Dave Bergin Uses Clones and Deformers in Cinema 4D to Create an Abstract Ring Animation.

CG Shortcuts (Dave Bergin) has a great YT channel and regularly posts engaging tutorials working with Cinema 4D. One of them shows how to create an abstract ring animation using Mograph clones and deformers to get the job done.

The base f the effect is a simple primitive cylinder that is bent and twisted with a couple of deformers. The deformers also animate the shape before the cones get distributed across the surface. Dave offers the project file as a free download that you can use to learn from, or in your work.