Full Documentation: https://shot-manager.other-realms-animation.com/en/latest/

YouTube Tutorials: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVs4xI-p9xLD5fAChX78anrZE3WbO4q8i

Bluesky:@otrealms.bsky.social

Discord: Join

Remove previous versions of the add-on and restart Blender before installing.

Getting Started

Shot Manager is an add-on for Blender in order assist in the organisation of complex files containing multiple shots, view layers and cameras. Shot Manager should be installed like any .zip add-on. 

The main interface is found in the Properties panel -> Output tab.

Its a good idea to drag the panel upward and save the start up file.

• Enable. The first check box will toggle the affect of Shot Manager on you scene. Uncheck if you need to turn off its influence, particularly if rendering alternative frame ranges or View Layers.

To activate a shot simply select it in the list. Double click the name to re-name.

Blender Version Support

SM v2.0.0+ Blender 4.0-4.3 Maintained

No longer maintained:

v0.7.7 Blender 4.0 compatibility update

v0.7.7 Supports Blender 3.3-3.6

v0.7.6 Supports Blender 2.90-3.3

v0.7.5 Supports Blender 2.90-3.2

v0.7-v0.7.5 Supports Blender 2.90-2.93

v0.64 supports Blender 2.80-2.93

Updating a project from 0.7 https://shot-manager.other-realms-animation.com/en/latest/#updating-from-v0-7-or-older-shot-manager-project

Existing Customers, Highest Value pricing

Customers who wish to upgrade to SM Pro 2.0 who have purchased an older Shot Manager Pro version will only need to pay the difference between what they paid for SM 0.7 and the SM 2.0 price. For example, if they purchased SM 0.7 for $30 and SM 2.0 costs $40, they will only need to pay $10 to upgrade.

This is the only update cost .  All other updates will be free as usual. This it is a major upgrade and refactor that has taken over 10 intensive months to develop.

Release Notes: day/month/year

2.0.6 -Hotfix4 (21-12-2024)

• FIXED Handle parent folder filepath creation
• FIXED Deadline change GetRepositoryPath to GetRepositoryFilePath
• FIXED Material Swap Rule should only revert when the slot link Type matches the rule link Type
• FIXED Python rule is executed even if not enabled in rule book
• FIXED Revert python rule on Global
• FIXED Filename constructor nodes not being converted into intended values
• FIXED View layer settings draw error in B4.3
• FIXED Deadline incorrect submission arguments when Render as copies is unchecked

2.0.6 -Hotfix3 (29-11-2024)

• FIXED VSE shot manager subpanel error when there is no render list

• UPDATE Generated primary layers, duplicate shot will duplicate and rename new primary layer, including passes

• UPDATE Generated primary layers, unpin old primary layer and pin new one.

• UPDATE Generated primary layers, don't add .001 suffix, instead keep label and use 'copy' in suffix property.

• UPDATE added Hydra Engine to addons white list

• UPDATE Simple Layouts support, associate a layout to each shot (addon coming soon)

2.0.6 (15-11-2024) Hotfix2

• FIXED Blender 4.3 overlay draw error due to new theme colour channels and items

• FIXED Burn-ins, load SM_Logo.png for default preset

• FIXED Burn-Ins, replace module name on old files and add version line

• FIXED Burn-ins, not rendering during background render, render-pre handler

2.0.6 (14-11-2024) Hotfix1

Animation Retimer

• NEW Draw overlay in timelines

• FIXED Animation retimer scale should consistently refer to difference in duration From-To ranges rather starting at From Start.

• UPDATE confusing behaviour on offset, don't update offset value when unlocked and adjusting To Frames

• FIXED Replace frame are 1 frame off

• FIXED Replace frames, handle overlapping ranges differently to side by side with gaps

• UPDATE Improved deleted frames warning

Rules

• FIXED Rules clear values on method change error

• FIXED Python Rules execute error when no shots exist

2.0.6 (12-11-2024)

• NEW Render As Copies option for batch rendering in Deadlilne, B-Renderon! and Flamenco without Shot Manager installed on render machines.

• NEW XML export shots with rendered files to video editing software.

• NEW Push render lists output to VSE for immediate editing.

• UPDATE Allow Copy From Operator to copy properties from the source shot that don't exist for the active shot.

