Animating 3D Cinematic Sequences in AE and Cinema 4D
A course by Ross Sneddon, Multidisciplinary Designer
Explore composition, editing, and workflow to turn complex ideas into engaging scenarios using Illustrator, After Effects, and Cinema 4D
“The exciting thing about filmmaking is how subjects can be explored in so many different ways. Storytelling takes a lot consideration, but the payoff is worth it.”
Ross Sneddon is a multi-award-winning designer with a specialty in 3D animation who has worked with clients such as
In this online course, take control of your creativity and tell your story with visuals and sound as Ross shows you how to create animations for 3D environments. Get inspired, develop mood boards, and use computer software like Adobe Suite and Cinema 4D to develop a full title sequence for a fictional film or TV show.
What will you learn in this online course?
21 lessons & 11 downloads
What's included in this course?
Get to know Ross, from his love of video games to the TV show Black Mirror. Then learn about his biggest influences such as Austrian graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister, and novelist and art critic John Berger.
Dive into the world of pre-production, executing ideas, and creating workflows that speed up your creative process. Focus on gathering inspiration, and storyboarding, and familiarize yourself with the basics of After Effects, Illustrator, and Cinema 4D.
Move into the production section of your final project. Develop the sci-fi aspect of your composition, including a shot of Jupiter. Use software including Embergren, Illustrator, and After Effects to develop your layering and rendering skills. Edit and animate your scenes, fix your timings, and add transitions using overlays and archive footage.
Continue your production with a focus on color, sound, and rendering your final cut. Use After Effects to color grade your sequence, create a sound mix in Adobe Audition, then make final touches to your piece.
Enter post-production. Cover the best places to showcase your work such as Behance. To wrap up, Ross shows you his process for adding your project to your portfolio.
- 100% positive reviews (17)
- 1,062 students
- 21 lessons (5h 31m)
- 11 additional resources (1 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish · Romanian · Indonesian
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
Recommended software & tools for this course
Adobe After Effects
Adobe Illustrator
Cinema 4DWhat is this course's project?
Produce a short cinematic title sequence for a fictional sci-fi movie or TV show.
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone who wants to take their understanding of editing and composition within 3D environments to the next level.
Requirements and materials
You will need a computer with Adobe Suite, Cinema 4D, and Octane
New to Adobe After Effects? In that case, we recommend taking Domestika Basics courses to learn how to use the software: Introduction to After Effects.
Reviews
Ross Sneddon
A course by Ross Sneddon
Ross Sneddon is an award-winning, multidisciplinary designer based in Glasgow. A lover of animation since receiving a PlayStation as a child, he started sharing his early creative works when he was just 15. Ross later studied graphic design at Edinburgh University before pursuing his dream career in film and animation.
Ross has worked with clients including NASA, the BBC, National Geographic, and the Luxembourg Space Agency. He has also won more than ten awards during his career, including Best Animation at the New York International Film Awards in 2021.
Content
-
U1
Introduction
-
About Me
-
Influences
-
-
U2
Preparing for the Project
-
Good References
-
Storyboarding and Animatics
-
Knowing the Basics
-
-
U3
Making the Sequence
-
Creating Scenes in Cinema 4D: First Steps
-
Creating Scenes in Cinema 4D: Environment and Basic Animation 1
-
Creating Scenes in Cinema 4D: Environment and Basic Animation 2
-
Creating Graphics in Illustrator
-
Importing to After Effects and Compositing
-
Editing and Transitions
-
Animation 1
-
Animation 2
-
Animation 3
-
-
U4
Finalising and Rendering
-
Colour Grading 1
-
Colour Grading 2
-
Colour Grading 3
-
Sound Mixing
-
Rendering the Final Cut
-
-
U5
Showcasing the Work
-
One for the Portfolio
-
Sharing My Process
-
-
FP
Final project
-
Animating 3D Cinematic Sequences in AE and Cinema 4D
-
What to expect from a Domestika course
-
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
-
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
-
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
-
Certificates
PlusIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
-
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
-
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
-
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
-
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Yes, this is an intermediate-level course designed for those who have a basic understanding of motion graphics or animation and want to expand their skills in workflow, storytelling, and software like After Effects and Cinema 4D.
You should have foundational skills in graphic design or animation and basic familiarity with software such as Adobe After Effects, Cinema 4D, and Illustrator to get the most out of the course.
You’ll learn the complete workflow for designing cinematic title sequences, including storyboarding, animatic creation, visual sequencing, and integrating 3D and 2D elements using industry-standard software.
Yes, the course teaches you how to create animatics from storyboards, number and annotate storyboard thumbnails, and refine visual storytelling for film and animation projects.
Yes, you’ll master importing Cinema 4D camera data, render passes, and 3D assets into After Effects for advanced compositing and animation workflows.
Absolutely. The course covers professional techniques for color grading in After Effects and sound mixing, including multitrack editing and audio synchronization for cohesive audiovisual projects.
You’ll learn efficient file structure, project hierarchy in After Effects, asset organization, and workflow strategies for streamlined production and collaboration.
Adobe After Effects
Adobe Illustrator
Cinema 4D
Awesome course! Learnt loads and I'm a big fan of Ross' work
Great Course!
Curso muito bom, aprendi bastante
excelente curso
Me encanta la clase