-
Intersecting 3rd-party 3D objects with After Effects objects
I have a 3D scene in After Effects with some basic 3D elements rendering in a ‘Classic 3D’ engine.
I want to import some slightly more complicated models into the scene, either from Cinema 4D or Element 3D, but after experimenting, it seems I cannot intersect AE objects with the third party ones. For example, an AE cube will not exist in the same space as an Element 3D or C4D one. It only overlaps depending on the layer order in AE.
Is this something that’s avoidable? I am looking at ditching the AE objects completely and having to build the entire scene in the 3rd party environment.
-
4 Replies
-
[Darren Lee] “Is this something that’s avoidable?”
Short answer is no. The long answer would be that you can make it work with some extensive use of mattes (which E3D provides in the engine), but it gets complicated and messy.
So my advice is that you should switch your whole scene to a single 3d render engine and leave the mattes for just the compositing FXs.
Cassius Marques
http://www.zapfilmes.com -
Great thanks for clarifying, much appreciated
-
Hi there, definitely the more ‘true 3D’ objects and scenes you need, the more you will want to work in Cinema 4D directly. However, there is a great workflow for AE users you may or may not be aware of.
When you’ve created your composition with Classic 3D elements in AE then send it over of Cinema 4D (full version or Lite version): File / Export / Maxon Cinema 4D Exporter
This converts all your elements (Solids, Text layers, Shape layers, Still images, moving Footage, Lights…) into a Cinema 4D scene where you will have a lot more control as well as merge in other more complex 3D objects and intersect as much as you like. Of course you can then send it all back into AE to finish it although, if your running the full version you will want to render it in Cinema 4D rather than run through Cineware as that’ll be much slower.
Hope that opens some other doors for you;)
John Williams
Soho Editors
-
ah ok thanks, that’s good know
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up