Blender as an OFX plugin for other apps
The idea is simple: an OFX plugin for placing a blend file inside another OFX enabled app as an object.
I mean, not OFX support inside Blender, but the possibility to have Blender content seamlessly placed inside other host apps.
I use Davinci Resolve for editing and grading, and many times I wish I could insert blender content (Grease pencil animations, quick 3Ds, etc), in my timeline, but it's a hassle to sync it with audio or other stuff, and keep rerendering and re-placing it just to sync stuff. I imagine this to remain linked to a point in the timeline, and editable and re-rendable with a single click. I imagine a workflow like this:
- you place the OFX on a clip in your editing suite timeline
- The first run you are offered to create a new .blend file
- Blender 3D opens, and you get a Scene with the proper duration, and a proxy of your original clip as Camera background.
- you make your art, and save the file.
- you may have an option to quickly render a "Viewport render animation" as a proxy for your host app.
- when you're done you may render a full size clip for using on Final Renders.
- The playhead may be kept in sync between Blender and the host app, to help syncing with audio, other clips or transitions in the host app.
I don't know if this is even doable, but it would be really useful :-) I end up doing most simple stuff like this in Fusion, just because I'm able to edit it in place.
2 Comments
This is doable and doesn't need any changes to blender itself. Someone needs to develop the OFX plugin that does this and interfaces with blender via sockets or via the command line.
That said I don't think the blender core developers would be the team to ask this as it adds more value to products that want to integrate blender then to blender itself; it doesn't add value to blender directly or indirectly.
I understand. This looks almost off-topic here.
But still, I don't think this doesn't add value to Blender, on the contrary.
It's just like any exporter plugin (like the OBJ, DAE or Alembic ones) but better.. if those exporters got coded by Blender devs, they can code this as well. Does the OBJ exporter add value to Maya or to Blender?
If anyone can seamlessly integrate Blender into any NLE via OFX, with just a click, I think it would add a LOT of value to Blender, and help spread the word and find many new adopters.
If I had the skills I'd write it myself, but sadly I don't code (real programming I mean, and AFAIK, you need real C skill to write OFX).
Thank you for your answer! I still hope this gets done someday...