• UPDATE common video extensions recognized for reading output paths

• UPDATE Show path type settings and icons in Addon Prefs

• FIXED Rule variables UI shows hundreds of copies when using python script, eg. import time

• FIXED Short Sequence editor overlay shader buffer error

• FIXED Ignore hidden shots during sequence scrub and playback

• FIXED Render fail warning when using skip overwrite

• FIXED Flamenco submit,handle root folder not found

• FIXED Missing status updates for batch submitters

• FIXED Flamenco submitter, produces incorrect file format extension

• FIXED RNA Rules, properly handling of keywords/custom properties using ["var"] expression.

• FIXED Output node filename preview uses "/" instead of separator

2.0.5 Hotfix1 (08-09-2024)

• UPDATE Override output root folder for batch viewport renders

• UPDATE Shot sequence editor, ripple tool mode overlay

• UPDATE Shot sequence editor, ripple tool mode doesn't require a shot strip to be selected

• FIXED Object filtering on Animation Retimer when only selected not enabled

• FIXED Retimer doesn't affect world nodetree actions

• FIXED Import render queue from blend file error

• FIXED Error when batch rendering only external shots and there is no local shotlist

• FIXED Camera from View, set Object mode operator doesn't work on library linked objects

2.0.5  (24-07-2024)

• NEW Output generator, pass name mapping

• NEW Animation Retimer

• NEW Generated output nodes visual overlay filepaths when mouse over

• UPDATE SM Render, use backup frame counter from saved message,no frame sample progress

• UPDATE SM Render, ignore empty message mappings

• UPDATE Custom label for node editor to avoid keymap clash with S

• UPDATE Enable relevant property overrides when using Apply Frame Range operator

• FIXED Missing Cycles pass names from nodes pass filter search

• FIXED duplicated render lists

• FIXED Eevee Next passes editor menu

• FIXED errors when making a file format override

• FIXED respect multiple format nodes along a single branch with pass filters

• FIXED incorrect Render process crashed error log when not using frame progress messaging

• FIXED Path constructor uses a linked shot's label even when override is not enabled

• FIXED SM render, calculate total percentage even when frame progress is not found in stdout

• FIXED Crash when using regular Render animation operator and SM interface not enabled

2.0.4  (24-07-2024)

• NEW Motion Blur Shutter override (4.2)
• UPDATE Pillow now installed from packaged wheel
• UPDATE Added Khronos view transform option (4.2)
  
• UPDATE Bloom property override will be removed from older projects (4.2)
• UPDATE All shots are being filtered warning
• FIXED Burn-ins default font directory
• FIXED Filter set 10 enum error, all is now -1
  
• FIXED Fix an error when assigning camera property
• FIXED Ensure a list can only have one default shot
• FIXED It shouldn't be possible to link a default shot to a regular shot
• FIXED Properties Render Engine, Cycles Motion Blue and Eevee Motion Blur changes removed/consolidated (4.2)
  
• FIXED Removed trailing separator on channel names when multi-layer EXR enabled on generator nodes
• FIXED  Load translation modules error (4.0)

2.0.4  (15-07-2024)

• NEW Invert filter set option
• NEW Invert search filter
• NEW Filter Set colour 08, now default
• NEW Gamma property for colour strips
• NEW Hide shots from sequence editor
• UPDATE Primary Layer selection 'New' view layer copies active layer collection states
• UPDATE python variables overrides can use picker properties such as Object
• UPDATE Display error when attempting to viewport render without a 3D view area available
• UPDATE New shots appear after active shot index
• UPDATE New shots avoid being filtered out by colour sets by using an available set
• UPDATE removed list refresh while using search filter that gives no result
• UPDATE multi-switch, hidden node options and socket values
  
