RTeallusion - DIGITAL PRODUCTION https://digitalproduction.com Magazine for Digital Media Production Mon, 15 Dec 2025 08:36:52 +0000 en-US hourly 1 236729828 KeenTools 2025.3 Brings Blender 5, Character Creator 5 & AE Exports https://digitalproduction.com/2025/12/16/keentools-2025-3-brings-blender-5-character-creator-5-ae-exports/ Tue, 16 Dec 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://digitalproduction.com/?p=237967 A digital scene featuring a bright green outlines of a vehicle driving on a dirt road with dust clouds. The interface of an editing software is visible on the left side, displaying tools and settings. A label at the bottom reads 'Export 3D scene to ABC.'

KeenTools 2025.3 expands host support with Blender 5, Character Creator 5 export from FaceBuilder and Alembic output from GeoTracker for After Effects.

The post KeenTools 2025.3 Brings Blender 5, Character Creator 5 & AE Exports first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

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For those who don’t know the tool: KeenTools is a suite of professional tracking and head-creation plugins used in Blender and Nuke for geometry and facial workflows, and in Adobe After Effects for object tracking. It complements DCCs like Blender for 3D production and Nuke for compositing, and interacts with character-design tools such as Character Creator.

What’s in 2025.3

Keentools released version 2025.3. This is the final scheduled release for the year and focuses on host compatibility and workflow extensions. The update adds official support for Blender 5.0 across its Blender plugin pack. Earlier versions of KeenTools plugins already supported Blender 2.80+, but this brings full compatibility with the latest major Blender release.

A screenshot from Blender 3D software showing a character model with facial tracking features. The model's face has blue markers indicating tracking points, and a user interface panel on the right displays settings related to facial expressions.

FaceBuilder for Blender now includes direct integration with Character Creator 5, allowing artists to send 3D head models created in Blender into Character Creator 5. This expands on existing integrations and streamlines head-creation pipelines between these tools.

After Effects & Export Improvements

GeoTracker for Adobe After Effects gains support for After Effects 25.6, ensuring the plugin runs with the current AE build. The notable addition is the ability to export 3D scene-tracking data as an Alembic (.abc) file, making it easier to transfer tracked objects and camera data into other 3D applications. The release notes emphasise that Alembic export applies to full 3D scene tracking from GeoTracker in After Effects.

An interface screenshot from the Nuke software featuring a node graph. A vintage car is visible in a grey-scale background within the viewer. The Nuke version label highlights support for 16.1 and 17.0 betas at the bottom.

Nuke Open Beta Support

For Foundry Nuke users, the 2025.3 update adds compatibility with Nuke 16.1 and 17.0 open beta builds. This ensures KeenTools nodes and plugins operate in these pre-release environments as users test the latest compositor versions.

What’s Not Changed

There is no indication from the official release notes of major new tracking algorithms, UI overhauls, or fundamental workflow rewrites. This update centres on host support and select workflow exports rather than algorithmic feature expansion.

What You Should Know

Artists considering production adoption should verify compatibility with their exact host versions and pipeline tools before integrating 2025.3 into active projects. As always with plugin updates, running controlled tests in a non-production environment is recommended. Not independently verified at press time: performance impact or stability across all host configurations.

The post KeenTools 2025.3 Brings Blender 5, Character Creator 5 & AE Exports first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

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