Motion Graphics

#1

Hello there, i use after effects for living, i mean everyday including weekends,long renders,i spend a few nights awake because i was rendering a project which i dint get paid.
I want to get the upgrade for my motion graphics Electric Image alone wouldnt do the job i will need to get some plug ins i know. But as a motion graphics designer i need an application that goes easy with AE.I donot have too much to invest.the upgrade sounds great solution but i am looking at cinema 4d for the job.
Is it still nice application for motion graphics or just architectural work or simulation work? Thanks.
Edgard

#2

Hi,

the new Layer fatures work great with After Effects. EI renders out numbered Photoshop files that can be imported as Photoshop sequences into After Effects with all layers intact. Together with the RPF output you have total control over every aspect of your motion grafics projects. This two features will definately change my workflow considerably. Since Camera is really fast you have great turnaround times, especially if you do MG. I can recommend EI is this area.

Jens

#3

With the advent of Multilayers I’d agree with Jens. EI has always been a good package for Broadcast Design work and Motion Graphics and this feature makes it even better. I’ll also chime in and tell you to consider looking at Paralumino’s plugins. They’re excellent tools for motion graphics type work.

#4

Look into Swage and Treste from Paralumino. Very smart tools - easy to use - very fast. Download the free videos from the ‘shop’ and you will know exactly how powerful they are.

Ken

#5

I can speak from over 15 yrs experience in motion graphics and broadcast design. My ‘main’ app is After Effects and Ive been using it since version 1.0 when it was owned by Cosa (the Company Of Science and Art) I have been using Electric Image for almost as long. Using AE & EI Ive been hired as the Senior Designer at FOX Television In Chicago and most recently Senior Designer\Animation Manager at CBS Television in Los Angeles. Ive won numerous regional and national Emmy’s and gold Promax awards with pretty much entirely AE & EI. My reason for pointing out a bit of my resume is to show that Electric Image can, and has been used at the highest levels of broadcast design. ( I am FAR from the only one, OR the best one, who can claim this on the motion graphics side of things) I model most of my stuff IN AE using Zaxwerks Invigerator Pro which exports to EI beautifully! Also, invigerator works by importing Adobe Illustrator files! Another great thing for us mograph people.

The main reasons I still use EI for my work and not Cinema 4d are…

#1 Speed Speed Speed. I am able to turn around fully raytraced and complex scenes in EI in Hours. Broadcast deadlines can be brutal, 4-8-12 hr turnaround times on 7-10 second animations. I have done hundreds of these types of animations over the years.
Of course the faster the renders, the more tweaks you can make to your work to get it just right. Coworkers with lightwave AND cinema were always passed over when it came to FAST turnaround 3D work. They would have to use only AE when it came time to do their projects.

#2 Quality EI’s renderer, Camera, outputs incredible images and is very ‘forgiving’. I found that I could get a great looking image very quickly with EI \ camera. Cinema 4ds renderings, TO ME tend to appear ‘plasticy’ and very 'cg’ish. You can work it, if your VERY good with it, to overcome that look but it takes much more time to achieve than in EI.
C4D is fast, people will tell you, but when you up the antialiasing to an acceptable level
and possibly use motion blur (which is not good in cinema quality wise) it will slow to a crawl. EI’s motion blur is legendary in quality AND fast.

#3 Ease of Use and Price. Cinema, when you max it out with all of its modules becomes Very expensive. EI is MUCH more affordable. Even after you may add some third party
plug-ins and shaders from EI\konkeptoine & Paralumino you are still a few thousand dollars less. Then I found the other kick in the wallet is upgrades, EI, to me has been very reasonable in their upgrade pricing, where as Cinema is a money pit if you plan on keeping up on the versions over time. Frankly, It comes within shouting distance of Maya Unlimited, which is a joke when you consider both packages and their place in the industry. I tend to think Cinema WANTS to try and keep up feature for feature with Maya. This has led to a large jump in the learning curve for Cinema. EI, to me, is layed out logically and is pretty easy to learn. I have been able to get co workers up and running in EI in a day or two. Motion Graphic guys.

At this point and time, Cinema gets all the press. They are good at that. EI is getting better at it, and from what I hear will continue to get even better at it. But what I have written here wont show up on any of their press clippings.

Anyway, if you have any concerns or questions about EI and its use for Motion Graphics and Broadcast Design you can email me at scottfox@ucommons.net and I would be happy to answer any of your questions. Otherwise, this forum is a great place to get feedback as well.

Scott

#6

Case closed,thanks Scott and to all the Electric Image team.
Edgard Iriarte
Motion Graphics Designer

#7

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