What It Does
Illumination generates softbox lights controlled from 3D layers in After Effects. The plugin automates the creation and management of point light banks to produce soft shadows that make 3D objects feel more realistic in composites. Lights inherit color from their underlying layer, allowing gradient lighting and ambient daylight effects.
Key Features
Centralized 3D control. Position, brightness, shadow darkness, and shadow diffusion all adjust from a single control layer. Move the layer in 3D space and the entire light bank follows.
Color inheritance. Lights pull their color from whatever layer sits beneath them. Run a gradient through the layer and the lighting follows, useful for simulating time-of-day shifts or ambient environment lighting.
Curvable light banks. Wrap light arrays around a scene by curving the bank geometry. Helps with object wrapping and more natural light falloff.
Combines with native lights. Build on top of the softbox foundation with standard After Effects lights for layered lighting setups.
Who It’s For
Useful for compositing CG elements into live footage where matching the lighting environment matters. Also applicable for product renders, text treatments, and any scenario where hard shadows from point lights look too harsh.
Pricing
Illumination uses a pay-what-you-want model. The developer (Ben Rollason) lists it at $14.99 as a suggested price, but you set the amount. A trial version is available to test compatibility before purchasing.