How to Use EXR Renders from Blender in After Effects (The Right Way)
Blender and After Effects are a powerful combination for CGI and compositing workflows — but working with EXR renders between the two requires precise color management settings to ensure visual consistency.
If you've ever imported your perfectly balanced Blender render into After Effects, only to find it looks washed out, overly contrasted, or simply wrong, this guide is for you.
With the right settings in Blender and After Effects, your EXR renders will look identical from viewport to final comp. Here's how to do it:
1. Blender: Project Setup & Color Management
Start by heading to the Output Properties tab in Blender.
Under Color Management, make sure the following settings are applied:
These settings ensure that Blender’s render engine outputs the full unprocessed linear data, allowing After Effects to interpret the EXR file correctly.
💡 Pro Tip: If you’re using a custom OCIO workflow (e.g., AgX or ACES), it’s crucial that both Blender and After Effects share the same OCIO configuration.
2. Download the Correct OCIO Config File
If you’re using AgX (recommended for modern workflows), download this OCIO config to stay consistent across applications:
Extract this folder and save it somewhere accessible — you’ll load this config inside After Effects next.
3. After Effects: Load the OCIO Config
Now, open After Effects and go to:
File → Project Settings → Color
Then, click the Use OCIO Configuration checkbox and load the .ocio file you just downloaded.
Set Working Color Space to Imagery/Agx Base
Your settings should now look like this:
This ensures After Effects is interpreting your EXR files using the same color science as Blender.
4. Set Display Color Space in After Effects
Within the Color Space options (visible once you've loaded the config), set: sRGB/A
5. Import EXR Sequence into After Effects
After importing your EXR file/sequence onto a new composition, slap on the EXtractoR plugin and choose combined layer.
Before & After: Matching Blender & AE
With these settings correctly configured, your EXR in After Effects will now match Blender's viewport and Render perfectly — no guesswork, no LUTs, no manual tweaking.
Why This Matters
If you’re delivering high-end compositing, VFX, or motion graphics work, maintaining color consistency across tools is critical. With linear EXR files and OCIO in place, you’re preserving full color fidelity — giving you more dynamic range and cleaner post workflows.
Summary Checklist
BlenderSet Color Management to AgX Base sRGB
Load same OCIO config and apply correct settings
Set Display to sRGB/AgX
Import EXR with Color Management enabled
Need Help Setting Up?
If you're struggling to match colors or want a plug-and-play OCIO setup tailored for your studio, we’d love to help. Reach out to our team for personalized support or workflow audits.
