Cinema 4D is a powerful digital content creation (DCC) software known for fueling Hollywood productions. The good news is that it’s accessible to any designer interested in animation, effects, and more.
In this article, we’ll break down how to use Cinema 4D and the tools the software offers to make your project look cinematic.
Short on time? Here’s what you need to know.
- Cinema 4D is a robust motion graphics and special effects capabilities for animation, film, and television
- The platform partners with Adobe and training organizations to enhance your skills on the platform
- Cinema 4D has compatible software from its parent company, Maxom, which includes ZBrush, Forger, Red Giant, Redshift, and Universe
- There is a free trial available and a bundle deal from Maxon for $99.91 per month
What is Maxon Cinema 4D?
Cinema 4D is 3D graphics software developed by Maxon. It offers a comprehensive set of tools for modeling, texturing, lighting, animation, and rendering 3D objects and scenes. The software also includes advanced features for character rigging and animation, particle simulations, and special effects.
What Maxon Cinema 4D is known for:
- Modeling and sculpting authentic characters and scenes
- Animation capabilities that are standard for a AAA game or feature film
- MoGraph tools that enhance any scene
- Collaborative rendering capabilities
How much does Cinema 4D cost?
Free Trial?: Yes, Maxom offers a 14-day free trial of Maxom One, which includes Cinema 4D
Education Discount: $199 per year (Classroom), $60 per year (Student), $60 per year (Teacher)
Maxon One: $99.91 per month, which includes Cinema 4D, Forger, Red Giant, Redshift, Universe, and ZBrush)
C4D + Redshift: $81.91 and includes Maxon’s GPU renderer, Redshift
4 ways to use Cinema 4D.
1. Modeling and sculpting authentic characters and scenes.
Cinema 4D is a powerful tool for creating unique characters and scenes for your animation or game design. The software includes tools like:
- Poly Pen to adjust points, edges, and surfaces without switching tools
- Maxon’s Physical Renderer, which allows for node-base materials
- BodyPaint 3D to create detailed textures and quick painting of objects
- Thicken Generator to add dimension to models
- ZRemesher for easy retopology
- Moves to turn 2D pictures into a 3D model
2. Animate like a AAA game or feature film.
Cinema 4D lives up to its name with innovative and easy ways to animate characters, particles, and objects that look professional for your future film or game project.
The platform’s animation tools include:
- Car Rig for animating vehicles with an easy preset
- Cappuccino for using mouse movements as character positions
- Bullet Dynamics for realistic movements between objects
- Toon Rig to create fantastical cartoonish movements and distortions for characters
- Moves for capturing facial and body movement with a phone and applying them to characters
- Pyro to light fire or explosions to objects
3. MoGraph tools that enhance any scene.
Bring your 3D design to life with Cinema 4D’s motion graphics tools, which the platform is known for. These MoGraph tools include:
- Mixamo Control Rig, which pulls from Adobe’s Mixamo library to access preset motions for characters
- Object Tracking to insert 3D objects into real-world camera shots
- Field Systems that link and layer effects
- Voronoi Fracturing for shattering and disrupting objects
4. Collaborative rendering capabilities.
One of Cinema 4D's perks is its rendering compatibility with software from its parent company, Maxom, which includes ZBrush, Forger, Red Giant, Redshift, and Universe.
The software also includes rendering tools like:
- Magic Bullet Looks: Preset tool for film looks and filtering
- V-Ray: A rendering tool for architecture and interior design projects
- Take System: A plugin that allows you to save Cinema 4D parameters
- Arnold: AutoDesk’s CPU renderer that bridges with Cinema 4D
- Corona: A photo-realitic renderer
- OctaneRender: GPU renderer known for speed and output
How to use Cinema 4D with After Effects.
Another reason Hollywood 3D designers and film professionals favor Cinema 4D is its integration with Adobe After Effects. The only trick is that you need to use a Maxom interface called Cineware to make the software speak to each other.
To use Cinema 4D with After Effects, follow these commands:
- To install Cinema 4D, select the Creative Cloud app > Installed apps > After Effects > Addons > Cinema 4D > Install
- Use the Cineware plugin to import and export .cd4 files
- To work with a live link between the software, in Cinema 4D click Edit > Preferences > Communication > Live Link > Live Link Enabled At Startup
- To export to Cinema 4D, select File > Export > Maxon Cinema 4D Exporter
How to use Cinema 4D Team Render.
Team Render from Cinema 4D allows you to share render tasks with your team. This feature is a huge advantage for studios looking to assign tasks and speed up the render process.
To use Cinema 4D Team Render, follow these steps:
- Step 1: Edit > Preferences > Renderer > Team Render > Click Enable Team Render
- Step 2: Render > Team Render Machines > Enter Security Token for workstations to link
- Step 3: Render > Team Render to Picture Viewer
You’ve got the download on Cinema 4D. Now, download it.
Now that you understand how to use Cinema 4D, it’s time to take it out for a spin.
Start experimenting by using Cargo from KitBash3D (that’s us). Cargo is an asset browser plugin that gives you access to over 15,000 premium 3D models and materials. With 1-click import to Cinema 4D, powerful search and filtering, and a vast library of 3D assets from a wide variety of genres, Cargo houses one of the largest asset libraries for Cinema 4D.
