# Claude with Blender and After Effects: Connectors vs MCPs

https://createmotion.io/guides/claude-blender-after-effects-connectors/ · Written by motif with Claude Fable 5.1 · Facts checked 2026-10-27

Blender has an official Claude connector, built by the Blender developers, for Claude Desktop on any plan, including Free. After Effects has no connector from Anthropic or Adobe as of 27 October 2026; Adobe's connector skips it, and a community connector and community MCP servers fill the gap. Expect scripts and scene edits, not finished films.

Note: **Update log.** Version of 27 October 2026. On that date we read the [Claude Academy Blender tutorial](https://academy.claude.com/tutorials/using-the-blender-connector-in-claude), Blender's [MCP server page](https://www.blender.org/lab/mcp-server/), Adobe's connector pages and Anthropic's [Claude for Creative Work](https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-for-creative-work) announcement, searched Claude's directory for After Effects, and took star counts, licences and dates from GitHub. motif has not installed or run any of the servers named here.

### Short answer

Blender has an official Claude connector, built by the Blender developers. It runs in Claude Desktop on any plan, including Free, and lets Claude read, explain and script the scene you have open. Claude Academy lists Blender 4.2 or later, but the current add-on asks for Blender 5.1 or later. After Effects has no connector from Anthropic or Adobe as of 27 October 2026. Adobe's connector covers Express, Premiere, Photoshop and other apps, but After Effects is not on its list. Claude's directory lists one community connector that works with After Effects, from Filmit.io, and community MCP servers on GitHub fill the rest of the gap; all of them are third-party code. Community MCP servers also add modelling tools for Blender. If you want a rendered MP4 rather than a live scene, let Claude write a Blender Python script and render it from the command line.

### The official Blender connector

The connector was built by the Blender developers and released on 28 April 2026 as part of [Claude for Creative Work](https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-for-creative-work). Its [directory listing](https://claude.ai/directory/connectors/ant.dir.gh.blender.blender-mcp) names Blender Lab as the maker, shows version 1.0.1 and says an add-on is required. The server and add-on are open source under the GPL-3.0 licence in the [Blender Lab repository](https://projects.blender.org/lab/blender_mcp).

Requirements, from the [Claude Academy tutorial](https://academy.claude.com/tutorials/using-the-blender-connector-in-claude): Claude Desktop on any plan, including Free, and Blender 4.2 or later. It does not work on claude.ai in the browser, because Blender must run on the same machine as Claude. The connector is built on MCP and works with other clients, including Claude Code. One version note: on 27 October 2026 the add-on's manifest in the [Blender Lab repository](https://projects.blender.org/lab/blender_mcp) and the v1.0.3 install link on blender.org both set Blender 5.1.0 as the minimum, so use Blender 5.1 or later.

#### Set-up steps

1. In Claude Desktop, open Customize, then Connectors, search for Blender and select Add.
2. Open Blender's [MCP server page](https://www.blender.org/lab/mcp-server/) next to Blender and drag its install link into the Blender window. Blender asks to add the Blender Lab extension repository; allow it.
3. Drag the same link in a second time. This installs the add-on, and Blender will notify you of updates in the status bar.
4. Open your project, go to Edit, Preferences, Add-ons, find the BlenderMCP tab and start the MCP server. Do this each time you work.
5. For Claude Code or another MCP client, follow Blender's [setup notes](https://www.blender.org/lab/mcp-server/) and the [Claude Code MCP guide](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/mcp).

#### What it does

Claude Academy describes the connector as access to your open scene through Blender's Python API: read and explain a node or modifier setup, batch-apply changes across many objects, clean out unused data, and write Python that adds tools to Blender's interface. You do not need to know Python, and you can ask to see the code before it runs. Changes apply to the open session and are written to disk when you save in Blender.

Blender's own [examples](https://www.blender.org/lab/mcp-server/) are analysis and clean-up prompts: list objects with a high polygon count but a small on-screen size, fix typos in data-block names, find which objects use a material, and document a Geometry Nodes tree with frames and a text block. Blender adds two cautions: the result depends on the model you use, and in its own test the first polygon analysis missed a Solidify modifier that doubled an object's count.

