Element 3D^[1] is a third-party After Effects plugin developed by Video Copilot.^[2] It is a 64-bit plugin that runs in both Windows and MacOS. It is used for importing/creating 3d objects and for particle rendering. It is mostly used for motion design and visual effects. Element is capable of animating and rendering. It uses OpenGL to generate images more quickly than CPU rendering is currently capable of. The plugin features physically based shaders, texture mapping, lighting, animating and 3D compositing tools. Although there are limitations to rendering in OpenGL compared to raytraced rendering, many workarounds are possible to help yield highly photorealistic results, especially if the workstation is equipped with a high end video card. Element 3d is more limited in its ability to generate scenes from scratch than a full featured 3d program such as Cinema 4d. However, professional results, especially with simple scenes such as logo fly-ins and animated typography can be achieved in a comparatively short time. As with any 3d program, Element 3d has a learning curve. While simple concepts are easy to achieve, photorealism requires patience, practice, experimentation, and a compatible OpenGL video card with at least 2 GB of VRAM.