How To Use After Effects Masks As Custom Splines For Text Extrusions With BCC 6

3D Objects is a new feature of BCC 6. It's built around a concept of using vector text or splines to generate real 3D objects right in After Effects composition by the means of extrusion or creating thickness for otherwise flat layer or shape. Such extrusion would typically require a shape of it's own, unless you really want it to be straight with sharp angles. Let's see how to control such profile shape or contour with something as simple as AE masks.

We'll start off by creating a new comp and adding a 2D solid of the same size as our comp. Then drill down in Effects menu under BCC 3D Objects for BCC Extruded Text filter, which is essentially a generator in disguise of a AE filter. As soon as the filter is dropped on the solid a Text Entry window will popup to offer us a place to type in desired text. This is a standard Boris text tool, common for all Boris FX text applications.

Among controls in this window you'll find the same typographical niceties as in After Effect own text tool - kerning, leading, tracking, etc. - but now they will apply to extruded text in 3D space.

Hit the Apply button to go back to After Effects. And this is the only modal custom UI we'll ever have to use to control any 3D property of our objects. The rest can be done with native AE user interface we are so familiar with.

To make the text look a little more interesting right off the bat let's apply one of the many extrusion styles installed with BCC.

The Extrusion Style preset popup offers a variety of pre-saved styles comprising of textures, bumps reflections and bevels. The best way to browse so many styles is to use the up and down button. Let's choose something called Pink-Gold Chisel.

I'm after an even more dramatic 3D look. To see my extrusion better I'm using a AE camera to view this 3D text from a different angle. All I had to do is add a Camera track and turn on Use Comp Camera checkbox in this filter.

Now we are beginning to see the light reflected off the rounded surfaces and edges of the shape. But how do I gain control over the chiseled extrusion side? Nothing can be simpler if you are already familiar with After Effects pen tool. While Yellow Solid track is still selected, grab the pen tool and draw a simple open path anywhere in the comp window. Start your first point somewhere at the top and click-drag a few Bezier points.

A new Mask 1 track is now added to your solid layer. We are going to work with the parameters under EXTRUSION group. Make sure it is expanded. Choose Host Path under Side Style popup and open Side Host Path popup box. Observe that Mask 1 now is a choice in that popup. In fact, if you have multiple masks they will all become available here.

You can even adjust your custom mask after it has been applied to the extrusion. And with a live update too. Now that you are happy with the contour of your extrusion you can save it as a special file for future use. In fact, this is how all pre-saved contours were made. Now you can generate your own library of custom contours right there in After Effects without a need to switch to Illustrator. And apply these contours in future projects. Pretty cool!!!

Where else can we use AE masks? The same trick can be applied to custom bevels, front and back and even to the text path. But that could be a topic for another tutorial.

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