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Rendering with multiple machines

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Rendering with multiple machines is the best way to get faster After Effects renders, and Render Boss is designed to make this process as simple as possible. You can use the assistant that guides you through the whole 3-step setup.

Note: Adobe allows you to use as many machines as you need for rendering with a single license for more information on how click on this link

Check out the video for a walkthrough of the setup and rendering process:

(if you can’t see the video above, you can open it by clicking here)

Video Index:

  • 0:17 – Setup
  • 3:32 – Rendering

What you’ll need:

  • After Effects and all plugins need to be installed on all the render machines.
  • Render Boss needs to be installed on all the render machines
  • The AE project and files to be rendered can be anywhere, as long as all machines have access to it.
    (For example \\server\Projects\)
  • The Render Boss Work Folder must be the same on all machines, and all machines need access to it.
    (For example: \\server\Render Boss\)
  • Make sure the AE Extension has the same Work Folder in the Options panel. This usually updates automatically, but After Effects sometimes ignores this command.

Rendering:

  • In the AE Extension, before pressing Send to Render Boss, make sure ‘Multiple Machines / Threads’ is checked.
  • Render Boss must be set to ON in at least one machine to start rendering. (After Effects does not need to be open).
  • All machines set to ON will start when they receive a new render.
  • If rendering a video file, all the machines and threads work on all the frames and place them in a temporary folder. When the frames are done, one machine takes over and creates a final video file.
  • Other machines can be turned ON at any point and they’ll join the current render, unless the render is already past the point of creating the individual frames (when one machine is creating the final video file).
  • Machines can be stopped at any point before the final video file creating, and the render will continue as long as there is one machine remaining.

If you want to go deeper into controlling different machines, and rendering only on some, but not others, you can check the post ‘A deeper look into Multi-Machine Renders’.

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