• UPDATE Better vertical spacing for generated nodes with an insert nodes
• UPDATE Highlights on shot sequence editor strips are the same hue
• UPDATE allow snapping shot strips to playhead
• UPDATE Ripple edit strip works moving backwards with a start handle
• UPDATE More compact rendered time to avoid truncating with render frame overrides
• UPDATE Hide disabled shots in list render list while rendering
• FIXED Collection inspector error when there is no layer assigned such as after deleting the active layer
• FIXED syntax errors in report path ending with '\'
• FIXED Estimated remaining time accumulating rather than per shot
• FIXED Viewport render progress counter freezes
• FIXED Batch Export included Viewport render exports to incorrect relative path
• FIXED "Override by Shot Manager" messages shouldn't be displayed if not enabled
• FIXED Linked shots with still mode, shouldn't display editable frame range in list unless overriden
• FIXED Refresh shot list appears when searching and empty results
• FIXED 'Jump to First Frame' stops working after scrubbing Shot Editor playhead
• FIXED scrubbing stops working after selecting a shot strip
• FIXED incorrect origin when scaling multiple shots where a shot has both the earliest start and last end frames
• FIXED shots sometime shrink size when move snapping to zero
• FIXED Snapping direction and threshold when moving
• FIXED multi-layer warnings appear even when not used

2.0.3 (29-06-2024)

• NEW Sequence editor strips multi-selection scaling
• NEW Shot Edit tool, Ripple Edit mode
• NEW Macro's support Python Rules
• NEW Macro Overrides, python variables and RNA rules
• UPDATE Display shot duration frames and seconds in shot basics overlay
• UPDATE Display shot duration in seconds on shot sequence editor strips while editing
• UPDATE Improved Sequence editor zoom levels when displaying a very wide timeline
• UPDATE Use actual user key bindings for keys B,J,K and R for Shot Edit tool when not within panel area
• UPDATE Shot Edit tool is more likely to respond after cursor returns to sequence area
• UPDATE Shot Edit tool, box selection includes any part of a strip
• UPDATE display resolution not divisible by 2 warning
• FIXED Removed compositor node warnings in some situations
• FIXED Macros not displaying RNA Rules
• FIXED Variables recognise True False and bool type
• FIXED Macro execute buttons in list shouldn't display dialogue box
• FIXED Render error when decoding some path path strings with backslashes
• FIXED Shot List error displayed after loading when multiple scene share the same shot list
• FIXED Path Constructor 'Output Node' option to use generator name for generated nodes
• FIXED Primary switch uses tagging rather than node name to support translations
• FIXED Legacy support for Primary and Multi-Switch nodes
• FIXED cryptomatte_insert, property not found: CryptoInsertNode.node_group
  

2.0.2 (24-06-2024)

• NEW Contiguous mode
• NEW Select "New layer" in primary layer selection list
• NEW Per shot overrides for data-block Swap Rules
• UPDATE Shot Rules, Material swaps no longer restricted to first slot
• UPDATE Flattened Sequence playback, allow gaps between shots
• UPDATE Shot strip snapping range is zoom relative
• UPDATE Sequence editor, improve blending with camera passepartout
• UPDATE Sequence editor, improve N-Panel clipping and blockout
• UPDATE Added unsaved, relative file output warning
• UPDATE Allow Shot Basics overlay for Default shot
• FIXED Skipping updates when disabling SM in the main panel
  
• FIXED update sequence editor on shots inheriting frames from a shot that doesn't have overrides
• FIXED Create shot button in shot operations panel gives error if there is no shot list
• FIXED Error when loading presets containing references to missing objects
• FIXED Apply Frame Range Button is gone
• FIXED Shots not updating after changing a shot source tree
• FIXED Snapping shot strip end handle
• FIXED Shot Edit Tool select object not working When there is no shot list
• FIXED Write log error during Batch Render
• FIXED Overlay, avoid shot frame and time code overlap on long shots
• FIXED Inspect Output, output path not updated
• FIXED Pre-Render report turns off after some renders

2.0.1 (16-06-2024)

• NEW Load preset on new shots, preset base in settings and intialise shotlist settings
• UPDATE include suffix on new layers using Generate Primary layers
• UPDATE include suffix in New collection,
• UPDATE include suffix in source selection
• UPDATE included suffix in quick Shot List panel and Shot Sequence Editor strips
• UPDATE added flattened playback button to general settings and timeline panel
• UPDATE added loop playpack button to timeline panel
• UPDATE Ignore default shot when playinging back sequence
• FIXED shot modes should only display when initialising shot list
• FIXED allow clean layers if there are no shots
• FIXED Clean View Layers when initialising a shot list to prevent legacy id matching
• FIXED Update on suffix change, auto-rename layers and strip spaces
• FIXED disable main panel to prevent creation of new shots when legacy warning is present

2.0.0 (12-06-2024)

