Exporting Text from After Effects to Cinema 4D

Topics Covered in This Cinema 4D Tutorial:

AE to C4D Export, Text Export Options, Extruding Text, the Cineware Effect

Exercise Preview

Exercise Overview

In this exercise, you'll master the essential workflow for seamlessly transferring 3D layers between After Effects and Cinema 4D. This integration workflow is fundamental for motion graphics professionals who need to combine After Effects' powerful compositing capabilities with Cinema 4D's robust 3D modeling and rendering features. By the end of this tutorial, you'll understand how to leverage both applications' strengths while maintaining complete control over your creative vision.

Previewing the Final Video

1. Let's examine the final result you'll be creating. If you're currently in After Effects, keep it open but switch to your Desktop.

2. On the Desktop, navigate to Class Files > C4D in AE Class > AE Text to C4D > Preview Movie and double-click Hard Candy Animation.mp4.

3. Study these key elements as you watch:

   • Two professionally rendered 3D models with realistic surface properties
   • Dynamic animated lighting that reveals the text dramatically
   • Smooth camera movement that enhances the dimensional quality

4. Replay the video to analyze the lighting transitions and camera movement, then close it when you're ready to begin.

Now that you've seen the professional result we're aiming for, let's set up your project files and begin the integration process.

Getting Started

1. In Adobe After Effects, if you have a project open, choose File > Save to preserve your current work.

2. Choose File > Close All Projects to start with a clean workspace.

3. Choose File > Open Project and:

   • Navigate to Desktop > Class Files > C4D in AE Class > AE Text to C4D
   • Double-click on Hard Candy—Started.aep to open it.

4. Choose File > Save As and:

   • Name the file Your Name—Hard Candy
   • Save it into Desktop > Class Files > C4D in AE Class > AE Text to C4D.

With your project properly set up, you're ready to explore the powerful export capabilities that make After Effects and Cinema 4D such a formidable combination.

Exporting to C4D

Cinema 4D Lite files can be created directly in After Effects using the Export command, representing one of the most significant workflow improvements in modern motion graphics production. This approach allows you to create cameras, lights, 3D layers, and animation entirely within After Effects' familiar interface, then leverage Cinema 4D exclusively for integrating native 3D models and advanced texturing capabilities. For professionals transitioning into 3D workflows, this method provides a gentler learning curve by building upon existing After Effects expertise rather than requiring complete mastery of Cinema 4D from the start.

1. Move the playhead to the beginning of the timeline and press the spacebar on your keyboard to preview the current animation.

   • Stop the preview at any time by pressing the spacebar again.

   You'll notice that this project consists of carefully orchestrated camera and light animation that dramatically reveals the text hard candy. While the current flat text serves its purpose, it lacks the dimensional impact that extruded 3D geometry with professional texturing would provide—exactly what we'll achieve through the Cinema 4D integration.

2. Choose File > Export > Maxon Cinema 4D Exporter and:

   • In the dialog box click the radio button for Extrude Text as Shapes—Highest fidelity export
   • Click OK.

   NOTE: This export process performs a sophisticated conversion where all 3D layers become native Cinema 4D objects while preserving critical properties. Your lights maintain their intensity and falloff characteristics, cameras retain their focal length and depth of field settings, and all positional animation keyframes translate directly. This seamless translation is possible because After Effects' file linking system allows real-time updates between applications—changes made in Cinema 4D immediately reflect in your After Effects composition.

3. Navigate to Desktop > Class Files > C4D in AE Class > AE Text to C4D > Media > C4D

   • Change the file name to Hard Candy Text.c4d
   • Click Save

4. In the Project panel click on the 03—C4D folder to select it and:

   • Press Cmd–I (Mac) or CTRL–I (Windows) or choose File > Import > Import File
   • Navigate to Desktop > Class Files > C4D in AE Class > AE to C4D > Media > C4D
   • Double-click on Hard Candy Text.c4d

5. Drag Hard Candy Text.c4d into the Timeline and place it below the Spot Light layer.

   • The initial appearance will be rough—this is expected behavior that we'll refine once we properly extrude and texture the text in Cinema 4D.

6. Press Cmd–S (Mac) or CTRL–S (Windows) or choose File > Save

7. With the C4D layer selected press Cmd–E (Mac) or CTRL–E (Windows) or choose Edit > Edit Original.

   Note: Cinema 4D will take a moment to launch. If this is your first time opening Cinema 4D, you'll be prompted to either log in with your existing Maxon account or create a new one. This account provides access to additional resources and ensures you receive important software updates.

