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AELink is generating a lot of buzz! Discover how to export Lightwave to After Effects - with just 1 click!
AE Link: Lightwave to After Effects export
Need to export Lightwave cameras, lights and nulls to After Effects projects? AE Link is the pixel-perfect “one click” solution that just works.
Lightwave to After Effects in one click
AE Link is a Lightwave plugin that makes a breeze of exporting Cameras, Nulls, Lights and rendered sequences from Lightwave to After Effects.
You don't even have to import anything into After Effects. The innovative, non destructive, workflow ensures that what you do in Lightwave is mirrored in After Effects. Even complex scenes update in near real time.
"So glad we found this. It worked great on a PC, Lightwave 10.1 and
After Effects CS5. It will be a life saver."
Art Holden, Presenter Media Inc.
Key Features and Benefits — It would be hard to make it easier
- HOT NEWS 11/11/2011: AE Link also works with Lightwave 11. Fully tested both on Windows and MacOS.
- Save time and deliver on time — Keep changing your Lightwave animations and see them update in After Effects with just one click. No need to bake anything, unless you are using IK or some motion modifiers.
- Reliable export — Name it: Hierarchies? Yes. Non-square pixels? Yes. Camera's focal length changes? Yes. AE Link is a battle-proven tool we used in countless productions. Its quaternion-based coordinate system converter ensures pixel perfect matches no matter how complex movements and orientations are.
- Simple workflow — Spend more time creating, and no time copying, pasting or looking for files. With AE Link's non-destructive workflow Lightwave talks to After Effects, that's why there are only two buttons: Sync Scene and Sync Selected. By their names you already know how to use AE Link. It would be hard to make it easier.
- Advanced features — AE Link's custom objects allow you to decide how Lightwave objects will appear in After Effects: as nulls, solids, or text layers. With or without motion blur. You can even use the motion from non-deforming object's vertices and turn all of them into solid or text layers. But, wait, for this to work you'll need two clicks.
System Requirements, Licensing and Details
- Macintosh: Lightwave 3D 9.6.1 or higher. Cocoa plugin, works both in 32 and 64 bit.
- Windows: Lightwave 3D 9.6 or higher. Both 32 and 64 bit versions are provided.
- Works with: After Effects 7 Pro, CS3, CS4, CS5 and CS5.5
- Licensing: AE Link licenses are tied to Lightwave's hardware lock id (aka dongle) and you'll be required to enter your lock id after purchase. Support article: how to generate licenses
- Volume discounts and studio licenses: discounts are available and custom licensing can be arranged — see the "In-Depth" tab for more informations.
- Details: AE Link is delivered as digital download only. Tech support is handled by our online trouble ticket system. Minor version upgrades are always free.
Workflow videos available in the "In-Depth" tab
Watch the videos in the "In-Depth" tab above. The longer video showcases the custom objects' workflow.
Custom objects allows to create and edit After Effects layers inside Lightwave.
Other videos are available, showing the pixel perfect matching, basic workflow and quick start.
To purchase AE Link use the Buy Now button below. The entire purchase and licensing system is automated, so you are just a minute away from using AE Link.
AELink Lightwave to After Effects Plugin Premium Content
This product includes: AELink plugin for Lightwave 3D, licensed for both MacOS and Windows. System requirements: Lightwave 9.6.1 or higher under MacOS; Lighwave 9.6 or higher under Windows. After Effects 7 Pro or higher. License is tied to Lightwave's dongle and a valid Dongle ID is required.
Price: € 94 (approx 125 USD) (VAT excluded) — VAT is not charged outside European Union
Plug-in AE_Sync_Scene failed to start? Help!
Posted by Kenny on Aug 5th, 2011
Hi,
I'm very excited to use this plug-in. Unfortunately I am getting an error in lightwave (plugin AE_Sync_Scene) and (Sync_Selected) failed to start. I am using After Effects ver 5 with a current update.
Please reply ASAP.
Hi,
sorry to hear that, a new version of AE Link mac is available that fixes a few compatibility issues and adds support for 9.6.1. I also wrote you an email in case you are not on Mac.
Thanks for choosing AE Link!
Max
It's Working!!!!
