Using an Environment Layer for Reflections in After Effects

-An object in 3D Space needs something in order to create color. Now either the object itself needs to have color, but more likely with a 3D environment, you need to remember that color is often what's reflected, so we need to create something in the environment so the 3D object can pick up on colors. To do this, we're going to import some footage and set it to be the environment that the object exists in.

Using an environment layer for reflections from Motion Graphics for Video Editors: Creating Animated Logos by Richard Harrington