   If you haven't yet configured Cinema 4D preferences as covered in Exercise 1A, complete that setup now for optimal performance.

8. The Timeline is located directly below the Perspective viewport. Move the playhead to 02;00 (2 seconds) or later so you can clearly see the hard candy text as it's revealed by the animated lighting.

   NOTE: If your timeline still displays in frames rather than timecode, CTRL–click (Mac) or Right–click (Windows) on the timeline and choose Options > Use Time Format for easier navigation.

9. In the Object Manager (the panel labeled Objects) click the plus sign next to the first item.

   Note: The After Effects layer hierarchy has been intelligently converted into Cinema 4D's nested object structure. The top-level item, named after your project and composition, serves as a parent null object containing all converted elements. Directly convertible items appear at their proper hierarchy levels, while complex elements are organized within additional null objects for clean management.

10. Click the plus sign next to the hard candy object. This expands the view to show all individual letter shapes that comprised the text layer in After Effects.

    Note: Select the Hard Candy object in the Object Manager and examine the Attribute Manager below to confirm that it's functioning as a Null object—a container for organizing related elements without rendering properties of its own.

11. Click on the h(0) object to select it and notice that the Attribute Manager identifies it as an Extrude Object.

    Note: In Cinema 4D's architecture, text objects exist as splines (mathematical curves) with no inherent visual appearance. The Extrude Object acts as a modifier that gives these splines dimensional form and rendering properties.

12. Click back on the hard candy null to select it.

    While the text has been extruded, most of its geometry extends below the Floor Comp plane, making it invisible in the current view. We need to adjust the null's position to properly reveal the dimensional text.

13. Click on the Move tool or press E on the keyboard to activate it.

14. Click the Coordinate System button to switch from object coordinates to world coordinates .

    Note: You can also press W on the keyboard for this coordinate system toggle—a faster approach for experienced users.

15. In the Perspective view, hover over the Green arrow gizmo and drag it upward until the extruded text becomes clearly visible.

    NOTE: For precise positioning, use the Coord. tab in the Attribute Manager to enter exact values. We set the Y value to -860 for optimal positioning in this scene.

    

16. Click the minus button next to hard candy to collapse it for cleaner workspace organization.

17. Click the plus sign next to the Floor Comp null object to reveal the floor plane and:

    • Click off the green check to the right of the plane to hide it from rendering.
      -Click the minus button next to Floor Comp null to collapse it.

18. Click the plus sign next to the Wall Comp null object to reveal the wall plane and:

    • Click off the green check to the right of this plane to hide it from rendering.
      -Click the minus button next to Wall Comp null to collapse it.

19. Press Cmd–S (Mac) or CTRL–S (Windows) or choose File > Save Project.

20. Return to After Effects. The Cineware effect will automatically refresh to reflect your Cinema 4D modifications.

Now that you've established the basic Cinema 4D integration, let's optimize how After Effects renders and displays your 3D content through the powerful Cineware effect.

Adjusting the Cineware Effect in After Effects

The Cineware effect, developed by Maxon specifically for seamless Cinema 4D integration, provides extensive control over how After Effects renders and displays native C4D files. Understanding its rendering modes is crucial for efficient workflow management—the default preview mode prioritizes speed over quality, which is perfect for iterative design work but inadequate for final output evaluation. As a professional, you'll frequently adjust these settings based on your current workflow phase.

1. Make sure the [Hard Candy Text.c4d] layer is selected and locate the Effect Controls panel.

2. In the Render Settings group locate the Renderer menu and change it to Current (Draft).

   This renderer provides significantly improved preview quality by eliminating the distracting 3D grid overlay and enabling accurate shading calculations, while still maintaining reasonable preview speeds for interactive work.

   NOTE: The renderer quality hierarchy from lowest to highest is: Viewport (Draft), Viewport, Current (Draft), Current. In production workflows, use lower quality settings during creative development and switch to higher quality renderers for client presentations and final delivery. Each step up in quality increases render time exponentially, so choose strategically based on your immediate needs.

3. In the Timeline, turn off the eye switch for the original hard candy text layer to hide it and avoid visual confusion.

4. Press spacebar to preview the animation featuring your new 3D text from Cinema 4D.

   • Press spacebar again at any time to stop the preview and analyze specific frames.

