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jefubbudu
jefubbudu
Known Participant
January 27, 2026
Open for Voting

3D track export/import.

  • January 27, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 18 views

I work in blender. I've basically abandoned AE for anything but color and some moderate masking in post. Tracking can't be taken out of AE, or imported, and that leaves AE's once-great-now-subpar tracking toolset orphaned by an overly strict environment. As a 1st step in VFX that needs to be there till the end, it just can't fit in a workflow that is not 100% AE.

      1 reply

      M
      MikeSevigny
      January 27, 2026

      There’s a free script to move your After Effects scene data into Blender and a video on how to use it here. There’s also a free extension to export from Blender to AE and a video on how to use it here.

      jefubbudu
      jefubbuduAuthor
      Known Participant
      January 29, 2026

      In case i wasn't clear, i wanted it as a core feature, half because it would force the devs to actually update the tracking a little, and maybe add lens distortion correction, and similar. The other half was because while camera data is... okay... i prefer point cloud tracks- as in having the points in 3D space so i can use them to build a scene for set replacement.

       

      I've used them before, sometimes they work, sometimes they're odd, sometimes they only work for certain versions, sometimes the developer decides to move on, etc.

       

      "Here's some scripts and a plugin for a different software" is not exactly a feature. Actually, i would say the reason those exist are because this is needed as a feature, and depending on unpaid third parties for core functionality is how you kill a software.

      M
      MikeSevigny
      January 29, 2026

      Ah, I see what you're saying. A little bit like when you import a Maya file and it interprets/translates the scene into an After Effects scene. You'd like the same to be done for Blender.

       

      I think exporting to Blender would be a little bit trickier in terms of workflow since After Effects' 3D Camera Tracker is made so the user builds their scene in pieces (one plane here, several nulls there). The best export solution would likely still be in the form of a script because the user's complete camera solution doesn't live inside the Camera Tracker plugin, but rather in the project as a whole.

       

      Regarding "forcing" the devs to update the tracking: I agree that the Camera Tracker in AE could use additional features. I've personally made tools to improve the workflow where I need them. I think you'll get a better response if you're more specific about the features you want updated (like lens distortion) so people know what they're voting on.

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