Official: Blender's security warning, quoted from its [MCP server page](https://www.blender.org/lab/mcp-server/): "The MCP server will execute LLM generated code in Blender without any guards in place to protect your data from removal or being sent to a remote location. To keep your data safe it is recommended to use a virtual machine, or a system without access to sensitive information." Blender also states it has no built-in LLM features; the add-on, an MCP client and the server are three separate installs.

### The Adobe connector

Anthropic's announcement calls it Adobe for creativity; the [directory](https://claude.ai/directory/connectors/adobe-creativity) lists it as Adobe, made by Adobe Inc., added April 2026, and marks sign-in as required. It is a remote connector (adobe-creativity.adobe.io), so it works in Claude on the web and in Claude Desktop. It brings in tools from Acrobat, Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator, Firefly, Premiere, Adobe Express, InDesign and Adobe Stock. After Effects is not on the list.

Its motion abilities are modest. The directory page names resizing video, and its tool list includes animate_design. [Adobe's own page](https://www.adobe.com/adobe-connectors/adobe-for-claude.html) describes animating designs for social, licensing stock video, and cropping a clip for YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. Adobe installs it as a plugin plus a connector: Customize, Plugins, search Adobe, add it, connect on the Connectors tab, then type /adobe in a chat. Adobe's page says you do not need an Adobe account to start; a free Adobe account unlocks more tools, generative AI and storage, and some tools need a paid Adobe plan.

Neither page states a Claude plan requirement. A July 2025 Anthropic [article](https://claude.com/resources/articles/connectors-directory) said connectors to remote services were for paid plans only; check what your plan shows today.

Official connectors for 3D and motion, checked 2026-10-27

| Connector | Made by | Where it runs | You need | Motion-related abilities |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Blender | Blender developers (Blender Lab) | Claude Desktop; other MCP clients including Claude Code; not the browser | Any Claude plan including Free; the add-on, whose current manifest asks for Blender 5.1 or later (Claude Academy says 4.2) | Read, explain and script the open scene; batch changes; clean-up; new UI tools |
| Adobe (Adobe for creativity) | Adobe Inc. | Claude on the web and Claude Desktop | The Adobe plugin and connector; a free Adobe account unlocks more, and some tools need a paid Adobe plan; Claude plan rule not stated | Resize and crop video, animate designs, stock video; Premiere and Express tools; no After Effects |
| After Effects | No connector from Anthropic or Adobe | - | - | None from either on 2026-10-27; the directory lists one community connector, Filmit (see below) |

### The code route: Blender with no connector

You do not need a connector to get a rendered animation. In a 21 October 2026 guide, [Kevin Singh](https://www.kevinsingh.com/p/make-a-3d-animation-with-claude-and) has Claude write a Blender Python (bpy) script that builds, lights and keyframes the scene, runs Blender in the background to render PNG frames, and joins frames and audio with FFmpeg. He says Claude Code is the easiest client because it runs the commands and fixes its own errors, and that claude.ai works if you run the commands yourself. His guide is a how-to, not a benchmark; the model and pricing figures in it are his, and we do not repeat them. motif's summary: [Make a 3D Animation With Claude and Blender](https://createmotion.io/articles/make-a-3d-animation-with-claude-and-blender-all-in-code-520b76b20e9d/).

1. blender -b -P build_scene.py builds the scene from the script and saves scene.blend.
2. blender -b scene.blend -a renders every frame to a frames folder. Put the .blend file before -a, because Blender reads arguments in order.
3. ffmpeg -framerate 24 -i frames/%04d.png -i audio.wav -c:v libx264 -pix_fmt yuv420p -c:a aac -shortest animation.mp4 joins the frames and the sound.

Expect a few fix rounds: Blender's Python API changes between versions, so the first script may fail. Render a short frame range at half resolution to check timing before a full render, and prefer Eevee over Cycles while iterating. The payoff is that every part is a script you can edit later, and nothing runs inside a live Blender window.

