CINEMA 4D R18 Essential Training: VFX

Discover how to use Cinema 4D R18 in a VFX workflow. Learn key concepts, such as how to track and solve a shot, remove lens distortion, and create basic animation.

Cinema 4D R18 Essentials: VFX introduces artists to the Cinema 4D workflow for creating VFX and integrating them into a live action shot. Learn key concepts—such as how to track and solve a shot using the Motion Tracker—that are crucial to understanding exactly how this 3D application functions. Instructor Andy Needham includes practical techniques for removing lens distortion, importing models, and creating basic animation. Additionally, Andy discusses how to create shiny, refractive, and displaced materials. He also covers how to use the Camera Calibration tag and Projection Man to build a 3D representation of a photograph.

Introduction

• Welcome
• What this course is and is not
• Exercise files

1. What Is VFX?

• What is VFX?
• How is C4D used by VFX artists?
• Examples of work
• Big-picture concepts

2. The Importance of Motion Tracking

• What is motion tracking?
• Analyzing the shot
• Setting up our project for tracking
• Automatic tracking
• Manual tracking
• Solving the 3D camera
• Adding a coordinates system
• Testing the solve with geometry
• Importing/exporting the tracked data
• Removing Lens Distortion
• Solving and saving lens profiles

3. Preparing and Animating Models for VFX

• The philosophy of VFX modeling
• Importing a model
• Cleaning up a model hierarchy
• Incorporating a model with a tracked scene
• Basic animation for VFX
• Manipulating keyframes and curves

4. Basic Materials

• Introduction to materials
• Applying materials
• Creating a shiny material
• Creating a refractive material
• Creating a displaced material
• Working with the Texture Manager

5. Basic VFX Lighting

• Overview of VFX lighting
• Working with C4D lights and shadows
• Lighting with Sky objects
• Working with GI

6. Camera Projection and Modelling

• Using the Camera Calibration tag
• Adding geometry and projected textures
• Baking textures with Projection Man
• Cleaning up textures in Photoshop
• Relighting with Physical Sky
• Animating a camera
• Reapplying lens distortion

7. Takes, Tokens, and Multipass Rendering

• What is VFX compositing?
• Setting up multipass renders
• Preparing takes
• Rendering with tokens
• Compositing multipass renders

8. Challenge

• Challenge overview
• Solution: Calibrate and model
• Solution: Bake textures and paint
• Solution: Light, render, and finish

Conclusion

• Next steps