Required software: Cinema 4D Lite

The only software required for this course is Cinema 4D Lite. It comes packaged with Adobe After Effects CC, but no prior knowledge of After Effects CC is required.

If you're not a Creative Cloud subscriber, Adobe has an à la carte option for Creative Cloud apps. It's $20.99/mo USD. Check their website for the latest pricing.

Creative Cloud pricing and membership plans | Adobe Creative Cloud

You can also use a full retail copy of Cinema 4D, but be aware instructions and support will be for Cinema 4D Lite.

Compatible versions of Cinema 4D

<aside> ⚠️ As of November 2020, there is a known issue where Cinema 4D can run slowly or freeze up if you've upgraded to Big Sur but have Intel graphics. See here for how to fix: Cinema 4D Lite is laggy or frozen (Mac)

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Can I use a demo/trial of Cinema 4D?

Yes. The Cinema 4D trial is available here, but it has limited "save-enabled" period and includes a watermark on anything you export.

<aside> 💾 "Save-enabled" means you can only save your work during the trial period. The software will still work after that, but you won't be able to save anything.

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What's the difference between Cinema 4D and Cinema 4D Lite?

Cinema 4D Lite

Cinema 4D Lite is an "essential" edition of Cinema 4D, with a solid basic feature set for modeling, lighting, animating, and rendering.

Cinema 4D (Full)

The full edition has everything in Cinema 4D Lite, plus more advanced tools and rendering options. Here are a few of the extras:

Cinema 4D Lite offers a great mix of affordability and usability for designers who are just getting started. It covers all the fundamentals for learning 3D, and you can always upgrade later.