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Participant
November 5, 2024
Answered

Exported Camera Tracker data missing in Cinema 4D

  • November 5, 2024
  • 2 replies
  • 637 views

I am trying to export a camera tracker and solid from After Effects (24.6.3) to Cinema 4d (2024.4.0). When I open the exported project in Cinema 4d, all my layers are there. However, when I hit play nothing happens (I have the correct camera selected). When I open the Timeline (F-Curves) there are no keyframes there. Has anyone else expireced or have found a work around?

Correct answer CMBieschke

I figured it out, it doesn't like when you reverse the speed of the clip.

2 replies

ross_4104
Participant
February 8, 2025

It sounds like the keyframe data isn’t being properly transferred from After Effects to Cinema 4D. Here are a few things to check and possible workarounds:

1. Verify Keyframes in After Effects Before Export

  • Ensure that your camera and solid layers actually have keyframes in After Effects before exporting.
  • Try manually adjusting a keyframe to confirm if it's animated.

2. Export Settings Check

  • When exporting, make sure to select "Maxon Cinema 4D Exporter" and not just save as a regular C4D file.
  • Try exporting both as a Cinema 4D file (.c4d) and through the Live Link workflow to see if either method works better.

3. Importing the File in Cinema 4D

  • When opening the project in Cinema 4D, check the Object Manager to ensure the camera is correctly placed.
  • Try selecting the camera, going to the Attributes Panel → Coordinates, and manually scrubbing through time to see if anything changes.
  • If no animation appears, try copying the camera and pasting it into a new C4D project to see if the issue persists.

4. Bake the Animation in After Effects Before Exporting

  • In AE, go to Animation → Keyframe Assistant → Convert Expression to Keyframes to ensure the motion is baked before exporting.
  • Then, re-export the project and check if the keyframes transfer correctly.

5. Manually Export Camera Data as FBX or Alembic

  • Instead of using the standard export, try using the FBX or Alembic (.abc) export methods.
  • Import that into Cinema HD and manually align it with your scene.

6. Try an Older Version of C4D or AE

  • If the issue persists, try exporting from an earlier version of After Effects (if possible) and opening in C4D 2023 or earlier. Sometimes version mismatches cause export bugs.

If none of these work, let me know, and I’ll help troubleshoot further!

CMBieschkeAuthorCorrect answer
Participant
November 5, 2024

I figured it out, it doesn't like when you reverse the speed of the clip.