Testing the After Effects plug in more. Keep in mind this only the second time I have ever used After Effects. So while my skills are very basic right now, I hope that in time they will increase.

 

I also was wondering about the z-plane reconstruction, so I took a scene from my web series that relies heavily on the "3D" parallax camera work, rendered the OBS files and loaded them into HitFilm Express. As long as you load the files (layers) into the composite shot in the correct order (you can always move them up or down as needed) the result is exactly the same. In the vid below, the first example is the CA4 render, the second the HitFilm one and then another Hitfilm one with effects added to some of the layers (adding to the depth illusion). Now mind you, you can't edit the camera work in HitFilm as that info isn't saved (I believe it is in the AE plugin), but the audio and everything else is. This works for me as I completely compose the scene (with camera work) in CA4 anyway; any VFX from HitFilm would be a bonus! You can also add new footage to the composite if you wish. So, this new feature is a plus for me even though I don't use AE.

That's good to know HitFilm Express can handle z-plane positioning. I haven't found support for that yet in Natron (still working my way through the tutorials so I don't know if it even does support z-planes).

However, given HitFilm Express does support z-planes you could use the output from the AE export, which doesn't crop everything to the camera frame but exports all your image layers in full. Which would mean you'd have more ability to change the camera/cropping in HitFilm. It would be a challenge reconstructing scenes  from the AE export though since, unlike OBS export, you can't just align all the edges of each layer.

Alternatively you could mix and match output from both exports in HitFilm depending upon what you're trying to do. You could even use the OBS export as a guide to help you reconstruct the AE export in HitFilm.

- TET
Animation and Video Life
The Lazy Animator - Tutorials for Cartoon Animator

The z plane info was baked into the image sequence that I loaded into HitFilm and as such can't be edited, just duplicated. Really, the new OBS feature just allows one to add the exact project from CA4 to an editor for post production, which in itself is still pretty great. You could save image sequences for individual assets before, but this new feature packages everything nice and neatly, including the audio.

***(I'm wondering if the moderator might want to move these posts concerning the OBS and not specifically the AE plugin to a different topic? My apologies as it feels like I've hijacked the thread!)

My third attempt at adding effects using After Effects. Really happy with the results this time and I learnt a lot. I managed to add glow to the lights, highlights and drop shadow/reflection to the character and a blur and highlight to the spaceship. I have a LONG way to go, but I am loving the plug in. 

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Having seen your video demonstration, while I'd rather Cartoon Animator be an app for 2D animation, I don't see why it isn't possible to take the same output generated for the AE plugin to make a plugin for iClone that would reconstruct a CA project inside iClone's stage. That would allow people who want some of the benefits of a 3D animation environment to really utilise all the editional effects iClone has to offer (and it would be good for sales promoting CA to iClone as a workflow pipeline).

- TET
Animation and Video Life
The Lazy Animator - Tutorials for Cartoon Animator

I will like to see other NON-ADOBE options with features like this. 

I vote for the physics engine! Ive submitted that suggestion a numbe rof times myself over the years. Ima gine being able to have objects randomly animate and have collision detection. WOOHOO!

Highlights of some great new Cartoon Animator features including the new free After Effects plug in. 

https://bit.ly/3kIRFOV

#Reallusion #AfterEffects #2DAnimation #CartoonAnimator #CTA