All Topics  
Cinema 4D

 
Cinema 4D

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Cinema 4D
 
 
  Topics Cinema 4D Topic Home

CINEMA 4D is a commercial, cross-platform, high-end 3-D graphics
3D computer graphics

3D computer graphics are graphics that use a Cartesian coordinate system#Three-dimensional coordinate system representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images....
 application, produced by MAXON Computer GmbH of Friedrichsdorf
Friedrichsdorf

Friedrichsdorf is a town in the Hochtaunuskreis, some 20 km north of Frankfurt am Main in Hesse, Germany....
, Germany
Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands....
. Noted for its flexible interface and ease of use, it is capable of procedural and polygonal/subd
Catmull-Clark subdivision surface

In computer graphics, the Catmull?Clark algorithm is used in subdivision surface modeling to create smooth surfaces. It was devised by Edwin Catmull and James H....
 modelling, animating, lighting, texturing and rendering.

MA 4D is a 3-D application that is popular amongst matte painters
Matte (filmmaking)

Mattes are used in photography and special effects filmmaking to combine two or more image elements into a single, final image. Usually, mattes are used to combine a foreground image with a background image ....
 in film
Film

Film encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the film industry. Films are produced by recording images from the world with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or special effects....
 production, largely due to the BodyPaint 3D functionality.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Cinema 4D'
Start a new discussion about 'Cinema 4D'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


CINEMA 4D is a commercial, cross-platform, high-end 3-D graphics
3D computer graphics

3D computer graphics are graphics that use a Cartesian coordinate system#Three-dimensional coordinate system representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images....
 application, produced by MAXON Computer GmbH of Friedrichsdorf
Friedrichsdorf

Friedrichsdorf is a town in the Hochtaunuskreis, some 20 km north of Frankfurt am Main in Hesse, Germany....
, Germany
Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands....
. Noted for its flexible interface and ease of use, it is capable of procedural and polygonal/subd
Catmull-Clark subdivision surface

In computer graphics, the Catmull?Clark algorithm is used in subdivision surface modeling to create smooth surfaces. It was devised by Edwin Catmull and James H....
 modelling, animating, lighting, texturing and rendering.

Overview

CINEMA 4D is a 3-D application that is popular amongst matte painters
Matte (filmmaking)

Mattes are used in photography and special effects filmmaking to combine two or more image elements into a single, final image. Usually, mattes are used to combine a foreground image with a background image ....
 in film
Film

Film encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the film industry. Films are produced by recording images from the world with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or special effects....
 production, largely due to the BodyPaint 3D functionality. It is equally popular amongst motion graphics
Motion design

Motion Design is the art of graphic design within the context of motion graphics such as film, video or computer animation. Examples include the typography and graphics you see as the titles for a film, or opening sequences for television or the spinning, web-based animations, three-dimensional logo for a television channel....
 artists, thanks to its excellent integration with compositing
Compositing

Compositing is the combining of visual elements from separate sources into single images, often to create the illusion that all those elements are parts of the same scene....
 application pipelines, andh a very artist-friendly, customizable workflow and interface. It has been used for films such as We Are the Strange
We Are the Strange

We Are the Strange is an independent animated film directed by M dot Strange. It uses stop motion, CG artwork, and greenscreen effects. The film premiered on January 19, 2007 in film at the Sundance Film Festival....
, Polar Express
The Polar Express (film)

The Polar Express is a 2004 in film Academy Awards-nominated film based on the The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg.The film, written, produced, and directed by Robert Zemeckis, is entirely live action using performance capture technology, which incorporates the movements of live actors into animated characters....
, Open Season
Open Season (film)

Open Season is a 2006 in film computer animation film produced by Sony Pictures Animation and directed by Roger Allers, Jill Culton and Anthony Stacchi....
 and Monster House
Monster House (film)

Monster House is an Academy Award-nominated United States 2006 in film computer animation horror film released on July 21, 2006. Executive produced by Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg, this is the first time since Back to the Future Part III that both have been involved together....
.

The application relies on widely used computer 3-D technology
3D computer graphics

3D computer graphics are graphics that use a Cartesian coordinate system#Three-dimensional coordinate system representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images....
, which works by creating groups of "points" (known as vertices
Vertex (geometry)

In geometry, a vertex is a special kind of point which describes the corners or intersections of geometric shapes. Vertices are commonly used in computer graphics to define the corners of surfaces in 3d models, where each such point is given as a vector....
) which form surfaces when connected. The illusion of three dimensions is created by modeling objects out of multiple surfaces. Still pictures, movies and game environments (among other things) can be created with this technique.

