Cineversity

I was wondering if there was a pattern to the tutorials for beginners? I would like to start from the very beginning.
Jeff

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for your question. There is no pattern given, not a simple and small one, at least. I have explained it a little bit here, what I personally think is a way to go. http://www.cineversity.com/forums/viewthread/796/

A while ago, a few friends and I have created a very dense and fast introduction course, to give you some depth and overview. My idea was to have an Mentor Like group inside of the PiXELCORPS for CINEMA 4D. These are free tutorials and please check them out, my favorite is here
http://www.cineversity.com/vidplaytut/textures_and_storytelling
...but you will find the complete series if you go to Instructor >Pixelcorps

The application itself is in use from so many different “disciplines” that it is not an easy task to just learn everything. Think only about the difference in “2D Architectural Visualization” and “Character Animation”. Yes there is certainly a common ground, but the differences are more prominent. A reason why I never would give for example a “hands on class” in the same way for a different group.

There is of course a simple formula, to go along. Modeling, texturing, lighting, animating, camera and rendering. If you try to get fist an idea of the simplest form of each, you might feel more where your preferences are or that of your target field in the 3D work. Each of these should start with the idea to get the interface to know, then the parts and objects to use and how to combine all of that. If you followed the link above, my suggestions there might cover the initial “basics”.

Each of the six fields (and there are some special ones on top of that, like “coding”, has result in the past in special jobs descriptions in larger studios. Which means only, each of these fields have enough depth, to fill a job description easily. To find the balance in the mix is simpler, if a) your target field is known and b) you ask here what could help you to achieve that.

From what I have said above, it all sounds like basic stuff and perhaps not really clear, but answering questions to C4D users since eight years on a daily basis, and using C4D since 1996, shows me, the basics are the most important parts. Again, the basics by itself are already a long story.

Perhaps you share your target to get some input from people here. :o) Let me know, I try to point something out to you.

All the best

Sassi

Thank you for your response. I will follow your advice and post any questions I have as they arise.

At this point, i will be using C4D to create broadcast graphics for a news program.

Hey Jeff,

Certainly a clear answer :o) I assume that you use After Effects already?
http://www.cineversity.com/vidplaylist/after_effects_integration/cinema_4d_after_effects_integration-adding_layers

From my point of view, besides the very basics, I would invest time in anything that belongs to the “MoGraph” part of CINEMA 4D, and the way After Effects is connected to C4D.
I would suggest to go through the Menu MoGraph, and explore each object from there. Click on the Tutorial tab here in the interface, then there is an option “Latest Tutorials:  (x) show all” click on the “show all”, to enable the options in the left area, like “Diciplines” and “Utilizes”, etc. By default it filters too much ;o) ...or use the Search. (I give you here a short list of themes to have some terms and ideas to start with.

Modeling is of course as well part of this field, but I would focus during the start mainly on the options given to import from Illustrator, to create Splines, and how to produce objects from there.
http://www.cineversity.com/vidplaylist/power_integration_tour/basic_flying_logo_part_one

My believe is as well that this field benefits from a good understanding of light and camera work. Which leads to animation, where any knowledge from After Effects will support you here. (Learn it from the scratch -keyframes,—F-Curves, avoid supporting tools or plug ins, they will limit you on the long run.)

Broadcast Graphic, if I understand that correctly, is a subset of Motion Graphic. Certainly a field in which texturing is an important part. Texturing means, how to use the options in the “Material”, and to get clear about the projections (the way textures and shaders work on the surface).

I know you asked to start from the “ground”. The Quickstart Manual, the tutorials in the Help Menu, as well the MAXON Quick-Tips, should be known. Nothing that takes too much time, but certainly worth it, besides anything that you will find here.

The mix of these should give you a good start, and if you see something that you would like to re-recreate, you might send a link of a video and ask. Motivation and curiosity is certainly the best way to learn C4D. I like to help there.

Just a default note, I like to use the forum (no pm’s no e-mails) so many people can take advantage from it. There is not “stupid” question as one mentioned it today (about his own post, which wasn’t in that way at all of course), or something “embarrassing” to mention, as well a quote from today. Only arrogant people believe they know everything, and I tend to ignore such people more and more. Exploration and playfulness have certainly enriched this field of work more than any opinion about it.

So, please ask, because anything that is not cleared for you, will limit your success later on.

YES, there is certainly more to that field you are targeting, but the package I have given you already is enough to start with.

Good Luck

Sassi