Thanks for your quick reply. I have the plugin working now.
Thanks
Ken R.
AE Link motion limitations?
Posted by Benjamin on Sep 23rd, 2011
Hi there! Very much interested in this but would like to know what is not supported by the plugin? I assume it supports both free and targeted camera (camera looks at target in LW). Does it support complex parenting of cameras, IE (camera parented to null, null is animated to drive camera motion etc). Does it support motion modifiers such as having the camera match orientation of another object, relativity, expressions, follower and the "same as object" rotation options?
Thanks so much, really looking forward to getting this!
Re: AE Link motion limitations?
Posted by Max on Sep 28th, 2011
Hello and sorry for the delay.
modifiers applied in Graph editor all work in real time without
problems. The only limitation is with "After IK" motion modifiers.
"After IK" modifiers (and tools able to work after IK
such as relativity) require baking.
AE Link can't see IK nor anything that is applied "per frame" unless it scans the entire animation.
The next version will have an option to scan the animation (without
having to bake anything) and it will allow to see those pesky After IK
modifiers stepping frame by frame. But it won't be as fast as the
default method that does no scanning.
Yes, AE Link v1.1 added a compatibility mode for a
free script that allows to export AE data to LW. It was requested by an
early adopter of AE Link in NewTek's forums thread, and it's an handy
addition. Not seamless, but works well and it's pixel perfect.
Full bi-directional functionality is planned, but most users said
they would have preferred a simple integrated pass manager to be
implemented first. So bidirectional exchange is going to be added... but
there is no time frame yet (v1.2 with pass management is scheduled for
late october).
Thanks for your comment!
Lightwave 10.1 OSX compatibility?
Posted by Rollie Hudson on Sep 26th, 2011
Does AE Link have Lightwave 10.1 OSX comparability?
Re: Lightwave 10.1 OSX compatibility?
Posted by Max on Sep 28th, 2011
Hi,
yes, sure, Mac is supported both in 32 and 64 bit and AE Link is 100% compatible with Lightwave 10.1.
Actually I develop on Mac then port to Windows.
Thanks for your question!
Works great with LW 10.1!
Posted by Art H on Oct 13th, 2011
So glad we found this. It worked great installed on a PC with Lightwave 10.1 and After Effects CS5. It will be a life saver.
Its amazing
Posted by Benjamin on Nov 11th, 2011
So I ended up buying this for an upcoming project just a couple of days ago and I did a first run with it today. This is simply amazing, you have saved me hours of work, but more importantly opened doors to much more creative options, ones i didn't want to explore before due to the slow nature of matching up motions. It makes it feel like AE and LW are now one program. Thank you!
Hey thank you. Glad it's useful.
Max
Installing AE Link
Posted by Kirkeric on Dec 1st, 2011
Hello,
Just bought this and while the install seems it should be a snap, when I install it, it does not create this cfg file and so I can not import the branch.
When I add the plugins, it does it, says 6 plugins have been added. Can't get past that.
Appreciate some help.
Eric
Re: Installing AE Link
Posted by Max on Dec 1st, 2011
Hi,
sorry for the problem and thanks for choosing AE Link.
The menu config is a separate download ( http://www.vfxwizard.com/downloads/aelink-menu-cfg.zip). I'm also going to email it to you.
This should fix the issue, if you have any other problems or if I misunderstood the issue please let me know.
Registered Users: if you need tech support, please use the ticket system in your Dashboard, it has the highest priority.
Bi directional sync?
Posted by Carlos Morales on Jan 28th, 2012
AE Link sounds like an amazing plug-in.
Does AE Link allow for bi directional syncing of scenes from AE to/from LW? We current use Camera Tracker (The Foundry) to for match-moving. We typically track in AE and then send the data to LW vby jumping through a few hoops. After seeing a few YouTube videos on AELink, I was wondering if we could use your product to make this process easiest. Here is what I would be tring to do wit it.
1. We would use Camera Tracker in AE to generate a 3D match-move solution (3d scene)
2. We would then use AELink to send the 3D scene to LightWave where we would add 3D geometry/ etc and render 3d elements for our composite.
Thanks
Carlos
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