This tutorial
http://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials.html?id=43 shows how to setup the 3D scene by using the solids in 3D.
Once you have mastered the use of 3D objects and 3D camera manipulation the "merging" of words is a perspective distortion caused by dollying the camera way out and having the light behind the words come up at the right time. In AE a lot of time is spent in timing things just right.
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Paolo Ciccone http://www.paolociccone.com
Hellriser Digital
Santa Cruz, CA