Cinema 4D Essential Motion Graphics Techniques

This term Tim Clapham returns with a brand new Cinema4D course. Throughout the term, Tim will be exploring many techniques which will become essential in your day to day production workflow. Features of Cinema4D covered this term will include MoGraph, Dynamics, Xpresso, Deformers, Materials and Lighting. We consider some of these powerful features and how they can simplify our workflow and enhance our productivity. The new training will be using Cinema4D R14 Studio, but much of the content is perfectly relevant for users of earlier versions.

Based in Sydney Australia, Tim Clapham is a multi-disciplinary animator and compositor. Evolving from a solid foundation in traditional animation using both Film and Video, Tim soon transitioned into the digital domain and has forged a solid career in the world of Motion Graphics. With over 13 years of industry experience, Tim is accomplished with many 3D animation and Digital Compositing applications.

As the owner of Motion Graphics and Animation company Luxx, Tim is hands on with every project that the company produces. With a history of working with many global Advertising and Broadcast companies, the work Tim produces is both technically challenging whilst maintaining innovation and high quality.

course syllabus

This week we examine assorted uses for the MoSpline object. MoSpline is like a regular spline on steroids, we look at how this rarely used object can improve our productivity. Using MoSpline as an alternative for animating sweepNURBs. Using forces and effectors with MoSpline for additional effects. Unwrapping geometric shapes with MoSpline.

This week we look at assembling and disassembling objects with MoGraph. We use the Fracture object combined with Random, Shader & Delay Effectors. We build a basic setup and then move on and expand this to make a more flexible rig.

Expanding on our progress from last week. We take the setup we designed and animate the elements so we can see the rig in practice. The class makes use of Cloner, Matrix and Connect objects in combination with Shader, Delay and Inheritance Effectors.

Part 1 of a 2 week class. Introducing the jiggle deformer. Using the jiggle deformer to add secondary motion. Jiggle plus Melt and Collision Deformers for interaction between object collisions. Using Cloth to explode geometry, then recreating a similar result with Explosion FX, Jiggle and particle forces.

Part 2 of a 2 week class. Using the jiggle deformer in combination with particle forces to simulate ripples on an ocean as a boat travels across the surface, we also look at Displacer and use the tension tag to drive vertex maps for creating foam on our ripples.

Creating organic typography. Using a combination of MoGraph Cloner in conjunction with various Effectors, Metaballs and Displacement, we explore a method of building organic typography and investigate ways we can reveal the type or destroy it.

Part 1 of a 2 week class where we build a model of a present wrapped in a ribbon and then by using rigid and soft body dynamics combined with Xpresso we burst the lid off with the illusion of the ribbon tearing.

Part 2 of a 2 week class where we build a model of a present wrapped in a ribbon and then by using rigid and soft body dynamics combined with Xpresso we burst the lid off with the illusion of the ribbon tearing.

Part 1 of a 2 week class. Creating a futuristic screen with MoGraph. Based on the science fiction holographic screens that we see in movies such as Tron and Prometheus, we build a screen with Cinema4D, The screen is constructed using multiple MoGraph Cloners along with various effectors combined with the mograph color shader.

Part 2 of a 2 week class. Based on the science fiction holographic screens that we see in movies such as Tron and Prometheus, we will build a screen with Cinema4D, The screen will be constructed using multiple MoGraph Cloners along with various effectors combined with the mograph color shader.