Notch for After Effects (Beta)

Updated: 3 Feb 2026

Please note the Notch for After Effects plugin is currently in public beta. It is not recommended for critical production use at this time.

VFX Blocks in After Effects #

What is a VFX Block #

VFX Blocks allow you to embed, manipulate and render your Notch content directly in DCCs (Digital Content Creation tools) such as Adobe After Effects. VFX Blocks are also able to take video/image inputs from the After Effects composition and use them as a video/image input into the block, opening a huge range of effects and 3D workflows directly in After Effects.

This allows:

• teams of non-Notch users to utilise your Notch content without needing to understand the underlying Notch system
• use of your content in pre-existing Adobe workflows

Please note VFX Blocks (.vfxblock files) are distinct from Notch Blocks for Media Servers (.dfxdll files). Only VFX Blocks can be used in the Adobe After Effects plugin.

How does it work? #

Notch VFX & RFX can export any project to the VFX Block format (.vfxblock). Before exporting you can Expose VFX Parameters that can be controlled within After Effects.

The Notch developed AE plugin lets you import a VFX Block, manipulate its exposed parameters, and render the Notch content directly in After Effects.

Requirements & Licensing #

• Notch Builder 1.0.0.148 or later (For VFX Block creation only only)
• After Effects 2022-2025 on Windows Only.
• Notch Notch for After Effects installer - download here.
• License for Notch for After Effects, which can be one of the following:
  • Notch VFX, RFX, Base or Pro license on the local machine - available at www.notch.one.
  • Or, a dedicated plugin license installed on the local machine - available for free until the end of 2026.

Unlike Notch Blocks for Media Servers, VFX Blocks do not require a Playback license. Instead only a plugin license is required.

Important Notes #

• Renderers which refine (e.g. Path Tracer) do not work in After Effects at present. Only a single refine is performed per frame.
• Exposable Nulls and Exposable Cameras are not supported in After Effects yet.
• VFX Blocks use their own set of Exposed Parameters. Parameters must be exposed via the Expose For VFX Block option in the Property Editor.
• Some limitations are imposed on exposed VFX Block parameters due to restrictions within After Effects:
  • Only 8 properties per group and 4 groups may be exposed at present.
  • Text string properties do not work in After Effects.

How To #

Exporting A VFX Block #

The Notch for After Effects plugin works by importing Notch VFX Blocks which have been exported from Notch Builder. You can either work with existing VFX Blocks that have already been exported form Notch Builder, or export your own VFX Blocks from Notch Builder.

To export a VFX Block from Builder:

• Build your Notch project as usual
• Expose any parameters that you want to be available to control in After Effects (if any). More info here
• Go to Project -> Compile VFX Block For Adobe After Effects
• You will be prompted to select a path to export the Block to. Select a location and hit “Ok”
• Your Notch VFX Blocks will have the extension .vfxblock

How To Use VFX Blocks In After Effects #

To enable After Effects to playback VFX Blocks, you will first need to install the Notch for After Effects plugin which can be downloaded here: https://www.notch.one/downloads.

Download the link and install the plugin. You should make sure After Effects is not running before installation.

Once the plugin is installed:

1. Open After Effects and you should now see the “Notch VFX” effect in the “Effects & Presets” list.
2. To add a Notch VFX Block to your project, first make sure you have an active composition. If you don’t, go to Composition → New Composition and create one.
3. Now add a new solid by going to Layer → Solid.
4. Now drag the Notch effect from the Effects and Presets menu, on to the solid layer. This will now give you the option to “Load” a Notch VFX Block into the solid’s effects layer.
5. With the Notch solid layer selected, hit “Load” in the “Effects Controls” menu to select your Notch VFX Block. Notch VFX Blocks will have the extension .vfxblock

You now have a Notch VFX Block loaded into After Effects.

Working With VFX Exposed Parameters In After Effects #

When exporting a VFX Block from Notch Builder, you can expose VFX Parameters to be available directly inside of After Effects, allowing you to have dynamic control over a pre-defined set of Notch node properties.

Once you have a Notch VFX Block loaded into your After Effects project, you will be able to see the exposed VFX parameters for the active Notch composition, either in the ”Effects Controls” menu, or in the Notch layer’s ”Effects” drop-down in the ”Layers” section of the ”Timeline panel”.

Video Parameters #

Notch allows you to expose the source of a Video Loader node to be set inside After Effects. This allows you to feed in video, images and other After Effects compositions in to your notch scene from within After Effects. This can be used in various ways, a few examples might be to map AE compositions onto screens in a 3D stage visualisation setup, or you could use it to apply Notch Post-FX to an AE composition or animation.

To use an Exposed Video Parameter, you must first have a suitable source added to your composition alongside the Notch layer. In this example we will use a video file, but this could be an image or another AE composition.

If you click on the dropdown for the Exposed Video Parameter in the ”Notch VFX” properties, you will see all of the layers in the current AE composition. Selecting one of these will set the feed of that Exposed Video Parameter to use that layer as its source.

The source of a Exposed Video Parameter can cannot be animated. If you want to animate the texture being sent to a Exposed Video Parameter , you could set the source to an AE composition, and then animate videos, images etc inside that comp.

Other Exposed Parameters #

As well as exposing video sources, you can also expose the following property types:

• Int (Numerical)
• Float (Numerical)
• Enum (Option Selection)
• Resource (Option Selection)
• Colour (Colour)

These parameters can be controlled in the same way as standard After Effects parameters. You can set them statically, keyframe them, or apply expressions to them.

FAQ #