Cinema 4D Studio R14
Type: 3D Pro level CG animation, modeling and matte painting
Platforms: PC & Mac (x64 required)
Cost:
Full Versions: $995 (Prime Edition) to $3,695.00 (Studio Edition);
Upgrades: $395 – $995
Release Date: Available Now
Official Website: Click Here
Download Demo: Click Here
Samples: Click Here
Review Issue: Issue #90 (08/13)
Reviewed By: Mark Bremmer
Maxon is aggressively pursuing the Pro market with a software that has common-user sensibilities. With the release of Cinema4D release 14 (C4D r14), Maxon has shown its dedication to the users by increasing sophistication of the software without compromising its ease of use.
I’ll be highlighting the latest improvements and additions that are new in this release. (To read my last review for more overall info on this series, go to: Studio Edition r13 review.)
While there is a significant update list, I’ll be focusing on the new features that are most relevant to the micro-budget filmmaker.
Ease of Use
Maxon continues to embrace the KISS philosophy (Keep It Simple, Stupid) making life easier in a very good way for the users. This philosophy reveals itself in simple mouse-overs in the interface and scene building where objects automatically highlight and selected objects are shown with a highlighted border. Since options and complexity of the scene building continues to escalate, the Commander lets users search for a host of items including objects, tools, tags and more. Then grouping or sorting to colors and other user decided options makes the workflow faster.
I’ve never accused Maxon of rushing to implement new ideas into their software. However, I’ve celebrated the way they implement new options in a rock-solid fashion. New with r14 is the ability the use dynamic guides, snapping and work plane alignments. These are not new concepts to the 3D creative world but now have finally arrived in C4D and are very easy to use.
Depth of Options
For the micro film maker, several enhancements stand out—way out.
Camera calibration guarantees the matching of photo to digital spaces.
Camera Calibration is one of these amazing features. For still plates, users can load in a photographic image and then, quickly, lay on guides using a camera tag that instructs C4D how to engage the camera, so perspective and object movements are always spot-on for composed CG (“Computer Generated”) action. Since micro-budget creators folks are seeing the advantages of shooting and composing on green screen more and more, this makes for enticing options. No more trying to scrub in a lens value with slider controls.
Camera morphing allows for smooth blending from individual still cameras.
There is also a Motion Camera tag that lets you more easily control camera movement/transitions through a scene including smooth moves or believable shoulder mounted “unsteadiness.” There isn’t a native Camera movement matching ability yet, so connecting live footage to a scene in C4D will still need to be done with a third party software like SynthEyes, which will interpret video footage and export camera data to 3D apps. [Editor’s Note: Although Cinema 4D r14 does not have an internal camera movement matching ability, Adobe’s After Effects has been working toward this concept since CS5 and have now included a working version with After Effects CC, which can export data into the full version of C4d–or the LE version C4D, which is also included with After Effects CC. -JH]
Results with the new sculpting tools. Copyrights from left to right: Matthias Bober, Christian Rambow, Sébastien Florand.
Sculpting is another enhancement that now lets users create or deform organic objects without the need to go to third party software like Z-Brush or Mudbox. While C4D’s sculpting ability doesn’t go into the millions of polygons that other third party software can, the extent of the detail created along with using Nurbs will create about as much detail as we need for filmmaking.
For our action-adventure filmmakers, the MoGraph component now also has Break Connectors and Plastic Springs. Break Connectors let you assign tolerances to objects and if the tolerances are exceeded, the connections start coming apart in realistic fashions. Plastic Springs is perfect for simulations that get deformed upon collision like plastic, metal, cardboard etc. Very nice for virtual action.
A personal favorite of mine is the new aerodynamics engine that can be engaged for particles. Falling paper, leaves and more now has believable motion and can be composited into scenes very easily.
For another improvement, C4D files can now be exported to Nuke for compositing and also seen inside of Photoshop – a harbinger of things to come in r15, now that After Effects CC is including a light version of Cinema 4D. (C4D files have been able to export to AE for some time but, with CC, now there is a new pipeline, CINEWARE, for enhanced interactive connectivity.) The FBX export finally allows for exchange with other 3D apps if your work flow requires that.
Performance
The author used C4D while contributing to the 2013 ESPY awards animations shown on stage.
The big ugly gorilla of 3D work is render times. Maxon has improved the photo realistic abilities of C4D with sampling controls and better support for radiosity maps and better tuning of results vs. render time. For very photo realistic results, DOF (“Depth of Field”), motion and the like, the Physical Render engine is now faster with its operations, as well. For those of modest means but major renders, there are many commercially available render farms to get your creation out of C4D and into the editing bay even faster.
Value
C4D Studio is a solid, if expensive, addition to the filmmaker’s tool box. (Filmmakers who don’t need some of the more advanced features included in the Studio edition, can look into the Prime or Broadcast editions, which carve thousands off the price tag.) Maxon has integrated their software very tightly with the Adobe suite of products which can be a tremendous work-flow time saver for filmmaking in general. The very robust capabilities of C4D make it an amazing palette for a whole range of storytelling needs.
Final Comments
There are two kinds of companies: Ones that create things and force users to adapt and companies that listen to users and make life better. Maxon is the latter. Any time I’ve had a tech issue, support is fast and on target. There is a thriving user community and C4D is entrenched in the broadcast world, so its pedigree is one of speed and stability without sacrificing diversity of ability. If you have any need of 3D, it’s very smart to include this software for your near and long term needs.
[Editor’s Note: Cinema 4D r15 will be coming out next month with even more great features! Be sure to check back here at MFM for more information on what you can expect from Maxon’s Cinema4D, the most user-friendly 3D pipeline we’ve tested to date . -JH]
Mark Bremmer
Mark Bremmer has operated his own commercial studio for over 18 years. He’s been fortunate enough to work for clients like Caterpillar, Colgate, Amana, Hormel Foods, Universal Studios Florida, and The History Channel producing stills, digital mattes and animations. Mark contracts regularly as an art mercenary with production houses that shall remain nameless by written agreements. If you've seen shows like The Voice, The Grammy or the ESPY Awards, then you've also seen some of Mark's day-job work.