Well I find myself having to build some quick and dirty 3D infographics and I'm contemplating my options right now. Basically I have 3 options: Use AE native raytracing, Use C4D plugin, or use element 3D / C4D in combination. I have to be able to change this on the fly easily, and long renders are not really an option. I have a GTX Titan so raytracing is actually quite fast. Having played around with each one for a bit, I was wondering whether it was possible to use Element 3D in conjunction with native 3d objects. It does seem there is no interaction between 3d elements created in AE and imported objects in the element 3D plugin, unless I'm missing something. For example 3D intersections are not calculated, the Element elements are either on top or behind the 3d layers depending on layer stack order.

Ironically, the client is also demanding some transparency / refractive elements as well, so I think right now my best option is to build it entirely in AE CC. My only issue is the fact I need a beveled cylinder that interacts with the shadows and refraction, and I can only create a semi-curved plane with the rudimentary geometry controls. And the cylinder would be capless (although I could create one.) I'd prefer not to create the animation completely in C4d as changes would be faster within AE's keyframe controls. Any ideas?

Thanks!

TG

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VFX & Motion Graphic artist
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