Cinema4D and Design III

Taught by Tim Clapham

Course Number:
C4D207
Software Version:
R12/13 
Original Run Date:
April 2012 
Duration:
11 hours 31 minutes 
3D
mograph
Tim Clapham returns with another course for Cinema4D and After Effects users. Primarily aimed at intermediate users, some knowledge of Cinema4D is definitely useful. However, Clapham is very thorough with his explanations and most competent users should be able to follow along without any problem.

This course is compiled from a selection of courses that were previously included in our C4D203 and C4D205 courses. Due to advances in the application and our industry in general, many of the techniques that Clapham covered have been superseded by superior features and methods. Therefore, we felt it was a good idea to remove the redundant and update the relevant. Clapham will be using Cinema4D release 13, although users of release 12 should also be able to follow the course. Although the emphasis is on working with Cinema4D, the course will certainly be dipping into After Effects from time to time, specifically to cover the workflow when transferring 3D information between Cinema4D and After Effects.

The updated and re-written lessons discuss and explore lighting in Cinema4D, as well as multipass rendering and compositing in After Effects. The classes have also been updated to include the latest features of Cinema4D such as Linear Workflow and the Physical Renderer, as well as configuring your project settings in After Effects to ensure the correct composite. This course covers many useful features in Cinema4D such as MoGraph, Xpresso, Multipass Rendering, Lighting and Animation Techniques. Tim also covers smaller but incredibly important issues such as scene management, render optimisation and workflow.
 
Cinema4D and Design III
Watch our overview of the course

Class Listing

Class 1: Python script to import Adobe Swatches

Using a python script to import Adobe Swatches. Building a stylized mirrorball using a Cloner object and a combination of effectors. Adding some type which will be wiped on using effectors. Creating some materials including use of the falloff and lumas shaders.

Class 2: Animating the Camera, lights and Effectors

Animating the Camera, lights and Effectors. Setting up the render passes and configuring colour management. Exporting an AEC file to transfer 3D data to After Effects. Compositing the 3D render in After Effects, using Trapcode Form to demonstrate the link with the C4D Camera export.

Class 3: An exploration of lighting principles

An exploration of lighting principles
We discuss lighting techniques and principles, specifically lighting in Cinema4D. We look at some lighting examples, build a basic 3 point light rig. We then explore several methods to simulate bounce light and ambient lighting.

Class 4: Lighting techniques and principles

We discuss lighting techniques and principles, specifically lighting in Cinema4D. We create a light setup for a studio and then a daylight rig. Rendering using multipass and separate light passes we produce a third look in After Effects.

Class 5: Methods of animating cameras

Methods of animating cameras.
We look at several methods of animating cameras. We will also look at a technique to create automatic banking on your camera animations. Finally we build a versatile rig that can be used for easily creating complex camera moves.

Class 6: Baking Textures, Shaders and Illumination

Baking Textures, Shaders and Illumination.
We will cover the concept of baking textures within Cinema4D. Using the Bake Texture and Bake Object features. Creating significant speed increases to your renders by baking processor intensive shaders and lighting setups. Baking of spherical maps for creation of custom textures, environment maps and generating HDR images.

Class 7: Introducing Sketch and Toon

Introducing Sketch and Toon
We look into the Sketch and Toon Module. First analyzing the Render Settings and then creating a custom Sketch material.

Class 8: Indent with audio Part 1

Creating an animated ident with audio
The next three lessons will be dedicated to the creation of an animated indent from concept through 3D construction, rendering including final grading and compositing. With this lesson will be provided an audio track which will be the foundation of the animation and dictate the underlying structure. After exploring some automatic techniques of animating to sound, the lesson will develop into some more abstract and less conventional uses of the audio. This will involve using Xpresso to link parameters to the sampled and refined audio. Using the MoGraph Sound Effector. Animating the camera and linking the motion to the audio samples. Lighting and rendering using Multipass, with final composite and grade in After Effects.

Class 9: Indent with audio Part 2

Continue creating an animated indent with audio.

Class 10: Indent with audio part 3

Continue creating an animated indent with audio.