Quick & Easy Workflow for Getting Depth Information from Lightwave into After Effects
- Set up scene in Lightwave
- Add the “Extended RLA Export” image filter in the “Image Process” panel.
- Open the filter settings. (Double click on it.)
- Assign image base name. (Lightwave will save RLA files from this filter with the path and name assigned here in addition to any files specified in the “Render Options” panel. It is not necessary to select RLA in the render settings.)
- Verify that depth is checked.
- Render.
- Import RLA sequence into After Effects.
- Explore your footage using all those spiffy 3D effects.
I wrote this for myself, so, when I forget how to do this, I won’t have to figure it out all over again. It works for me in Lightwave 7.5c and After Effects 6.0Pro on Mac OS X.2.8. Your mileage may vary. If there is interest I may flesh it out a bit more.