Render your first frame

Start with one representative frame. One test frame confirms that scene packaging, render-time add-ons, output settings, and the selected Blender version all work before you pay for a full animation.

Before you begin

You need:

• a Superluminal account and organization
• a positive render-credit balance
• a supported Blender version and the current Superluminal add-on
• a saved .blend file that renders locally

Save first

The add-on cannot submit an unsaved Blender file. Save the file to a stable project folder before you configure the upload.

First-render checklist

Install the current add-on

Download the release ZIP from superlumin.al/blender-addon, then use Blender's Install from Disk flow. Keep the downloaded archive zipped.

Connect your account

Open Render Properties → Superluminal Render and choose Connect to Superluminal. Complete the browser flow, then return to Blender.

*The panel before sign-in. Password sign-in stays collapsed as a fallback.*

• Annotation 1: Open the browser sign-in flow

• Annotation 2: Password sign-in fallback

Create or select a project

Use the project picker in Blender. If you do not have a project yet, choose Create Project, finish that step in the web app, and refresh the picker.

Fund the organization

Open Billing, choose Render Farm, and add credits. The balance belongs to the selected organization.

Submit a still

Keep ZIP selected for the most self-contained first test, choose the intended image format and Blender version, then click Submit Still and pick a useful frame.

*A configured job seconds before submission.*

• Annotation 1: Project and job name

• Annotation 2: Frame range and render pattern

• Annotation 3: Image format

• Annotation 4: Submit a still or the animation

• Annotation 5: Optional automatic frame download

Watch registration and rendering

A terminal window opens and reports tracing, packaging, uploading, and registration (how to read it). Once it reports success, open the job in the browser to inspect frames, previews, timings, and logs.

*The job page: frames on the left, preview in the middle, details on the right, charts and logs below.*

• Annotation 1: Job status, progress, and actions

• Annotation 2: Selected-frame details and re-render

• Annotation 3: Frame grid

• Annotation 4: Sequence preview

• Annotation 5: Job and scene details

• Annotation 6: Operations chart and render logs

Download the result

In Blender, expand Manage & