Learn how to import a native MAXON CINEMA 4D project file into After Effects as a footage item and add it to your composition. Presenter Chris Meyer also covers the render options offered by the Cineware effect, which translates the .c4d layer into pixels.

After Effects CC includes a Lite version of MAXON CINEMA 4D. Learn how to edit a native Cinema 4D model and how to start a new project file from scratch. Chris Meyer compares features of the various versions of Cinema 4D.

Birgitta Hosea, a London based digital artist and animator, will be demonstrating the powerful new Ray-traced 3D engine in After Effects. She’ll show you how vector shapes and text can quickly be extruded in 3-dimensions as well as new materials options for translucency, refraction and reflection.

Sean Kilbride from NVIDIA talks about how fast and easy it is to create the 3D extruded and ray traced Heavy Hand logo in After Effects CS6 utilizing NVIDIA GPUs.

Our friends at Downrunner Productions talk about a real life example of how NVIDIA Maximus coupled with Adobe After Effects CS6 helped them meet a tight deadline when a client asked for a last minute change.

Check out the making of this far out music video of the indie band, Heavy Hand, and see how the extensive set of NVIDIA GPU accelerated features throughout Adobe CS6 made it happen.

Take an in-depth look at extruded vector layers in this continued lesson on Ray-traced 3D. Review the new properties including the extrusion parameter, the bevel settings, the material options including reflections, also explore the animate pop-up and environment maps.

Get an introduction to Ray-traced 3D, how to activate it, the 3D layers it adds, and the many options that are available in those layers. Vector layers for text and shapes have greatly expanded options in this version of AE, and most useful for non vector layers are the new "Material" options which include the ability to create after-effects-native reflections for the first time.

Explore one of the the most-changed performance enhancements in After Effects CS6, the fast previews menu. Learn the difference between the latest options including adaptive resolution, draft, fast draft, wifeframe, and the draft 3D button in the timeline. Using a Ray-traced 3D comp as an example Brian shows how the different options behave and offers suggestions for an efficient workflow even if you don't have the best video hardware.

See how you can use the new "Create Shapes from Vector Layer" command to convert your Illustrator documents to editable vectors in After Effects. See how a shape in Illustrator ends up as a Ray-traced, extruded 3D layer in After Effects.