When it comes to motion graphics, exporting camera data from a 3D program to a 2D compositing program is one of the most important techniques you could know. In this tutorial, you will learn the basics behind getting Cinema 4D and After Effects to talk to one another, including using exporting tags, using the camera data in After Effects within 3D layers and effects, and how to set up and tweak your render for the best results.
How to Export 3d Camera Data from Cinema 4D into After Effects – Day 1
Aug 12th in 3D Art, Animation, Maxon Cinema 4D by Harrison Ambs
This tutorial is Day 1 in a series - Go to Day 2
Before you dive in, I'd like to stress a few points:
-I'm using AfterEffects CS3 and Cinema 4D R11. Even though things may look different, the basic idea and functions are the same (but I'm not sure if you can do this prior to Cinema 4D R10 cuz it's been a while).
-You can put any questions you may have in the comments, and I promise to read them more often and provide whatever help I can. If there's some details you missed in this, I'll try to put it into a future screen cast, sort of a "in case you were confused" type of thing.
-This was my first screencast, and I was really just testing out the process. I promise more of a storyboard atmosphere and better structure in the future, and I'll have some graphics put in as well to help you understand what's going on. I'll try to get something that tracks my keystrokes too, but I think that might end up cluttering the screen, so I'll wait to hear what you guys have to say. And yes, that includes improving the horrific audio. Since I was using the microphone in my webcam, it made me sound like I was 10 years old, and inside a plastic drum.
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This tutorial is Day 1 in a series - Go to Day 2
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User Comments
( ADD YOURS )Adam Kerow August 12th
Nice Man This was useful, could we like have more cinema 4D Tuts, like rigging and animating a character or somthing like that thanks again Harrison.
( )John doe August 12th
That would be sweet
( )Jesper August 12th
Nice tut – just what I needed
( )When is the “sequel” coming? Looking very much forward to it.
Thanks again for sharing.
human0id August 12th
Cool stuff and man, you are fast!
Now I’m waiting for the more advanced stuff.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
greetz
( )human0id
Lenny August 12th
Character rigging for C4d would be wonderful!
( )Thanks for this tutorial!
Juan August 12th
good job,more C4D please!
( )Rafael Guerra August 12th
“living an energy drink ad” LOL
( )Cool tip, thanks.
hobofan August 12th
nice tutorial, looking forward to the next one.
also, some matchmoving together with c4d would be really awsome
( )Harrison Ambs August 12th
I’m not going to start part two until probably this weekend. Let this sucker sit and stew, so I get some ideas for what to do next time.
So if there are any things you’d like to see next time (background music? everyone a Beatles fan? good.), just go ahead and leave it here in the comments.
Oh, and you should all email Kaleb and tell him how awesome I am. I’m not sure if that will have any bearing on anything, but he’s really busy, and it’s fun to mess with people.
( )illd August 13th
Hi Harrison,
very well explained tutorial. Great detailed tips on organizing and taking care off the cam data – I never assumed that there could be some wrong values by transfering the cam data, I thought thats pure math. Thanks for pointing out that this could go wrong, too. Maxon ain´t Adobe you where right
What I suggest to see in a next Tutorial is the other way: Transfer an AE cam to C4D. I know, at the first look it makes no sense because the cam tools in C4D are much better, but sometimes it would be cool to animate in AE´s 2.5D space and add a real 3D render afterwards. Also I use a lot of expressions inside AE on the camera (i.e. Wiggle), I dont know how to simulate this in C4D, so just sending the AE Camdata over seems much cooler to me.
Oh, and here I just found a script which can handle the data translation:
http://aenhancers.com/viewtopic.php?t=653
Maybee you find the time to check it out, I am in a hurry right know…
( )Harrison Ambs August 13th
Thanks for the kudos. As for the AE > C4D, I’m not a fan of AE’s camera. I come from a 3D background, and I’m spoiled from having a camera in a 3D program, so I don’t do much with AE’s cam.
If you’re talking about putting expressions and random movement onto a 3D camera in C4D, there’s a phenomenal set of plugins called ‘CG Tools’ that are available for C4D. I’d recommend trying those out, the results are spectacular.
http://sugarfilmproduction.com/CStools.zip
But I’ll definitely check out the AE trick you mentioned, and try it out for a bit, maybe make a tutorial in the future to help everyone else out. Just because I don’t do something, doesn’t mean it doesn’t work (I have to keep remembering that…).
( )miki August 13th
i Definitely Agree with illd !
I find it sometimes much easier to get the camera movement i want in AE, rather than C4D. And there are alot of tuts about the C4D>to AE, but not AE>to C4D :\
CStools are cool. but theyre not focused on camera work.
in AE you can find some plugins to simulate a Very convincing Handycam\shaky motion, and thats what i Personally wanna export to C4D.
i just wish someone could teach us that…
p.s-great tut! way to go, my friend!
illd August 13th
Hi Harrison,
I totally agree with you – animating the AE Camera is crap. But I came from AE to 3D and got used to this crap
It is like learning it right to do it the wrong way. CSTools look like a nobrainer, but I hadnt the time to figure it all out – its a big bundle;)
Anyway, i did today a quick test on the ae2C4D script and it worked nicely, only thing you have to do is set up the FOV manually in C4D.
