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An Amateur question about 3D software and Fusion.

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Wu Zhengjiang

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An Amateur question about 3D software and Fusion.

PostWed Oct 18, 2017 4:15 am

I've been using After effects for a long time, mostly doing 2d animations. I want switch to Fusion 9. It's free, and it looks awesome. But since I only have slightest idea about 3d environment and 3d softwares, I'm confused what Fusion really is about. What is the difference between Fusion and 3d softwares, like Maya or Cinema4D.
I mean, is it supposed that people use 3d softwares to do the 3d animations? But I noticed there is no 3d modeling in Fusion. So why use Fusion?
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Mike C Bonner

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Re: An Amateur question about 3D software and Fusion.

PostWed Oct 18, 2017 5:39 am

I’m new to Fusion as well, been using for about a year, others can feel to correct me if I’m wrong.
Fusion is a compositing software, used by vfx artists to combine 2D and 3D elements together. Fusion can be used as a motion graphics software, much like After Effects can be used for compositing. I guess everybody is trying to do a bit of everything these days. I’d say fusion has more in common with AE than with those other 3D modeling programs; both can work in 2D or 3D environments.

I personal find that working in Fusion is much, much less frustrating than AE. Not better or worse in capability, but at the end of the day, less swearing. You will probably find the learning curve steep because it is different, but once you get it, I feel you can play around with things and be more creative without running into brick walls. So, even though Fusion and AE were initially designed for different things, they can be used to do similar things, but the paths are a little different.
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Ringkun Mori

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Re: An Amateur question about 3D software and Fusion.

PostWed Oct 18, 2017 6:58 am

Okay, I think this is what a lot of people misunderstand about Fusion. Yes it does use 3d elements, but it is not a pure 3d software. The thing about Maya, Cinema 4d, or Blender is that those softwares are 3d modelers.

If you use Blender, Fusion has the same capability for 3d animation as its Object mode. However, it is not for modeling or rigging objects, meaning that you cannot manipulate the shape of the 3d model in great detail. This does mean that you can export your 3d models from other programs in an fbx format, but the way you can manipulate the shape of the model is limited.

Here's the good thing about blender, it is a really easy to use vfx tool, especially the particle system.
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Wu Zhengjiang

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Re: An Amateur question about 3D software and Fusion.

PostWed Oct 18, 2017 10:54 am

I think there must be something of Fusion is better than 3d softwares. Otherwise why so many movies were done by Fusion? I watched a tutorial of Fusion in which one scene from movie Tinker Bell was used as example.
They imported 3d models into Fusion and finished the composition.
But why not just use whatever 3d modeling software they made those models with to finish the composition? Why did they have to do the final stage in Fusion?
Is it because Fusion is faster or something?
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Umberto Uderzo

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Re: An Amateur question about 3D software and Fusion.

PostWed Oct 18, 2017 11:19 am

Finishing a shot in compositing brings many advantages, first of all time savings.

Think about post rendering motion blur or DOF for 3D rendered scenes, you can tweak in post without the need to re-render every single frame until you are satisfied with post parameters. Obviously this need some preparation on the 3D side.

Then you have advantages in blending non 3D footage in a 3D scene, or not 3D at all, you have tracking capabilities, color correction, masking and so on. Speaking of 3D only, in a ideal world where exist a 3D package that renders real time, maybe compositing 3D in post would be less obvious, anyway some post effects like particles, color correction and so on still make sense just because a 3D modeler is not designed to output a "very final" result.

So, yes it's a matter of time, but not just this. Compositing is a way to inject the "final light sparkle" in your work.

My 2 cents obviously.

P.S. Blender is for its very nature an "all in one" product that lets you 3DRender, composite, NLE etc etc. In a ideal world where i can wrap my mind around it, it could be better than Fusion, or Nuke, or AfterEffects, don't know.
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Hendrik Proosa

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Re: An Amateur question about 3D software and Fusion.

PostWed Oct 18, 2017 11:53 am

P.S. Blender is for its very nature an "all in one" product that lets you 3DRender, composite, NLE etc etc. In a ideal world where i can wrap my mind around it, it could be better than Fusion, or Nuke, or AfterEffects, don't know.

Compositing in Blender is seriously handicapped and I wouldn't recommend it for anything but simple 2D work. Everything else (except probably video editing) is nice though, I do all my 3D stuff in Blender.
I do stuff.
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Wu Zhengjiang

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Re: An Amateur question about 3D software and Fusion.

PostWed Oct 18, 2017 1:09 pm

Yeah, I guess I start to grasp the whole picture with my music making background. It is still impossible to finish everything in just one software. Like no DAW can do everything. You still need lots of plugins.
Thanks for the replies, guys.

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