aePipeline

aePipeline lists compatibility with After Effects 2026, 2025, 2024, and 2023, so it covers several recent releases. If you run one of these, the toolset, including AutoComp, QueueUp, matteMaker, and the New Client Wizard, is designed to work within your project. For any release outside that range, or to confirm the latest supported builds, check the developer's page before installing, since compatibility can shift as new versions of After Effects and the plugin itself are released over time.

aePipeline uses the free, open-source fnord CDL plugin for its color pipeline, and CDL.aex is bundled in the package. To set it up, copy CDL.aex to the Mediacore folder and relaunch After Effects. Once it's in place, the plugin is available for the color pipeline that aePipeline drives through its OCIO, CDL, and LUT setup. The bundled CDL plugin was added in the 1.0.1 release, so installing that version gives you the file directly rather than sourcing it separately elsewhere.

aePipeline is listed as free in this catalog, so there's no price to note here. For current licensing terms, any usage conditions, and the most up-to-date details, check the developer's page on aescripts. That's also where you'll find the download along with the bundled fnord CDL plugin and the changelog covering recent updates such as version 1.0.1. Licensing arrangements can change over time, so the developer's page is the reliable place to confirm how the tool is distributed before you rely on it in production.

aePipeline's New Client Wizard walks through client setup in steps, covering slate and preview toggles, the output folder, handles and start frame, company name and CDL folder, and custom template folders. It also sets AutoComp resolutions and scale settings, along with QueueUp render settings and the matte output module. In version 1.0.1, the 'Use Slate Frame' and 'Use Preview Comps' options work per client and are editable in Setup, not only inside the wizard, so you can adjust a client's configuration after the initial run.

aePipeline's matteMaker handles matte shot setup and compensates for the slate when it runs on a preslate. It produces matte renders using Alpha-only ProRes 422 settings and has its own output paths and routing. matteMaker sits alongside QueueUp, which includes a filename safety check, and the conditions and rules system that can apply different behaviour, such as a different LUT for night shots, using options like contains, width, and aspect ratio. Together these cover matte generation within the automated shot workflow aePipeline provides.