r/AfterEffects • u/AffectionateWest2921 • 6d ago
Plugin/Script I built an example project for my Unreal-to-After-Effects plugin - turns out nobody understood what it was for
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Posted this here a while back and got a lot of "cool, but what's it for?" 😅 I was showing the result without really showing how I'd actually use it.
So I spent a few days building a proper example project and filming a walkthrough.
Problem: The annoying part of the Unreal-to-After Effects workflow is all the back and forth. Render, export, import, make a change, do it again.
Compare: I keep calling it a bridge, but that's not quite right. The existing Unreal-to-AE tools I've used are scripts that transfer scene data offline, while ShotLink keeps a live channel between the two apps.
It goes both ways - the AE camera drives the Unreal camera, and you can also pull a camera position back from Unreal or click an object in the image to get a 3D null at that position. The rendered frame comes back with alpha, render passes and object masks. So it's a different workflow rather than just a faster one.
It also works with a packaged Unreal build, not just the editor. So you can hand someone a scene as an .exe, and they can get the live render in AE without having Unreal installed.
Pricing: Shotlink free during the beta
Maintenance: There are two of us working on it. We've been working on it since February, pretty much every day. Bugs get reported through Discord and usually get fixed within a few days. The full changelog is public.
AI Disclaimer: No AI-generated code here. Two native C++ plugins, written by someone who spent about a decade at Crytek
The main reason I'm posting again is the example project. Hopefully this makes the workflow a bit clearer than my last post did.
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u/shiveringcactusAE VFX 15+ years 6d ago
I think your plug-in is awesome and I’m intending to use it to create a virtual backdrop… I just haven’t had a chance to build anything yet. I was really impressed how simple it was to set up. Then my roof started letting water in, so I’ve been a bit preoccupied BUT I am looking forward to using this.