CINEMA 4D has its own runtime scripting and programming language C.O.F.F.E.E.
COFFEE (Cinema 4D)

COFFEE is a computer scripting language that forms part of Cinema 4D, a proprietary 3D graphics application. Although presented as an acronym the letters of the word COFFEE do not appear to stand for anything, but are rather a comic reference to Java , a considerably more famous computer language....
 which is rather similar in form to JScript
JavaScript

JavaScript is a scripting language widely used for client-side web development. It was the originating Programming language dialect of the ECMAScript standard....
 and an advanced modern C++
C++

C++ is a general-purpose programming language. It is regarded as a middle-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level programming language and low-level programming language language features....
 API
Application programming interface

An application programming interface is a set of subroutine, data structures, class and/or Protocol provided by library and/or operating system Service s in order to support the building of applications....
, with an extensive SDK
SDK

SDK may refer to:* Slovak Democratic Coalition* Software development kit...
 for developing platform-independent plug-ins.

Beginning with Release 11, Cinema4D for Mac
Mac OS X

Mac OS X is a line of computer operating systems developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc., and since 2002 has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems....
 has been written in Cocoa, which ensures maximum performance by using the 64-bit architecture of modern Intel-powered Macs
Macintosh

File:Imac alu.pngMacintosh, commonly shortened to Mac, is a brand name which covers several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc....
. For non-Intel-based Macs, a 32-bit mode is available.

Four different packages have been released by MAXON: the core CINEMA 4D application, the XL-Bundle (including NET Render [3 licenses], PyroCluster, Advanced Render, MOCCA and Thinking Particles), the Studio Bundle, which includes all modules, and the Production Bundle, available only upon request, which comes with a service contract, Linux version, Renderman support and a number of other high-end studio-specific features.

Initially, CINEMA 4D was developed for Amiga
Amiga

The Amiga is a family of personal computers originally developed by Amiga Corporation. Development on the Amiga began in 1982 with Jay Miner as the principal hardware designer....
 computers in the early nineties
1990s

The 1990s or Nineties was the decade that ran from January 1, 1990 to December 31, 1999. During this time, the widespread adoption of personal computers, the Internet, and the increased economic productivity led to the equity market booms around the world, and caused an influx of wealth to the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia....
, but has since been released for Mac OS X
Mac OS X

Mac OS X is a line of computer operating systems developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc., and since 2002 has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems....
 and Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows is a series of software operating systems and graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Microsoft first introduced an operating environment named Windows in November 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces ....
.

MAXON has created a way for all users to be able to 'get into' 3D with their software by pursuing this route. For R10 there is, in addition to the installation DVD, a training DVD containing more than 6GB of video tutorials in either German or English. MAXON bundles HTML
HTML

HTML, an Acronym and initialism of HyperText Markup Language, is the predominant markup language for Web pages. It provides a means to describe the structure of text-based information in a document?by denoting certain text as links, headings, paragraphs, lists, and so on?and to supplement that text with interactive forms, embedded '...
 manuals and tutorials/videos with its software. New in release 10 are context-sensitive help menus.

CINEMA 4D has been embraced by the Adobe After Effects
Adobe After Effects

Adobe After Effects is a digital motion graphics and compositing software published by Adobe Systems. Its main purpose is for film and video post-production....
 community because of C4D's external compositing tags and object IDs, which make exporting 3-D data efficient and simple. Separate alpha and depth information may also be exported. Because the export feature also supports Apple's Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro

Final Cut Pro is a professional non-linear editing software application developed by Apple Inc. The application is only available for Mac OS X version 10.4 or later, and is a module of the Final Cut Studio product....
 and other popular software, it fits well into several post-production studio configurations.

Modules

As well as the core application (for modelling, texturing, lighting and rendering), CINEMA 4D also has several available add-on programs (modules) that expand its capabilities. These programs include:
  • Advanced Render (global illumination
    Global illumination

    Global illumination is a general name for a group of algorithms used in 3D computer graphics that are meant to add more realistic lighting to 3D scenes....
    /HDRI
    High dynamic range imaging

    In , computer graphics, and photography, high dynamic range imaging is a set of techniques that allows a greater dynamic range#Photography of luminances between light and dark areas of a scene than normal digital imaging techniques....
    , caustics
    Caustic (optics)

    In optics, a caustic is the envelope of light rays Reflection or refraction by a curved surface or object, or the Projection of that envelope of rays on another surface....
    , ambient occlusion
    Ambient occlusion

    Ambient occlusion is a shading method used in 3D computer graphics which helps add realism to local reflection models by taking into account attenuation of light due to occlusion....
     and sky simulation)
  • BodyPaint 3D (direct painting on UVW meshes)
    • With CINEMA 4D R10 the module BodyPaint 3D became integrated in the basic package
  • Dynamics (for simulating soft body and rigid body dynamics
    Rigid body dynamics