### After Effects: a community connector and MCP servers

As of 27 October 2026 neither Anthropic nor Adobe offers an After Effects connector. The [Claude for Creative Work](https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-for-creative-work) list has none, and the Adobe connector's app list omits After Effects. A search of the [Claude directory](https://claude.ai/directory) for "after effects" on the same day returned one connector that works with it: [Filmit.io](https://claude.ai/directory/connectors/filmit), a community connector added in October 2026. Anthropic says community connectors pass automated reviews but are not verified by Anthropic. The listing says Filmit drives Premiere Pro, After Effects and DaVinci Resolve through its Filmit Studio panel and needs a Filmit account; a free account includes 50 actions a day. Filmit Pro is the maker's paid plan: $20 a month or $192 a year on its [pricing page](https://filmit.io/pricing) on 27 October 2026, with a 7-day trial. Everything else we found is a community MCP server on GitHub. Each of those runs a bridge panel or script inside After Effects that executes the ExtendScript the server sends, so Blender's security warning applies to them too.

Note: **Third-party and unreviewed.** motif has not installed or run Filmit or these servers. Licences, star counts and dates come from GitHub on 27 October 2026 and will change. Read the licence and README yourself and install only from source you have looked at.

Community After Effects MCP servers on GitHub, 2026-10-27

| Server | Licence | Stars | Last push | Needs |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Dakkshin/after-effects-mcp](https://github.com/Dakkshin/after-effects-mcp) | MIT | 804 | 2026-04-01 | After Effects 2022 or later, Node.js 14 or later, the mcp-bridge-auto.jsx panel with Auto-run enabled |
| [irfanabdulhameed/aftereffects-mcp](https://github.com/irfanabdulhameed/aftereffects-mcp) | MIT | 0 | 2026-10-27 | Node.js 18 or later, an MCP client (its setup scripts register Claude Code), macOS or Windows, and the After Effects setting Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network |

Dakkshin's server was the most-starred After Effects MCP in a GitHub search on 27 October 2026. Its README lists compositions, text, shape, solid, camera and null layers, keyframes, expressions, masks, track mattes and batch property changes. It has not been pushed to since 1 April 2026. The second server, created in September 2026 by designer Irfan Abdul Hameed, builds on Dakkshin's code: its [MIT licence](https://github.com/irfanabdulhameed/aftereffects-mcp/blob/main/LICENSE) keeps Dakkshin's 2025 copyright line. Its README lists 193 tools, including batched calls in one undo step, see-frame tools that return PNG frames so the agent can check its own work, text animators, audio-to-keyframes, render-queue tools and four rig panels. It had no stars on the day we checked. Several other MIT-licensed servers with 25 to 90 stars appear in the same search.

Vendors offer hosted options too. OnePrism's [docs](https://oneprism.io/docs/after-effects/connect/claude) for its Prism server state that neither Anthropic nor Adobe makes an After Effects connector. That is a vendor page, and we have not tested the product.

### Community Blender MCP: MCP for Blender

The best-known community server is [ahujasid/mcp-for-blender](https://github.com/ahujasid/mcp-for-blender), formerly blender-mcp: MIT licence, about 32,500 stars on 27 October 2026, and labelled by its author as a third-party integration not made by Blender. It aims at prompt-driven modelling and scene creation rather than the official connector's analysis focus. A one-command installer configures Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and other clients and installs the add-on; the manual route is claude mcp add blender uvx mcp-for-blender, then uvx mcp-for-blender install-addon.

Three things to know before you install it. Its execute_blender_code tool runs arbitrary Python in Blender; the README says to always save your work first. Telemetry: a minimal anonymous usage record is on by default, collection of your content is opt-in, and DISABLE_TELEMETRY=true turns everything off; the README says the data may be used for research and to train AI models. And the project sells a [Premium tier](https://www.mcp-for-blender.com/premium), from $10 a month on 27 October 2026, that generates 3D models through Meshy, Hunyuan3D, Tripo and Hyper3D Rodin without your own API keys, so some README features promote the maker's own paid product.

### What to expect

- Scene edits and scripts, not one-click films. The official connector is built for reading, cleaning and scripting a scene, and Blender says the success of its sample prompts depends on the model.
- Fix rounds. Kevin Singh expects the first script to need corrections because the bpy API changes between versions.
- Editable output. After Effects servers create comps, layers, keyframes and expressions you can keep editing. In a [September 2026 r/MotionDesign thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/MotionDesign/comments/1wq0zvj/people_are_making_claude_attempt_motion_design/) with 239 points and 282 comments, one reply said the shared video gave no way to make changes for client comments, and a commenter who makes explainers for work said the appeal is converting Claude's output into a fully editable .aep to finish by hand.
- Big results take time and tokens. The archive posts below that show whole scenes are creator claims, and several describe long runs and step-by-step set-ups.

