BCC Cast Shadow

Category: BCC Stylize

Effect Name: BCC Cast Shadow

The BCC Cast Shadow filter, part of the BCC Stylize category, generates a realistic shadow on a virtual plane. Features a built-in animatable 3D camera system and options for adding ripples as needed.

Working with the Filter

Presets and Common Controls

BCC filters come with a library of factory installed presets plus the ability to create your own custom presets and preview them with the BCC FX Browser™.

BCC filters also include common controls that configure global effect preferences and other host-specific effect settings.

For more information about working with presets and other common controls, Click Here.

• Use Comp Camera: (After Effects Only) When enabled, the filter will ignore the built-in camera and instead use the AE native camera for preview and final render of the current scene. In the case where there is more than one camera in the scene, the filter will use the camera that is placed at highest level in the layer stack.
• Use Comp Lights: (After Effects Only) When enabled, the Cast Shadow filter will ignore the built-in camera and instead use the AE native camera for preview and final render of the current scene. In the case where there is more than one camera in the scene, the filter will use the camera that is placed at highest level in the layer stack.
• Preview Mode: Previews the cast shadow effect.
  • None: The viewer does not display a preview, only the fully rendered effect.
  • Grid Only: Displays the floor plane grid indicating where the shadow will be rendered.
  • Shadow and Grid: Displays the shadow plane with the grid overlayed on top.
• Grid Color: Sets the color of the grid displayed in preview mode.

Built-In Camera Group

Contains contextually aware parameters that are used to control the built-in 3D camera system.

• Camera Model: Determines the desired camera system.
• Position: Enables free movement without restriction around the composition in XYZ space and includes the option of either Free or Target orientation modes.
• Orbit: Enables orbiting around the center of the current composition in XYZ space.
• Pan: Enables pan and zoom across the center of the current composition in Y and Z space.
• Zoom: Sets the camera zoom, which controls the view perspective. To achieve a wide angle effect, set a low Zoom value and use the Position Z parameter to move in closer to the composition.
• Camera Position XY: Sets the position of the camera in 3D space along the XY axis.
• Camera Position Z: Sets the position of the camera in 3D space along the Z axis.
• Camera Orientation: Determines the orientation of the camera.
• Free: The direction that the camera is pointing is determined by the tumble, spin and rotate parameters.
• Target: The camera will always point at the direction that is set by the Target X, Y and Z parameters.
• Tumble: Sets the direction of the camera along the Y axis when in Free camera mode.
• Spin: Sets the direction of the camera along the X axis when in Free camera mode.
• Rotate: Sets the direction of the camera along the Z axis when in Free camera mode.
• Target XY: Sets the XY position for the Target camera mode.
• Target Z: Sets the Z position for the Target camera mode.
• Orbit Radius: Sets the distance from the camera to the center of the image.
• Orbit Tumble: Used to move around the image along the Y axis.
• Orbit Spin: Used to move around the image along the X axis.
• Orbit Rotate: Used to move around the image along the Z axis.
• Pan Distance: Used to move horizontally across the scene along the X axis.
• Pan Advance: Used to move in or out of the scene, along the Z axis.

Comp Light Group

Contains parameters and options, which are used to control how the filter uses host native lights that are present in the After Effects scene.

• Softness Y Ratio - CL: Determines the softenss of the shadow along the Y axis.
• Fade Start - CL: Sets the shadow fade gradient starting point.
• Fade Length - CL: Sets the length of the shadow gradient.
• Transmission - CL: Adjusts the amount mix between the source image and the shadow. For example if Cast Shadow is placed on an orange text object, increasing the transmission will increase the amount of color mixed with the shadow. If the value is set to 100, the shadow color will match the text.
• Apply Mode: Determines how the filter is composited over the source image.
• Color - CLr: Sets the color of the light source.

Built-In Light Group

Contains parameters and options, which are used to control how the filter uses it’s built-in light source.

• Position XY - LT: Sets the position of the light along the XY axis.
• Position Z - LT: Sets the position of the light along the Z axis.
• Type: Sets the focal point of the light source along the XY axis.
• Point: Light source emits light uniformly in all directions from a single point. Light rays spread out from that central point.
• Parallel: light source emits light from a distant point. Light rays are parallel to each other providing uniform, consistent lighting.
• Interest XY: Sets the focal point of the light source along the XY axis.
• Interest Z: Sets the focal point of the light source along the X axis.
• Softness: Diffuses the light source. Higher values make the light more diffuse, and produces a softer shadow. Lower values will produce a sharper shadow.
• Softness Y Ratio: Determines the softenss of the shadow along the Y axis.
• Fade Start: Sets the shadow fade gradient starting point.
• Fade Length: Sets the length of the shadow gradient.
• Color: Sets the color of the light source.
• Transmission: Adjusts the amount mix between the source image and the shadow. For example if Cast Shadow is placed on an orange text object, increasing the transmission will increase the amount of color mixed with the shadow. If the value is set to 100, the shadow color will match the text.
• Apply Mode: Determines how the filter is composited over the source image.
• Opacity - LT: Sets the intensity of the light source. Higher values will produce a more intense light, and therefore a more opaque shadow. Lower values will produce a more transparent shadow.
• Auto Scale Interactor: Scales the on screen interactor's position for ease of use.

Image Plane Group

Contains parameters for modifying the original source image that drives the shadow. Changes to these parameters will affect the source image position, rotation and scale.

• Lock To: Locks the source image to the shadow plane. This is helpful when making global adjustments.
• None: The image plane is not locked to anything.
• Shadow: The image plane is locked to the shadow.
• Shadow and Light: The image plane is locked to the shadow and light.
• Opacity-IP: Sets the opacity of the source and, subsequently, the shadow itself.
• Position XY-IP: Sets the source position along the XY Axis
• Position Z-IP: Sets the source position along the Z axis.
• Rotate X-IP: Sets the source rotation on the X axis.
• Rotate Y-IP: Sets the source rotation on the Y axis.
• Rotate Z-IP: Sets the source rotation on the Z axis.
• Master Scale: Sets the scale along the XY axis.
• Scale X/Y: Sets scale individually along the X or Y axis.
• Show Under Floor: When enabled, the image plane with display over the image plane.
• Opacity Under Floor: Sets the opacity of the source image below the image plane.
• Floor Color Mix: Mixes the color of the source image with the floor color.
• Floor Color: Sets the color of the source image below the image plane.
• Floor Fade Start: Sets start of the gradient fade on the source image below the image plane.
• Floor Fade Length: Sets length of the gradient fade on the source image below the image plane.
• Apply Floor Rippling: When enabled the source image below the image plane inherits the value of the ripple parameter.

Shadow Plane Group

Contains controls for adjusting the position and angle of the shadow.

• Auto-Fit Shadow: Automatically links the shadow to the lowest point of the source. If placed on a text object, the shadow will automatically fit to the bottom edge of the text.

• Position XY - SP: Sets the shadow position along the XY axis.
• Position Z - SP: Sets the shadow position along the Z axis.
• Rotate X - SP: Rotates the shadow along the X axis.
• Rotate Y - SP: Rotates the shadow along the Y axis.
• Rotate Z - SP: Rotates the shadow along the Z axis.

Ripple on Floor Group

• Ripple Amount: Sets the amount of ripple effect on the shadow. Higher values will produce a more liquid appearance.
• Ripple Speed: Determines the speed of the ripple effect. Lower values will produce more subtle rippling effects.
• Ripple Scale X: Sets the scale of the ripples along the X axis.
• Ripple Scale Y: Sets the scale of the ripple along the Y axis.