Missing effect: SA color finesse

[Jackmando]

Opening any project, AfterEffects CC 2019 does not recognise colour effects added via the baked-in third party plug-in SA Color Finesse. Error message: "After Effects warning: this project contains a reference to a missing effect. Please install the following effect to restore this reference. SA Color Finesse 3."

The error message seems wrong, since it is clearly still present in this AE version:

Any suggestions? If this isn't resolved, I'm looking at a hundred hours reapplying colour, which I would rather spend doing other things.

This since transferring from an old to a new Macbook Pro (web transfer method). I've checked forums and adobe help, but no luck.

Thanks in advance,

Jack

[imeilfx · Accepted solution]

No! Its not. As you clearly can see you have Color Finesse in Missing folder.
Adobe removed Color Finesse in 16.0 (2019 release) so the only thing for you to do is to use earlier version 15 if you need Color finesse to work

source: New features summary | April 2018 release of After Effects CC 

[Jackmando]

Thanks, but as you can see in my second screenshot, the effect is still there. The usual interface has gone, true. But the plug-in can be used in new projects, it seems. My guess is that this is Adobe's attempt at continuity, but it is not working and the error message is confusing / unhelpful.

[imeilfx]

As you can see and as I've said you see Color finesse in Missing what mean that it's missing so you cant use it. So also as I said before - you cant use Color Finesse in AE 16 (2019).

If you will close AE and open with new project or old project but without Color Finesse - tou will not see Color Finesse and folder called Missing.

[Jackmando]

Thanks, I'd missed that!

[imeilfx]

That's ok. Glad I could help.

[Mo Moolla]

Such a pity it was removed. Color Finesse was a truly powerful grading plugin which I used a lot

I keep CC2018 just for that

[imeilfx]

Yep. I also Color Finesse extensively and that is why I will keep earlier AE on my machine (to be able use my older projects) but with new Lumetri Color effect and Lumetri Scopes - Color Finessse got mostly obsolete.

[Mo Moolla]

CF was great because you could create "rooms" so you could create a grade room for say the external shots that were of similar lighting and save and apply to those shots etc. Found it very very interesting. Tons of secondaries, LUT import functions, shadows were amazing. I understand Adobe's decision to remove it so they could focus on Lumetri but I will continue using it especially on AE work.

[Roei Tzoref]

you can always buy it for approximately 600$
https://www.syntheticaperture.com/products/color-finesse-3-0-pi-for-mac

[Bob Currier]

You can do an upgrade from Color Finesse LE (the version bundled with AE CS5-CC2018) to Color Finesse PI to save some money. Current price is $375 for the upgrade. Color Finesse PI will not only work in CC2019, but also in Premiere Pro.

You can get the Color Finesse LE serial number from a pre-2019 version and use that when ordering.

Bob Currier

Synthetic Aperture

[Mo Moolla]

Thank you Bob really appreciate the feedback

Will look into it because I adore this plugin and have used it on almost every project that needed colouring from doccies to a feature or 2 that didn't stipulate the software that needed to be used

Mo