You can create a large amount of simple yet really cool effects just using the inbuilt features of Adobe After Effects.

I have already created a After Effects beginner series that covers all the basics like masking, adjustment layers and track mattes. If you haven’t watched the series yet, I highly recommend you check it out before jumping into another dimension.

In this tutorial I will show you how to use the basic 3D elements that are available in the base version of Adobe After Effects. No plug-ins are required for this tutorial.

Here is what you will learn:

How to work with 3D layers

You can mark any layer in Adobe After Effects as a 3D layer, including video layers, solids and images. Once you have enabled this property you can place it in the 3D space of your scene as you like.
I will show you how to mark your layers as 3D layers and how to use the positioning gizmo.

How to create and use cameras

If you are working in 3D you will need to add a camera into your composition to tell After Effects how to view your 3D elements. You can animate the position, orientation and point of interest of the camera to create some cool effects and I will show you how easy that is.

How to work with lights

Finally, After Effects supports all sorts of lights that you can place in your scene to illuminate the 3D layers. There are different types of lights available, like Spotlight, Point Light, Parallel Light and Ambient light. We will cover how to create and manipulate lights within your composition.