We’ve been implementing an ACES workflow on our compositing pipeline using After Effects. We have the roundtrip working where we can bring in ARRI LogC3 footage, do some work in ACEScg and then get it back out to LogC3 to Resolve with no shifts. We also are able to import 3D renders from Cinema 4D into that process.
The issue we are having is being able to export a still frame(PSD, EXR, etc..) and bring that file back in without any shifting. I’ve tried all sorts of ACES settings on the output such as sRGB, Rec709, ACEScg, ACEScc, ACES2065, etc… All of them are messing up the highlights when I bring it back in. I have tried both 16bit and floating point color. What I need to be able to do is export a still, paint it in Photoshop, and then bring it back into AE with my ACES setup and have it match pixel for pixel. I am able to get a still exported using LogC3 to look right, however it’s harder to paint on in PS due to it being in log space.
Currently using:
After Effects 2025
ACES 1.2
ACEScg compositing linear project color settings
Photoshop does not (or did not, last time I tested) handle unclamped float, so will clip values greater than 1.0. So linear formats like ACEScg are not usable. Therefore using a log format when round-tripping to Photoshop is a common workflow. If you want to see it looking “normal” as you work on it in Photoshop, you can add a LUT on a temporary adjustment layer.
If you’re using one of the latest version of Photoshop it supports OCIO and some tools previously unavailable in a 32bit document have been added. You should be able to export an EXR frame out of AE in ACEScg (or ACES2065-1 if you prefer the intended ACES interchange way), then in PS open a new OCIO document with ACEScct as the working space, or ACEScg can also be a choice depending on what you need to do with the image, just be aware of some of the maths of the tools you use.
In the case of using ACEScg you can only use 32bit as Adobe doesn’t have 16bit float options.
This file should appear exactly the same as in AE provided you use the same OCIO config and settings.
Once you’re done in PS you can save the file as .PSD. It will save the file in whatever the chosen working space is so once brought back in AE make sure it’s input space is set to that.
ACES2065-1 seems to work. The Log method works as well but it’s a little more cumbersome to do the paint work under a LUT layer. Only issue now is that some of the PS features like the generative fill don’t work in 32 bit.
With ACES2065-1, is it good practice to keep the workspace in that world while I paint in Photoshop or is there a better reason to use ACEScg or ACEScct?
Photoshop’s OCIO decodes the image in floating point first and then the image lands in the working space, so it is possible to open a new OCIO document with the EXR into a 16bit integer ACEScct (log) working space. The OCIODisplay that sits on top of the image that converts it to your display is also processed in floating point internally separate from the document bit depth so it will not clip. In theory everything in Photoshop should thus work but I can’t predict how well generative stuff will behave on log input data.
I would say that it’s not good practice. ACES2065-1 isn’t intended as working space and in an ACES workflow is really for interchange and archiving only. ACEScg is the choice for working in linear like compositing and cg rendering. ACEScct (log) for color timing, matte painting and anything else a log image state is better suited to.
I tried putting the working space to something other than 2065 in Photoshop and when I bring it back into After Effects and choose that same profile it always gives me a color shift.
Hm, did you make sure that the color space you export to is correct and also interpreted as such inside Photoshop? Working in 16bit integer ACEScct is not perfect, you get pretty significant differences with extreme values and you wouldn’t be able to store/preserve negative values so check if it works for you but color shifts shouldn’t happen I think.
Lightsaber scene EXR in AE + 16bit ACEScct PSD file, difference blend, no gain applied.