There is one thing I wish you could show up in your follow up tutorial: How to render out a uvw-pass out of C4D? I set it up like all the other (nicely rendered) passes, but it is just a black pic.
miki August 13th
…[oh! and i forgot! :]
hehe..
( )Dont forget about Mocha that’s build into AE now, Harrison!
Sometimes you need to track footage in AE, and only Then import it to C4D for implanting 3D objects….Hence, an AE>to C4D is just screaming out: “ooh! ooh! me! pick me for your next tutorial!”
illd August 13th
Thats a good point with mocha, but you gotta be aware of it – mocha aint a 3D tracker – which means you won´t get any usefull data out of it using it for a real 3D matchmove. Although you can do some “2.5D” tracking which will look 3D in the end, you cannot use it in a 3D application.
( )miki August 13th
Seriously?
i thought Mocha has parameters for X, Y, & Z space [like the old AE tracker]…
You wanna tell me the only option is using Boujou or something?
Sheesh…thats quite a tough one..to figure out these kinda softwares.. :\
illd August 13th
Hey Miki,
yeah 3D Matchmoving is really an “art” – I use for about 6 months now syntheyes, and sometimes it works nearly as a onecklick solution, and at othertimes you have to analyze every frame of your shot to find out what is wrong. If you are looking for a good and cheap 3D tracker go for PF Hoe:
http://toolfarm.stores.yahoo.net/pifapf21.html It is easy to use and worth every cent.
Sam Oshin August 13th
i can’t import the .aec file… do I need a C4d plug-in for After Effects? Where do i get one?
Thanks
( )illd August 16th
It’s in your C4D “Exchange Plugins” Folder, copy it to the AE “Plugins” Folder
( )Jason August 17th
I’m having the same problem. The plug-in in my Exchange folder does not work for some reason. I’m running CS4 with R10 would that make a difference?
( )illd August 19th
I am not shure about CS4 – But CS3 Works fine, with R10 and r11
Rob August 19th
Yeah, I have this problem export the .aec file to AE. It doesn’t import! :S
I guess I need my After Effects CS4 to work with Cinema 4D r11, not r10?
Jesper August 20th
Hi Jason,
I just spent 3 hours solving the same problem. Seems to be related to the render folder. It works if I render to a folder on my dekstop (and assigning composition tags to the camera). The renderfiles (TGA) and .aec should also have the same name.
I’n not 100% sure if all of the above are nescesary, but at least it works
Hope this helps you.
Nic August 13th
Great tut! This is VERY promising. Really looking forward to tons of C4D/AE tuts!
( )Deacon August 14th
I would love to see the same tutorial done except importing Maya’s cameras in AE.
( )JMDesign August 14th
This is a great tutorial! You run through a lot of the basics that C4D/AE people need to know.
( )Jim Montgomery August 15th
Finally someone that uses Cinema 4D
( )Manny August 15th
This tut is very helpful. Im so looking forward to your next tut about using compositing tags… Please write more tutorial on Cinema 4D and After effects integration.
thanks so much!
( )f1a5h84ck August 17th
Thanks for the nice tut! It is very useful. But I want to ask you one thing — сould you please pronounce a little bit slower in your next tutorials. And make all the actions while screencasting a little bit slower too so the people can understand you better… Thanks for that!
( )Nic August 18th
Aw, come on. Really? I think he´s great. Sort of a “Andrew Kramer flow”..
( )f1a5h84ck August 18th
I mean it, man…
Harrison is fast. English is not a native language for me but I do know English very well. And even though I missed something in his speech… 30fps is not enough for Harrison while screencasting I believe. 
illd August 19th
Hmm, I am no native speaker, too. But to me Harrisons normal pace is perfect!
( )LD August 19th
Just what I was looking for. Thank you a thousand times.
( )thetaint August 19th
didn’t work with CS4 for me.
( )Rob August 19th
Man, I like the way you talk. It’s better to talk a little faster than the boring slow pace. You managed to help me learn this tutorial real quick!
Great tut BTW. Everything you taught me was very easy and understandable.
( )Diego Camacho August 21st
Amazing tutorial, thank you very much, in the begining i cant import into my AE Cs4, but i copy the file C4D.plugin ( app/Cinema4D R11/ Exchange Plugins / Aftereffects / mac os x / CS3/ CD4Mac.zip)
( )into the After Effects Plugins Folder .. and Works.. thank you for the tutorial!!
Nic August 24th
Harrison, where´d you go man?
So looking forward to that sequel. Cant wait.
Take care / Nic
( )Franco Bertoncini Andrade August 27th
Great tutorial, it helped me a LOT! Thanks buddy!
( )Fetch August 28th
I’m really looking forward to the next Tutorial. Love to see some workflows on exporting Deph passes for AE.
( )Marty November 27th
Why my Cinema 4D 11.5 doesn’t work with my After Effects….:( Do I need a different plug-in or what??? Can you please help me, because it was working find with my Version 11, but not with 11.5….:(
( )zapman January 31st
not very usefull…try to change particles to red color or something and you will see it
( )