Mograph Techniques: Mixing 2D and 3D with After Effects and Cinema 4D

Create 3D objects in CINEMA 4D and seamlessly composite them inside a 2D project in After Effects, using the CINEWARE plugin.

Mixing 2D and 3D elements from CINEMA 4D and After Effects is a snap with CINEWARE. In this installment of Mograph Techniques, EJ Hassenfratz shows you a workflow for creating 3D objects in C4D and seamlessly compositing them inside a 2D project in After Effects, while using the CINEWARE plugin. He starts off in C4D, preparing the 3D objects and materials and giving them a basic "2D" look, before showing off more creative techniques for emulating a 2D style with bend deformers and Spline Wraps. Then he explores how to use the Dynamics and MoGraph modules to add real-world physics and animation to your objects. Finally, EJ shows you how to composite everything, 3D and 2D elements alike, in After Effects using CINEWARE.

Introduction

• Welcome
• Choosing the right version of CINEMA 4D
• Using the exercise files

1. 2D/3D Workflow Setup

• Looking at the animation goal
• Adding materials, cameras, and lights to the scene

2. Bending Objects with Spline Wrap

• Creating a ribbon animation as a transition
• Using Bend deformers
• Using the Spline shader to add text to the ribbon texture

3. Using Dynamics and MoGraph

• Applying dynamics to text
• Creating a cube transition with MoGraph
• Making a 3D globe animation

4. Using CINEWARE to Work with C4D Projects in After Effects

• Preparing to import into After Effects using CINEWARE
• Importing CINEWARE layers into After Effects
• Using multipasses
• Extracting 3D scene data

Conclusion

• Next steps