### A safe step-by-step route

1. Back up first. Copy the .blend or .aep you will work on. Every route here runs generated code inside your app.
2. Follow Blender's advice for anything sensitive: a virtual machine, or a machine without private data.
3. Start with the official Blender connector in Claude Desktop. Ask Claude to show the Python before it runs, which Claude Academy says you can do.
4. Use analysis prompts first: rename data-blocks, find what uses a material, list heavy objects. They are easy to undo and show you how the connector behaves.
5. For a rendered video, switch to the code route: a bpy script, a headless render, FFmpeg. Test a short frame range before a full render.
6. For After Effects, pick one option. For a community server, read its licence and README, build it from source and keep the bridge panel open only while you work. For Filmit, read its listing and pricing first. Check frames as you go, with the server's frame tools or a preview.
7. Keep edits in the app's own data (layers, keyframes, nodes) so you or a colleague can finish by hand.

### Claude and Blender work in the motif archive

motif has no Blender collection, but the [3D & Generative collection](https://createmotion.io/explore/3d-generative/) holds many entries whose creators say the work was made in Blender with Claude. Model and tool credits are the creators' own claims. Eight examples:

- [1906 San Francisco Market Street rebuilt in Blender](https://createmotion.io/motions/archive-2102466523164274839/): a 10-second camera move by Alex Albert, who works on Claude Relations at Anthropic ([his site](https://alexalbert.me/)), modelled in Blender Python from fire-insurance maps and period photos, with the full prompt.
- [Claymation starburst character springs up on a desk](https://createmotion.io/motions/archive-2102458348511879448/): Alex Albert (Anthropic) says Opus 5.5 made the claymation in Blender from a single prompt.
- [Build, rig and animate full 3D scenes inside Blender](https://createmotion.io/motions/x-2109661035036635291/): rewind's step list starts with Blender 5.2.2 and the official Blender MCP server, then BlenderKit assets and plain-language prompts.
- [100% of an Opus 5.5 weekly usage](https://createmotion.io/motions/x-2106313584829431901/): Fork Dev says every model and animation came from a Blender MCP; the post does not say which server.
- [Side-view cheetah sprint rendered in Blender](https://createmotion.io/motions/archive-2103483330075443455/): a one-line prompt in Claude Code.
- [Arcane-style animation in Blender](https://createmotion.io/motions/x-2105315982525014067/): Shikhar's 15-second shot with a shared prompt; textures painted by code, sound generated too.
- [Proton collision inside a Large Hadron Collider detector](https://createmotion.io/motions/archive-2102779758408774104/): Alexey Fateev's one-sentence prompt, shared on the entry.
- [Procedural buildings from Blender geometry nodes to the web](https://createmotion.io/motions/x-2104548658171834749/): Chiro Visuals ports node graphs to three.js, with source and .blend files.

Most archive posts that mention After Effects say the creator did not use it. Some show Claude driving it; two examples: [aicreataro's test](https://createmotion.io/motions/archive-2103757144789221819/) feeds per-frame skeleton data from a dance clip into After Effects and lets Opus 5.5 move type, light and camera from it (the dance clip and song came from other AI tools), and [SENTIC's 17-second commercial-style clip](https://createmotion.io/motions/x-2105574110965199208/) was edited in After Effects with the creator giving only chat instructions; its people, voice and music came from other generative AI tools.

### FAQ

#### Does the Blender connector work on the free Claude plan?

Yes. Claude Academy lists Claude Desktop on any plan, including Free ([Claude Academy](https://academy.claude.com/tutorials/using-the-blender-connector-in-claude)). It also says Blender 4.2 or later, but the current add-on asks for Blender 5.1 or later ([blender.org](https://www.blender.org/lab/mcp-server/)).

#### Can I use the Blender connector on claude.ai in a browser?

No. Blender has to run on the same machine as Claude, so it needs Claude Desktop. It also works with other MCP clients such as Claude Code ([Claude Academy](https://academy.claude.com/tutorials/using-the-blender-connector-in-claude)).

#### Is there an official After Effects connector for Claude?

Not as of 27 October 2026. Anthropic's creative-tools announcement lists none, and Adobe's connector covers Express, Premiere, Photoshop and other apps but not After Effects. Claude's directory lists one third-party community connector that works with After Effects, Filmit, and there are community MCP servers on GitHub ([Claude for Creative Work](https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-for-creative-work), [Adobe connector](https://claude.ai/directory/connectors/adobe-creativity), [Filmit listing](https://claude.ai/directory/connectors/filmit)).