• NEW File/module restructure required to bring back SM Lite and maintain them in parallel 
• NEW Shot portability, Shot Lists as node trees can be instances across scenes and appended from other files
• NEW Duplicate shot lists
• NEW Shot Linking with editable shot source, Shot List -> Shot. Shots can inherit values from any not-linked shot or Default shot
• NEW 'Edit Source', directly edit a linked shot's source without needing to find or activate it.
• NEW Shot sub-properties/optional properties. Add, remove, re-order. Numerous new properties available, docs for a full list
• NEW Shot Operator, Make Links- batch make linked shots
• NEW Per scene Primary Layers
• NEW Operator, Make a new camera from the 3D view and set it to the active shot's camera override
• NEW Added date locality setting, affects all date constructors including Path Constructor node, render logs, Burn-Ins
• NEW Burn-Ins editor, Found in Image Editor for use with the compositor and batch rendering
• NEW Timeline Marker Set, editor in SM Tools, can be assigned to shots
• NEW Nodes, Shot Output Nodes, to replace Shot List node.
• NEW Nodes, Output Generator Nodes, replacing per shot Output Groups
• NEW Nodes, Group Insert generator node
• NEW Nodes, Cryptomatte Insert generator node
• NEW Nodes, File Format generator node
• NEW Nodes, Path Constructor Node, Date path item
• NEW Rules, Variables for python Rules with per shot overrides. Revert python Rules possible by using default values
• NEW Rules, Per shot overrides for RNA Rules
• NEW Rules, Rule Filters and sorting
• NEW Rules, search rules when adding to shot
• NEW Rules, Rules and Variables accessible across scenes. Source scene option is only for UI
• NEW Rules, Add rule to active shot within Rule Book
• NEW Rules,'Context' RNA Rule Domain
• NEW Rules, per rule, 'use default' button
• NEW Rules, RNA paths suggestions for RNA Rules and burn-in Property Stamps
• NEW Batch Export, Custom Suffix for exported files
• NEW SM Render, Custom render log file path
• NEW SM Render, Render Log gives includes a render time for each shot and a total render time
• NEW SM Render, render image preview thumbnails in SM Batch Render panel, render queue and output viewer
• NEW SM Render, message mapping interface to better support 3rd party render engines
• NEW SM Render, Display estimate time left In Progress section
• NEW Batch Render, Pre-render checks and warnings module, used across all submitters
• NEW Overlay, Auto-collapse sequence editor option (Default)
• NEW Overlay, Offset text coordinates
• NEW Clean Layers Operator, remove legacy shot data and 'ghosts' from view layer save states
  
