, it a very good comunity (of geeks) and many designers and animators are there. I hope still time for you, other wise do not get stuck in to one thing and find your way around, be sure there should ab another way for giving the same impresion.

[atomicone]

hey i just figured out how. I was using highquality open gl for the render instead of the invigorator renderer. see-through-glass now!

[vjrei]

Post a Quicktime, now I am curious:alien:

[atomicone]

not done the animaton yet, here is a still

http://img98.exs.cx/img98/7365/rexaward5zz.jpg

[atomicone]

here is an actual photo of the award, I used an old turntable, softlight box and a circular of black backdrop paper in a circle around it, with a hole cut out for the camera lens to film it, then treated with after-effects.

cheers,

http://img155.exs.cx/img155/6747/rexaward29vd.jpg

[many2]

imho th real-world + effect version is much better than the 3d one - but that's me ;)

[atomicone]

yeah I think I agree with you, although the animation itself looks really good, and this is a pretty slick, corporate event and I think the animated version will be more appropriate.
This is the exact reason why I really don't like 3d - unless you have a big budget and a team of people (or are a 3d wizzard) it just doesn't look 'real' enough. so much 3d is pure cheddar.

btw Many are you still in Toronto? If you are dude we have got to hook up sometime soon - the vj 'community' here is somewhat nonexistant.

cheers

[many2]

No, I am not in Toronto anymore : I had been there for 2 days to get a new birth certificate because I need it for a show I am doing in Las Vegas next week. Maybe next time ;)