    In physics, rigid body dynamics is the study of the dynamics of rigid bodies. Unlike Point particle, which move only in three Degrees of freedom , rigid bodies occupy space and have geometrical properties, such as a center of mass, moment of inertia, etc., that characterize motion in six Degrees of freedom ....
    )
  • HAIR (simulates hair, fur, grass, etc.)
  • MOCCA (character animation
    Character animation

    Character animation is a specialized area of the animation process concerning the animation of one or more characters featured in an animated work....
     and cloth simulation)
  • MoGraph (Motion Graphics
    Motion design

    Motion Design is the art of graphic design within the context of motion graphics such as film, video or computer animation. Examples include the typography and graphics you see as the titles for a film, or opening sequences for television or the spinning, web-based animations, three-dimensional logo for a television channel....
     procedural modelling and animation toolset)
  • NET Render (to render animations over a TCP/IP network in render farm
    Render farm

    A render farm is a computer cluster built to Rendering computer-generated imagery , typically for film and television visual effects, using off-line batch processing....
    s)
  • PyroCluster (simulation of smoke and fire effects)
    • With CINEMA 4D R10, the module PyroCluster became integrated in the Advanced Render module
  • Sketch & Toon (tools for cel shading
    Cel-shaded animation

    Cel-shaded animation is a type of non-photorealistic rendering designed to make computer graphics appear to be hand-drawn. Cel-Shader is often used to mimic the style of a comic book or cartoon....
    , cartoons and technical drawings)
  • Thinking Particles (enhanced particle system
    Particle system

    The term particle system refers to a 3D computer graphics technique to simulate certain fuzzy phenomena, which are otherwise very hard to reproduce with conventional rendering techniques....
     based on nodes)


Additional rendering engines

As-of 2007, these alternative rendering engines and connections are currently available as plug-ins for CINEMA 4D:
  • finalRender stage 2.0 SP4
    FinalRender

    finalRender is a raytracing rendering engine developed by Cebas Computer GmbH for Autodesk Media and Entertainment's 3D Studio Max and Maya software....
     from Cebas Computer GmbH
  • Maxwell Render
    Maxwell Render

    Maxwell render is a software package that aids in the production of photo realistic images from computer 3D model data. It was introduced as an early alpha on December 2004 and it utilized a global illumination algorithm based on a metropolis light transport variation....
     from Next Limit Technologies
    Next Limit Technologies

    Next Limit Technologies is a computer software company based in Madrid, Spain. Founded in 1998 by engineers Victor Gonzalez Sanchez and Ignacio Vargas, the firm now creates cross-platform particle simulation and light simulation software for fluid and rigid body modeling, and accurate visual rendering....
  • Renderman Connection from MAXON Computer GmbH
  • Indigo Renderer
    Indigo Renderer

    Indigo is a freeware unbiased render engine capable of highly realistic renders.Indigo uses methods such as Metropolis light transport, Spectral light calculus,...
    , unbiased photorealistic renderer
  • SunFlow
    Sunflow

    Sunflow is an open source global illumination rendering system written in Java .External links...
  • V-ray


Program history

1990
  • Christian and Philip Losch enter their ray-tracer into Kickstart magazine's monthly programming contest, and win the competition.
1991
  • FastRay (CINEMA 4D's first name) is released for the Amiga.
    • 1993
  • CINEMA 4D V1 is released for Amiga.
    • 1994
  • Release of CINEMA 4D V2 for Amiga.
    • 1995
  • Release of CINEMA 4D V3 for Amiga.
  • Plans are made for porting CINEMA 4D to the PC platform.
  • New programmer team begins development of a completely new, operating-system-independent architecture.
    • 1996
  • CINEMA 4D V4 for Windows, Alpha NT and Macintosh is released.
  • The first multi-processor version of CINEMA 4D is made available.
    • 1997
  • The development of a production-level version begins, integrating the latest technologies.
  • The first production-worthy version is released — CINEMA 4D XL V5.
    • 1998
  • CINEMA 4D SE V5 is released.
    • 1999
  • CINEMA 4D GO V5 and CINEMA 4D NET are introduced.
    • 2000
  • CINEMA 4D XL V6 is released.
  • BodyPaint 3D is made available as an integrated version for CINEMA 4D, and as a standalone version for other 3-D packages.
    • 2001
  • CINEMA 4D ART is introduced.
  • PyroCluster and Dynamics modules are introduced.
  • CINEMA 4D XL R7 is shipped worldwide.
  • MAXON integrates the shader
    Shader

