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What is a Template in Nexrender Cloud?

In Nexrender Cloud, a template is an After Effects project file (or compatible format) uploaded to the cloud and registered with metadata, enabling dynamic rendering and automation at scale. Templates are the foundation for all render jobs. Once uploaded and processed, Nexrender Cloud can introspect the file to extract:
  • Available compositions (e.g., main, intro, outro)
  • Editable layers (text, images, audio, video)
  • And render any of them dynamically based on incoming asset data.

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Supported Template Formats

We recommend .zip as the most flexible and robust format for complex workflows. It allows bundling everything together in one archive: project, assets, fonts, and expressions.

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Why Use .zip Instead of Raw .aep?

  • Portable: All dependencies are included in the archive
  • Stable: Avoids asset path resolution issues on render nodes
  • Versionable: Can be zipped and reused reliably in CI/CD pipelines
  • Flexible: Supports preloading fonts, media, nested comps, scripts
For .mogrt templates, you can upload them directly without zipping.

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Why Use .mogrt Templates with Nexrender Cloud?

.mogrt (Motion Graphics Template) files are a streamlined way to automate rich, branded animations with Nexrender Cloud — without requiring a complex .aep project structure. Created directly from Adobe After Effects via the Essential Graphics panel, these templates allow designers to expose just the fields needed for dynamic automation: text, images, colors, sliders, audio, and more.

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Benefits of .mogrt with Nexrender

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Typical Template Lifecycle

  1. Create the template (POST /api/v2/templates) with a type and displayName
  2. Upload the actual file to uploadInfo.url (no auth headers!)
  3. Wait for processing - status moves awaiting_upload → processing → uploaded. Poll GET /api/v3/templates/{id} until status is uploaded before submitting jobs. See Template Status Values for all states.
  4. Inspect the template - use GET /api/v3/templates/{id}/compositions and /layers to discover available compositions and layers
  5. Submit render jobs that reference the template

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How Nexrender Uses Templates Internally

Once a template is uploaded via the API, the backend performs introspection:
  • Validates the file type
  • Extracts a list of compositions and editable layer properties
  • Stores metadata under a unique template ID
  • Returns a presigned uploadInfo.url (valid for 1 hour) to upload the actual file
Once the file is uploaded, the status changes to uploaded, and you can start submitting render jobs that reference this template by ID.