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3D Animation

3D Animation Foundation, from first keyframe to a finished piece

Four weeks for absolute beginners in Cinema 4D, Redshift and After Effects: learn 3D, make it look good, make it move, then put it into real footage. Live critiques every week and a mentor on your work.

Enrol — $275See the four weeks
  • 4 weeks of training
  • 8 weeks of access
  • Live critiques + mentor
  • Certificate
Cinema 4D · Redshift24 fps
Who it is for

Built for people who want to finish

What to bring

  • A computer that runs Cinema 4D, Redshift and After Effects; a dedicated graphics card makes Redshift renders much faster
  • Your own licences for Cinema 4D with Redshift (Maxon One) and After Effects; free trials and student pricing are available
  • No prior 3D or animation experience, and eight to ten hours a week for four weeks
01

Absolute beginners who want to learn 3D animation properly, from the first keyframe

02

Designers and video editors who want 3D and motion in their portfolio

03

Creators who want product animations and 3D shots for social media

Curriculum

4 weeks, 4 modules, one test each

Every week closes with a compulsory module test and something you have built. The final week ends with the exam and the project.

  1. 01Week 1

    Cinema 4D fundamentals and animation

    Understanding 3D, Cinema 4D and basic animation: how 3D space works, how to move around a scene, and your first animation with real timing.

    • Understanding 3D space: X, Y and Z
    • The Cinema 4D interface and viewport navigation
    • Objects, hierarchy and scene organisation
    • Primitives and basic modelling
    • Position, rotation and scale
    • Keyframes and the timeline
    • Timing, spacing and easing
    • Basic animation principles
    • Simple cameras and framing
    • An introduction to the animation workflow
    Module test
    Module test: 20 questions plus a basic animation exercise
    You build
    A 5–10 second animated scene using simple objects, movement, timing and a camera
  2. 02Week 2

    Modelling, materials, lighting and Redshift

    Turning simple 3D objects into polished visuals: modelling with clean topology, realistic materials, lighting and rendering in Redshift.

    • Basic polygon modelling
    • Extrude, bevel, loop cuts and subdivision
    • Modelling from simple references
    • Clean topology fundamentals
    • An introduction to Redshift
    • Materials: plastic, metal, glass and fabric
    • Textures and basic UVs
    • Key, fill and rim lighting
    • HDRI and environment lighting
    • Shadows, reflections and depth
    • Redshift render settings, noise, samples and render optimisation
    Module test
    Module test: questions on the week plus a practical: create and light a simple 3D product
    You build
    A 10-second cinematic product animation with materials, lighting and Redshift rendering
  3. 03Week 3

    Cameras, cinematic animation and compositing

    Making 3D animation feel cinematic and intentional: camera language, camera moves, secondary motion, and finishing shots in After Effects.

    • Camera types and focal length
    • Composition and framing
    • Push-ins, pull-outs and orbiting
    • Camera animation and depth of field
    • Combining camera and object movement
    • Animation timing and secondary motion
    • An introduction to After Effects
    • Render passes and alpha channels
    • Basic compositing and colour correction
    • Adding sound and motion blur
    Module test
    Module test: questions on the week plus a practical: recreate a short cinematic 3D shot from a reference
    You build
    A 10–15 second cinematic 3D animation with an animated camera, lighting and sound
  4. 04Week 4

    3D tracking, live-action compositing and the final project

    Bringing 3D into the real world: tracking real footage, matching perspective, light and shadows, and compositing 3D into live action.

    • Preparing footage for tracking
    • Camera tracking in After Effects and understanding a 3D camera solve
    • Bringing tracked cameras into Cinema 4D
    • Matching perspective and scale
    • Lighting 3D to match footage, with realistic shadows and contact
    • Rendering 3D for compositing
    • Combining 3D and footage in After Effects
    • Colour matching and final polish
    • Exporting for social media and your portfolio
    Module test
    Final exam: 50 questions across all four weeks, 75 minutes (pass mark 70%)
    You build
    The final project: a 15–30 second 3D animation or 3D and live-action composite, from concept to final export

Final project

A finished piece for your portfolio

Week four ends with a 15–30 second 3D animation or a 3D and live-action composite, from concept to final export. It goes in your portfolio with the certificate.

15–30 s · final piece
How it runs

How the four weeks run

Learn 3D, make it look good, make it move, then put it into the real world. Recorded lessons and project files during the week, a live class and a live critique, and a mentor who reviews your shots.

  1. 01

    Learn

    Recorded lessons with project files for every exercise, at your own pace.

  2. 02

    Meet

    A live class and a live critique every week; both recorded.

  3. 03

    Test

    A compulsory module test closes every week: questions and a practical exercise.

  4. 04

    Review

    Your mentor reviews your shots and renders, one to one.

How the access works

4 weeks of training, 8 weeks of access

Enrolment opens everything on day one. The taught weeks run first; your access stays on for 4 more weeks to finish, resit and download. After that the account returns to the free plan.

Your account, day by day

56 days

  • TrainingWeeks 1–4
  • AccessWeeks 5–8
  • Free planFrom week 9
What stays onTrainingAccessFree plan
Lessons, project files and recordings
Live sessions with the instructorWeeklyRecordings
One-to-one mentor reviewsWeeklyFinal review
Module tests and the final examResits
Final project submission and gradingWeek 4
Community space for the cohort
Your certificate, files and results—
What you finish with

An exam, a project, a grade and a certificate

Four steps in the final week. Pass them all and the certificate is issued the same day.

Certificate

3D Animation

CareerFocusArea certificate in 3D Animation

Awarded to4 weeks · final exam · graded project
1

Final exam

A timed 50-question exam across Cinema 4D, modelling, materials, Redshift, cameras, After Effects and tracking, sat in week four.

2

Final project

A 15–30 second 3D animation or 3D and live-action composite, from concept to final export, using the whole workflow: Cinema 4D, modelling, materials, Redshift, lighting, camera, animation, tracking and After Effects.

3

Grading

Exam at 70% or above and the piece graded against a published rubric: animation, look development, camera and composition, and compositing and finish.

4

Certificate

A CareerFocusArea certificate in 3D Animation, with a link to your final piece and your graded rubric.

What you build

project_01

Your first animated scene

Week 1: 5–10 seconds of simple objects, timing and a camera.

project_02

Cinematic product shot

Week 2: a 10-second product animation rendered in Redshift.

project_03

3D in real footage

Week 4: a tracked shot with 3D composited into live action.

Your instructor

Taught live, reviewed one to one

Your instructor runs the live sessions and is also your mentor: the same person reviews your work every week and grades the final submission.

MS

MH Studios

Instructors and mentors

Teach the live classes and critiques, review your shots and renders each week and grade the final piece against the published rubric.

Live session
Teaches the week's material live, with questions.
One-to-one review
Reviews your work and your test each week.
Grades the finale
Marks the final project against the rubric.
Course FAQ

Questions about the course

Getting started, software, the price and what happens after week eight.

Yes. Week one starts with how 3D space works and how to move around Cinema 4D. Each week builds on the last, so by week four you are using the same workflow professionals use.

Enrol

Join the next cohort

Small cohorts so every shot gets a critique. Enrol now and we send the start date, the schedule, the software setup guide and the project files.

  • 4 weeks of training
  • 8 weeks of access
  • Live critiques + mentor
  • Certificate

Course price

$275one-time

4 weeks of training, 8 weeks of access, live sessions, mentoring, the exam, the project and the certificate. Nothing to renew.

Enrol — $275Ask a question first

Employer paying? Ask for an invoice at checkout. Teams of five or more: see the corporate page.