    A shader in the field of computer graphics is a set of software instructions, which is used primarily to calculate Rendering effects on graphics hardware with a high degree of flexibility....
     set Smells like Almonds from bhodiNUT.
    • 2002
  • CINEMA 4D R8 is released with a modular system. The new modules are Advanced Render, PyroCluster, MOCCA and Thinking Particles.
    • 2003
  • CINEMA 4D R8.5 is released.
  • BodyPaint 3D R2 is introduced.
  • Sketch and Toon module is introduced.
    • 2004
  • CINEMA 4D R9 is released.
    • 2005
  • CINEMA 4D R9.5 is released.
  • HAIR module is introduced.
    • 2006
  • CINEMA 4D R9.6 is released.
  • MoGraph module is introduced.
  • CINEMA 4D R10 with integrated BodyPaint 3D is released.
    • 2007
  • CINEMA 4D becomes the first professional 3-D graphics application released as a Universal Binary
    Universal binary

    A universal binary is, in Apple Inc. parlance, an executable file or Application software Bundle that runs natively on either PowerPC or X86 architecture -based Apple Macintosh computers; it is an implementation of the concept more generally known as a "fat binary"....
     for Apple's new Intel-powered Macs (even before Apple Universal Binary versions of its own software are released).
  • Service update R10.1 is released in March, in response to bug feedback provided to Maxon by users and testers.
  • Service update R10.111 released to address several reported problems, such as stability.
  • CINEMA 4D R10.5 is released, and features updates to MOCCA and MoGraph, as well as an optimization of the HAIR module.
    • 2008
  • CINEMA 4D R11 released.
  • CINEMA 4D now supports 64-bit architecture on Apple G5 and Intel-powered Macs.
  • A new implementation of Global Illumination (included in the Advanced Render module) offers a higher quality than that of the old version, and much improved animation support.
  • Non-Linear Animation has been completely reworked.
  • The Renderman support (CINEMAN) is now included in AR.


    • Use in industry

    Several films have been made with the help of Cinema 4D, including:

    Beowulf
    Beowulf (2007 film)

    Beowulf is a 2007 in film performance capture fantasy film based on the Old English language Epic poetry Beowulf. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, the film was created through a motion capture process similar to the technique used in The Polar Express ....


    The Ship-boys of Bontekoe
    De Scheepsjongens van Bontekoe

    De Scheepsjongens van Bontekoe is a 2007 Netherlands family film, directed by Steven de Jong.The film received a Golden Film for .The film is based on the book Willem_Ysbrandtsz._Bontekoe#The_Cabin_Boys_of_Bontekoe_.28book.29....


    The Golden Compass

    Surf's up

    We are the strange
    We Are the Strange

    We Are the Strange is an independent animated film directed by M dot Strange. It uses stop motion, CG artwork, and greenscreen effects. The film premiered on January 19, 2007 in film at the Sundance Film Festival....


    Spiderman 3

    Monster House
    Monster House (film)

    Monster House is an Academy Award-nominated United States 2006 in film computer animation horror film released on July 21, 2006. Executive produced by Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg, this is the first time since Back to the Future Part III that both have been involved together....


    War of the Worlds
    War of the Worlds (2005 film)

    War of the Worlds is a 2005 in film science fiction-disaster film based on H. G. Wells' The War of the Worlds starring Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning and Justin Chatwin....


    Chronicles of Narnia

    Serenity
    Serenity (film)

    Serenity is a 2005 in film Space Western film written and directed by Joss Whedon. It is considered a continuation of the canceled Fox Broadcasting Company Science fiction on television series Firefly , taking place about two months after the events of the Objects in Space....


    Doom
    Doom (film)

    Doom is a 2005 in film science fiction horror film adaptation of the popular Doom series of video games created by id Software. It was directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak and was released in the United States on October 21, 2005 and in the United Kingdom on December 2, 2005....


    Prehistoric Park
    Prehistoric Park

    Prehistoric Park was a six-episode docu-fiction television mini-series that premiered on ITV on 22 July 2006 and on Animal Planet on 29 October 2006....


    Homework
    Homework (film)

    Homework is a 1989 in film Iranian film directed by Abbas Kiarostami.See also*List of Iranian filmsExternal links...


    Van Helsing

    Bern das Brot
    Bernd das Brot

    Bernd das Brot is a puppet character on the German children's television channel KI.KA, a usually frustrated, depressive and disagreeable talking loaf of white bread with "far too short arms" ....


    Generation

    Polar Express
    The Polar Express (film)

    The Polar Express is a 2004 in film Academy Awards-nominated film based on the The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg.The film, written, produced, and directed by Robert Zemeckis, is entirely live action using performance capture technology, which incorporates the movements of live actors into animated characters....


    King Arthur
    King Arthur (film)

    King Arthur is a 2004 film directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by David Franzoni. It stars Clive Owen as the title character.The producers of the film claim to present a historically accurate version of the Arthurian legends, supposedly inspired by new archaeological findings....


    June 17, 1953, State of Emergency

    Open Season
    Open Season (film)

    Open Season is a 2006 in film computer animation film produced by Sony Pictures Animation and directed by Roger Allers, Jill Culton and Anthony Stacchi....


    External links