#### Does Claude edit my .blend file directly?

Not on its own. It works on the open scene through Blender's Python API, and changes are written to disk when you save in Blender ([Claude Academy](https://academy.claude.com/tutorials/using-the-blender-connector-in-claude)). Blender warns that the generated code runs without guards, so back up first ([blender.org](https://www.blender.org/lab/mcp-server/)).

#### Can Claude make a finished 3D animation in one prompt?

Sometimes, as the archive entries above show, but those are creator claims. Blender says results depend on the model, and the code route usually needs fix rounds. Plan for scene edits and scripts first ([blender.org](https://www.blender.org/lab/mcp-server/), [Kevin Singh](https://www.kevinsingh.com/p/make-a-3d-animation-with-claude-and)).

#### Do I need Claude Fable 5.5 for Blender work?

No. Anthropic has not announced Claude Fable 5.5 as of 27 October 2026, and archive entries that credit it are creator claims. The connector's requirement is a plan, not a model: any Claude plan, including Free ([release status guide](https://createmotion.io/guides/claude-fable-5-5-release-status/)).

#### Which After Effects MCP should I pick?

We have not tested any. On 27 October 2026 Dakkshin/after-effects-mcp (MIT, 804 stars, last push April 2026) was the most-starred, and irfanabdulhameed/aftereffects-mcp (MIT, 0 stars, pushed the same day), which builds on Dakkshin's code, lists the most tools and has frame checks. Read the licence and README, and back up your project first ([GitHub](https://github.com/Dakkshin/after-effects-mcp), [GitHub](https://github.com/irfanabdulhameed/aftereffects-mcp)).

### Sources

- [Claude Academy: Using the Blender Connector in Claude](https://academy.claude.com/tutorials/using-the-blender-connector-in-claude)
- [Blender: MCP Server](https://www.blender.org/lab/mcp-server/)
- [Blender Lab: blender_mcp repository (GPL-3.0, add-on manifest)](https://projects.blender.org/lab/blender_mcp)
- [Anthropic: Claude for Creative Work](https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-for-creative-work)
- [Claude Directory: Blender connector](https://claude.ai/directory/connectors/ant.dir.gh.blender.blender-mcp)
- [Claude Directory: Adobe connector](https://claude.ai/directory/connectors/adobe-creativity)
- [Adobe: Adobe for Claude](https://www.adobe.com/adobe-connectors/adobe-for-claude.html)
- [Claude Directory](https://claude.ai/directory)
- [Claude Directory: Filmit.io connector (community)](https://claude.ai/directory/connectors/filmit)
- [Filmit.io: Pricing (vendor)](https://filmit.io/pricing)
- [Anthropic (July 2025): Discover tools that work with Claude](https://claude.com/resources/articles/connectors-directory)
- [Claude Code docs: MCP](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/mcp)
- [Kevin Singh: Make a 3D Animation With Claude and Blender, All in Code](https://www.kevinsingh.com/p/make-a-3d-animation-with-claude-and)
- [GitHub: Dakkshin/after-effects-mcp (community, MIT)](https://github.com/Dakkshin/after-effects-mcp)
- [GitHub: irfanabdulhameed/aftereffects-mcp (community, MIT)](https://github.com/irfanabdulhameed/aftereffects-mcp)
- [GitHub: irfanabdulhameed/aftereffects-mcp LICENSE](https://github.com/irfanabdulhameed/aftereffects-mcp/blob/main/LICENSE)
- [GitHub: ahujasid/mcp-for-blender (community, MIT)](https://github.com/ahujasid/mcp-for-blender)
- [MCP for Blender: Premium (the maker's paid plans)](https://www.mcp-for-blender.com/premium)
- [OnePrism docs (vendor): Connect Claude to After Effects](https://oneprism.io/docs/after-effects/connect/claude)
- [r/MotionDesign: People are making Claude attempt motion design](https://www.reddit.com/r/MotionDesign/comments/1wq0zvj/people_are_making_claude_attempt_motion_design/)
- [Alex Albert: personal site](https://alexalbert.me/)