Cinema 4D model into After Efftects!? Can I? Should I?

[Steve Roberts]

You need to buy Zaxwerks Invigorator to insert a 3D model into AE.

Why not do as much as you can in C4D and orbit the camera around the object in C4D? Then do a render and export the render (and camera) into AE to do whatever cannot be done in C4D?

[Mylenium]

Why would you want to do this? Animate in C4D, then use the AEC export on the render panel to get a synced output for AE. It’s merely a matter of re-structuring your workflow. What you are trying to do would be less than optimal even if AE could handle 3D geometry natively.

Mylenium

[Pour Myl

[Clint Nitkiewicz hernandez]

I have a 2D video of a guy, and a 3D model of a truck, i was thinking to composite the two in after effects, so i just export the truck using the aec checkbox right? but i still dont know how i want my camera to animate in after effects, i want to decide once im in the composite, so can i animate in after effects, the export that camera into cinema4d so the model is viewed at the correct angles?

Clint Nitkiewicz Hern

[Chris Smith]

Although it’s possible to take data from AE to C4D using some extremely technical workarounds, the common pipeline is to go from 3D to 2D. All the great work you see out there in the world works this way. Besides using the cameras in C4D are a hundred times easier to use than AE’s cameras. So much so that I’ve actually animated my camera in C4D simply to load into AE for an AE only project.

So I would grab a pen, draw some story boards of what you want in the end and make that happen in C4D. Then render out your elements and finish the composite in AE.

Chris Smith
https://www.sugarfilmproduction.com

[Mylenium]

I think you are approaching this completely wrong. Actually I believe you are too much thinking in 2D terms here. Just clear your head and rethink your strategy. you are creating problems where there are none and hurt yourself by trying to stay away from the powers of a 3D program like better motion blur, lighting and general easier 3D handling. You can do almost al lsteps in C4D. For integrating your real actor you only need to key it in AE, render it out with Alpha channels and then use it as a texture on a flat plane. This wil lgive you all you need – your talent inside your 3D scene and you should have no problems finding your camera angles. Once you’re happy, just export the camera to AE, render the scene, import everything back in AE and replace the Nill object that comes in as a dummy for your actor with your keyed footage so the quality is maintained.

Mylenium

[Pour Myl

[Clint Nitkiewicz hernandez]

Okay my head is much clearer now.

Though a new technical question arised.

When you guys say export your camera from cinema4d into after effect, do you mean the whole project from cinema 4d with the animation of the camera? Or do you right click and send the actual camera to after effects, that im a bit confused as I dont see an option on exporting a “camera”, do you guys mean project with a camera?

thanks! I do see the checkbox for exporting into a after effects compp in the render box of cinema 4d, but no actual camera options,

please specify how i can export the camera?

thanks once again dudes

– ciao

Clint Nitkiewicz Hern

[Mylenium]

Export your camera, lights and any placeholders you designated using the External Compositing Tags using the AEC export on the Multipass page of the Render settings. You need to make sure you also install the import plugin (which should be in your Cinema4D/Exchange folder) for After effects to actually get your data in AE. You don’t need to take care of anything. C4D will do it all by itself, even if you have multiple cameras. You can easily delete redundant data in After Effects later. The only downside is that all your keyframes are “baked”, which makes Editing a bit difficult. So take care to really polish up everything in C4D before moving on to AE.

Mylenium

[Pour Myl

[Clint Nitkiewicz hernandez]

And where can I get this plugin? I tried everywhere, but nothing . . . Do you have a direct link? Im running on a Mac os x 6.5 After Effects Pro

Thanks millenium, youvve been a huge help,

Clint Nitkiewicz Hern

[Steve Roberts]

It’s on your AE install disc, or already on your hard drive.