5. Press Cmd–S (Mac) or CTRL–S (Windows) or choose File > Save to save your After Effects project.

With the basic integration working smoothly, it's time to return to Cinema 4D and refine the 3D text to achieve professional-quality results that will impress clients and audiences.

Adjusting Extrusion Settings in C4D

The default export settings from After Effects to Cinema 4D prioritize compatibility over visual quality, often producing adequate but unpolished results. Converting text to outline splines successfully preserves your animation layout and timing, but frequently introduces undesirable blocky edges and faceted surfaces that immediately signal amateur-level work to discerning viewers. Professional motion graphics demand smooth, refined geometry that can withstand close inspection and high-resolution output.

1. Return to the Hard Candy Text.c4d file in Cinema 4D.

   Note: If you closed Cinema 4D, simply highlight the .c4d layer in After Effects and press Cmd–E (Mac) or CTRL–E (Windows) or choose Edit > Edit Original to relaunch the application with your file.

2. Locate the hard candy null object in the Object Manager and click on the plus button to expand it.

   We'll streamline the extrusion hierarchy first, as the export process often creates redundant objects that complicate material application and scene management later in the workflow.

3. Click on the XXX(10) object to select it.

   • Hold down Cmd (Mac) or CTRL (Windows) and click on the (4) object to add it to your selection.
   • Press the Delete (Mac) or Backspace (Windows) key on the keyboard to remove both unnecessary objects.

4. CTRL–click (Mac) or Right–click (Windows) in the Object Manager and choose Unfold All from the contextual menu.

   • Scroll down until you can see all of the Extrusion objects and Spline objects nested within the hard candy hierarchy.

   Note: You may need to resize the Object Manager panel by dragging its bottom edge to accommodate all objects in a single view—this makes the reorganization process more efficient.

5. Double-click on the h(0) Extrude object and rename it hard candy. Press Return (Mac) or Enter (Windows) to confirm the change.

   We're consolidating all individual letter splines under this single extrude modifier, which simplifies material application and provides consistent extrusion properties across all text elements.

6. Systematically drag all remaining spline objects into the hard candy extrude object. Organize them so that h(0) appears first in the hierarchy and y(9) is positioned last.

   

   Note: Don't be concerned that only the first spline appears extruded initially—we'll activate hierarchical processing to affect all child splines simultaneously.

7. Select the y(9) extrude object , hold Shift and click on the a(1) object to select the entire range of redundant extrude objects:

   • Press Delete (Mac) or Backspace (Windows) to remove them all efficiently.

8. Click on the consolidated hard candy Extrude Object.

   • In the Attribute Manager click on the Object tab.
   • Enable the Hierarchical switch. This applies consistent extrusion properties to all child splines automatically.

9. Press Cmd–R (Mac) or CTRL–R (Windows) or click the button to render the active viewport.

   Examine the letter edges closely—you'll notice pronounced faceting, particularly on curved letterforms. This low-resolution geometry is unacceptable for professional delivery.

10. Select the h(0) Spline object, hold Shift and click on the y(9) Spline object to select all splines that feed into the extrusion process.

11. In the Attribute Manager, click the Object tab and increase the Number value to 24.

    • Press Cmd–R (Mac) or CTRL–R (Windows) to render again. The dramatic improvement in edge smoothness demonstrates why attention to these technical details separates professional work from amateur output.

12. In the Object Manager select the hard candy extrude object and navigate to the Caps tab in the Attribute Manager.

13. Apply these professional finishing touches to the cap attributes:

    • Set Bevel Shape to Curve for sophisticated edge treatment
    • Set Size to 5 cm for subtle but noticeable refinement

    • In the Curve section, carefully adjust each anchor point to create a gentle downward-sloping curve that will catch light beautifully:

      

    Since the camera never reveals the text's back surface, its bevel settings won't impact the final render. However, Cinema 4D offers Separate Bevel Controls in the Attributes panel for projects requiring different front and back cap treatments.

14. Press Cmd–R (Mac) or CTRL–R (Windows) or click the button to render the active viewport.

    The text now exhibits the sophisticated dimensional quality that elevates motion graphics from functional to exceptional.

15. Press Cmd–S (Mac) or CTRL–S (Windows) or choose File > Save Project.

16. Return to After Effects and preview your completed professional animation by pressing Spacebar on your keyboard.

17. Press Cmd–S (Mac) or CTRL–S (Windows) or choose File > Save to preserve your After Effects project.