The latest features of Red Giant’s Spring 2024 release are showcased in the first minute of the video.
Maxon has just released Red Giant 2024.2, the newest version of its effects plugin collection designed for After Effects and other video editing and compositing software.
This release introduces Geo, a brand-new tool for texturing, lighting, and instancing 3D objects within After Effects, along with minor updates to Universe, Trapcode, and Magic Bullet.
Geo: The New Tool for 3D Objects in After Effects
The key change in Red Giant 2024.2 is Geo, a new tool for texturing, lighting, and instancing 3D objects within After Effects, catering to both motion graphics and visual effects productions.
Users can import 3D models in standard file formats such as OBJ, FBX, GLB, glTF, DAE, C4D, and 3DS.
Up to five materials can then be assigned to a model, with each material featuring its own set of physically-based properties, adhering to the PBR workflow regarding roughness and metallic properties.
The material properties can be controlled using imported texture maps or, more importantly, by utilizing existing After Effects layers or compositions.
Geo also incorporates controls for setting a background environment, including an integrated sun lamp, support for image-based lighting, and environmental fog.
For motion graphics, there are built-in instancing tools similar to those found in Cinema 4D’s MoGraph, enabling the creation of box, sphere, or cylinder object arrays.
For visual effects work and product visualizations, a shadow-catching system makes compositing rendered 3D objects into background footage simpler.
Updates to Universe, Trapcode, and Magic Bullet Looks
Existing tools also receive smaller updates, with the Universe online effects library gaining the option to add falloff to custom blur maps within the new Bokeh plugin.
Trapcode, Maxon’s motion graphics and VFX plugin for After Effects, gets a performance update with “improved” playback and rendering capabilities within the Particular 3D particle engine.
Magic Bullet receives UI updates for the Looks plugin to improve the color management workflow.
Pricing and System Requirements
The Red Giant 2024.2 plugin is compatible with Windows 10+ and macOS 12.0+, and it is also compatible with After Effects 2023+.
Some products are also compatible with other host applications, including DaVinci Resolve.
All products are exclusively available as rentals and can be accessed through a Red Giant subscription, priced at $79/month or $599/year, or a Maxon One subscription, priced at $149/month or $1,199/year. Individual Universe subscriptions cost $30/month or $199/year.
Read the entire list of changes in Red Giant 2024.2 within the online changelog