𝗔𝗙𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗘𝗙𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗦 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝟯𝗗 𝗕𝗨𝗭𝗭𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗵𝘆𝗽𝗲...𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗲𝘁

The AE motion community is buzzing over parametric shapes. 

Native 3D primitives in comps, tweakable and animatable on the fly. Solid for noob 2D-to-basic-3D leaps🤔

As a C4D One & Lite veteran, I’m a tougher sell. These are handy for quick builds, but 𝗖𝟰𝗗 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝗲 still packs 10x the punch: MoGraph, advanced modelling, pro cameras, seamless integration. 

Blender? Free, fierce, and closing fast + Unreal-grade power-ups.

Adobe MAX 2025 Sneaks teased bolder blends, yet two legacy 𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘀 sit untouched and would be huge integrations wins:

• 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝟯𝗗 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 (Dimension reborn)

• 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝗼’𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗯 𝘄𝗶𝘇𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗿𝘆

Let’s dissect dazzle, duds, and daring detours.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝟯𝗗 𝗟𝗢𝗪𝗗𝗢𝗪𝗡

𝗔𝗘 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱

✅ Wins: Parametric primitives, GPU previews¹

❌ Misses: Firefly 3D barely baked, last in AI queue²

𝗖𝟰𝗗 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝗲

✅ Wins: 10x more powerful, MoGraph mastery, round-trip royalty³

❌ Misses: Overlooked bundle gem

Maxon 𝗢𝗻𝗲+𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲

✅ Wins: One-sub PBR powerhouse⁴

❌ Misses: Costly combo

𝗕𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿

✅ Wins: Free, fierce, Unreal-ready renders⁵

❌ Misses: Separate ecosystem

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝗼 (𝗯𝗲𝘁𝗮)

✅ Wins: 2D→3D in browser, prompt remix⁶

❌ Misses: No AE live link

𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗞 #𝟭: 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗥—𝗙𝗢𝗟𝗗 𝗜𝗧 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗢 𝗔𝗘

Dimension evolved into Substance 3D Stager in 2023: drag-drop scenes, auto-lights, pro polish. But it's paywalled.

Fix: A Stager dock in AE. One timeline, zero export drama. Pair with parametric shapes = instant product animations. Adobe, bring it home.

𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗞 #𝟮: 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗗𝗚𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗝𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗡𝗘𝗢

Projectneo.adobe.com spins 2D sketches into 3D gold with prompt-powered remixes—the true 2D-to-3D spark AE lacks.

Add “𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗘” → editable layers, Firefly-ready. One click, seamless flow.

𝗦𝗨𝗕𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗦𝗡𝗨𝗕—𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗢𝗬𝗔𝗟𝗧𝗬 𝗧𝗘𝗦𝗧

5 years post-buyout, the Substance suite stays separate. Teasing AE materials, but full suite? Extra sub.

Reality check: Bundle it into CC or watch Blender’s free surge steal the show. Community loyalty isn’t infinite.

𝗠𝗔𝗫 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗦𝗡𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗦

• Turn Style: 2D→rotatable 3D. Need this as an animation tool in AEP

• Scene It: AI-place meshes in gen-AI worlds

• New Depths: Radiance fields from snaps⁷

Potential? Huge! But AE’s AI starvation continues. Whilst Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere enjoy an AI feast, After Effects is often left in the cold like Oliver Twist asking for more.

𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝟯𝗗 𝗙𝗨𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘?

 • What’s your 3D ecosystem?

 • What’s on your wish list?

 • Sticking with Adobe, or is Blender + AI startups turning your head?

👇 Drop your thoughts below. Let’s shape the future. 👇

hashtag#𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 hashtag#𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝟯𝗗 hashtag#𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗡𝗲𝗼 hashtag#𝗖𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗮𝟰𝗗𝗟𝗶𝘁𝗲 hashtag#𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝘆𝗔𝗜 hashtag#𝟯𝗗𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻

REFERENCES

AE 2025 3D Update – Adobe Blog: “After Effects 2025 introduces parametric 3D shapes…” 🔗 adobe.com/blog/after-effects-2025

Firefly AI Lag in AE – Max 2025 Sneaks: Premiere gets Generative Extend; AE gets minor 3D hints 🔗 adobe.com/max/sneaks

C4D Lite vs AE 3D – Maxon Docs: MoGraph, deformers, round-trip since 2014 🔗 maxon.net/cinema-4d-lite

C4D One + Substance Bundle – Maxon One: Full C4D + Substance suite in one sub 🔗 maxon.net/maxon-one

Blender + Unreal Pipeline – Unreal Engine 5.4 docs: Native Blender import, emissive materials 🔗 unrealengine.com/blender

Project Neo Beta – Adobe Labs: Public beta, 2D→3D with prompt remix 🔗 projectneo.adobe.com

MAX 2025 Sneaks – Adobe: Turn Style, Scene It, New Depths 🔗 adobe.com/max/sneaks-2025