• UPDATE Flamenco 3.5 support
• UPDATE All properties (except notes) are inheritable and overridable
• UPDATE FBX exporter to the latest version
• UPDATE SM New Collection, use active collection as parent. Recursive
• UPDATE Shot basics overlay now uses linear time code instead of seconds
• UPDATE Pre-Render Reports. Improved reported details. Per submitter reports
• UPDATE Override external frame ranges now separate to imported frame range
• UPDATE JSON to support legacy shots, remap ID's and view layers. Added Engine index mapping
• UPDATE Nodes, offset generated nodes option
• UPDATE Nodes, update paths on output group changes i.e. name change
• UPDATE Nodes, ability to combine view layers into single output such as EXR
• UPDATE Nodes, Improved support for nested nodes, *not fully featured
• UPDATE Nodes, Lookup pass names and view layer names
• UPDATE SM Render, show last rendered time and date in output queue
• UPDATE SM Render, more accurate total progress percentage (total shots % + current). Handling of multiple render layers.
• UPDATE SM render, per frame progress, Cycles and Eevee
• UPDATE 'Delete all shots', added delete Rule Book
• UPDATE Batch exported Blend files Root Folder made relative to its new position
• UPDATE Camera select button, added two set function. 1 Select and frame in view 2 Camera View when selected
• UPDATE Relative/Absolute path setting updates Root Folder, Temp Path, Report Path, Render Log Path
• UPDATE Shot selection radio buttons, select all, invert, added to Render Queue
• UPDATE Show notice if 'delete selected shots' but none are selected
• UPDATE Comma separated lists (JSON scenes, pass and layer filters) stripped spaces
• UPDATE Operator with search for shot Primary layer
• UPDATE Rules, handle array indices in RNA path
• UPDATE Rules, indicate Rules used by active Shot in Rule Book
• UPDATE Rules, shared default values between RNA rules with matching paths
• UPDATE Macros, revert to defaults
• UPDATE Macros sub-panel in N-panel
• UPDATE Sequence Overlay optimisations and re-structure
• UPDATE SM N-Panel interface is optional, Add-on Preferences
• UPDATE View Layers interface (SM Tools), passes now a popover menu
• FIXED Toggle still image should update end frame
• FIXED Sequence Playback issue when dropped frames and not play every frame
• FIXED Sequence playback not working when filtering shots
• FIXED Deadline path not found when using incorrect custom path and relative line 124
• FIXED SM New Collection, should be hidden from other Outliner modes
• FIXED Update shot list and overlays when scene change
• FIXED Copy Scene creates duplicate shot and rule IDs, rebuild ids
• FIXED Removed 'use z buffer' in format override for EXR
• FIXED RNA Rules, use rna default sometimes interferes with result
• FIXED Shot Search filter
• FIXED RNA Rules, Error updating Scene.use_nodes
• FIXED Ignore relative path if root folder drive letter provided
• FIXED If Render As is enabled, no need to disable UI operations, lock Render As instead
• FIXED Shot editor, keymap item 'Object Mode' not found
• FIXED shot editor, ui region not found
• FIXED Macros workaround, non need to disable rule defaults
• FIXED Path Contructor Node makes folder called {'Main'}, with Sync outputs on
• FIXED Multi-Switch Nodes, compatibility update for new Blender 4.0 input/output interface
• FIXED Prevent shot start from being higher than end, also in sequence editor
• FIXED Nodes, Multi-Switch. Make node keys more robust when connecting input and output with non-English language settings
• MOVED start_ALT/end_ALT to 'Start' 'End' sub properties
• MOVED shot 'id' to 'name', name to 'label'
• MOVED Samples, Bloom to optional properties
• REMOVED 'Main'/'Default' shot group, replaced with first index with tag is_default
• REMOVED NLA Rules, due to complexity and upkeep with SM 2.0 refactor and Blender 4+ API and uncertainty for the future of NLA and the new animation layers system. 
• REMOVED Shot List Node, replace with Shot Output node. Overview UI elements to be redesigned and moved to the Shot List editor for SM 2.1
• REMOVED Alias Shots, replace with new shot source dependency
• REMOVED 'Still Frame Mode', now a per shot property
• REMOVED 'Primary' property, Primary layers are now meta-props store in the Viewlayer only
• REMOVED operator, Apply Shot settings

(11-06-2024) Lite

• FIXED Rebuild legacy shots, import orifinal Default shot
• FIXED Read legacy primary layer value for corner cases where value is not matching its layer data
  
• FIXED Still shots always shot overriden frame interface in UI list
  

0.7.7 B4.0-4.1 compatibility

(05-06-2024)

• FIXED Weblink URLs redirected to v0.7.7
• FIXED JSON load legacy primary layer property
  

(03-06-2024)

• FIXED JSON backup, error when exporting Pass Groups
  

(07-05-2024)

• FIXED Alias shots not rendering with SM batch render.

(30-04-2024)

• UPDATE Flamenco submitter now requires Flamenco 3.5
• NEW custom prefix option for batch exported files
  

(18-03-2024)

• FIXED keymap error when using Shot Editor tool.

(24-02-2024)

• FIXED added support for Turbo Tools (SM Batch Renderer)
  

(12-02-2024)

•       FIX RNA Rules, bug when reverting Scene data

(18-01-2024)

      Shot Rules updates:

• UPDATE indicate Rules used by active Shot in Rule Book
• UPDATE per rule, 'use default' button
• UPDATE show tuples instead of IDProperty Array
• FIX share default values between matching RNA rules
• FIX handle array indices in rna path
• UPDATE disable default values is UI when not being used

(28-12-2023)

• FIXED Switch node are now supported again
  

(9-12-2023)

• FIXED Deadline submitter for blender 4.0, choose install/update
  

(5-12-2023)

• FIXED Shot Editor Overlay now working again
  

(20-10-2023)

• FIXED Added nodes menu, Note: Switch nodes are not supported
  

(18-10-2023)

• FIXED shot preset error.

(16-09-2023)

• UPDATE Initial Blender 4.0 compatibility. Shot Editor overlay not working yet.