To get the most out of Python scripting in Cinema 4D, you’ll want to have a solid grounding both in the Python language and in the Cinema 4D Python SDK. Fortunately, Python is a well established and widely used language, so there are plenty of excellent resources available. The Cinema SDK is still quite new, but also has some great resources. I’ve pulled together some of my favorites in this post.
Books
In my very short career as a programmer, first for iOS and now Python, I’ve consistently found that starting with a good book is the best way to get up to speed with a new language. For Python, the book I recommend is Practical Programming: An Introduction to Computer Science Using Python. It’s intended for students with no programming experience, so it starts with the very basics. The authors do an excellent job of explaining concepts and illustrating them with clear examples. It’s also a very concise book weighing in at a little over 300 pages. The time you spend reading through it will pay you back many times over as you begin to write your own scripts. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in learning Python, whether it’s for Cinema 4D or any other purpose.