Then you add a camera move.
If you work with extruded shapes, 3D texts, or mockups, this $40 plugin is the secret weapon that bridges the gap between "fake 3D" and "CGI-level lighting." Standard After Effects extrusion works via "ray-traced" or "cinema 4D" rendering. While it creates geometry, the lighting response is often rudimentary. When you rotate a layer, the bevels don't catch the light correctly because the software is simulating a shell rather than a solid object. normality plugin after effects
Go to Effect > RG Normality > Normality . Hit "Generate." It will analyze your layer and spit out a psychedelic-looking red, green, and blue image. That is your normal map. Then you add a camera move
Apply Effect > RG Normality > Normality Light to a new adjustment layer. Set the "Normal Map Source" to the layer with Normality on it. Now, drag around the virtual light in the effect controls. When you rotate a layer, the bevels don't