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c4d to after effects to video/tv – a tip
I got c4d 9.5 on ebay this week, so I’m able to render out now (can’t do that in the demo). So I wanted to be able to output moving 3d logo’s/shapes and cut them into background video. There was one little trick I didn’t know.
If my settings were wrong, the moving 3d obj will look blurry, wrong, hinkey. Get it right and it looks sharp.
First, in c4d Render Settings need to set Field Render to whatever your video codec needs (even or odd). This sucks, pretty much doubles render time, oh well. Second, turn on Alpha Channel in Render.
I got an .avi file, and many .tif alpha channel files.
In after effects import the .avi, and then click on the first .tif – you can then click on TIFF Sequence in the ae dialog. Put the .avi in your comp, with the .tif alpha channel above it. For the .avi, set the Luma Matte to the .tif’s.
Ok, here’s the big tip. Click on the .avi in the ad Project Window, then go to file/interpret footage – set the field order. Do this for the .tif’s, too. (it’s a little weird for me – in c4d it was even, in ae it’s lff – don’t ask me why).
NOW, you can apply a blur to either 1)an adjustment layer, or 2)to both the .avi and the .tif’s. Without doing the interpret footage thing, applying a blur would make it look hinkey. With video, at least standard def, gotta have access to a blur.
Only took a day. Could have been worse.
Jon
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5 Replies
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Just read where you can also do a multi-pass render using rgba, which seems to write the alpha to a separate avi, instead of a lot of tif’s. Still had to dork with the render order between the programs (of the three parties – c4d, ae, codec – somebody’s out of step (two men say they’re Jesus, one man must be wrong.)).
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Tip…, render to 60 frames/sec frames,(or double frame rate of your format)… not fields. I know, this sounds like an awful lot of time and space, but always avoid fields like the plague. If you are compositing your 3d in AE, make certain that ae is “told” in interpret footage that the frame rate is 60. This woll be markedly cleaner and more professional. Save the fields for the final output.
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Agree 100%. You might even get good results using AE7 to retime the 30 fps to 60 fps.
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Thanks for the replys. I tried it, didn’t see much quality difference between using fields vs. 60fps (but I’m only doing a 1/2 second cube move for tests), BUT I agree that using 60fps vs. fields is a better approach.
For example, if I ever have to give my precious 3d animations to anyone else to use, who knows what field order their codec uses – just tell them it’s 60fps.
And the render times are about the same – c4d still has to render 60 pictures for 30 frames either way.
(When I do more complex work I’ll do more tests with this (trust your own eyes, that’s my motto), and let you know.)
And when do I lose my red armband?
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Another important reason to avoid rendering interlaced out of Cinema is that prohibits you from doing much editing in AE (scaling, rotating, blurring, etc.) without screwing up the fields.
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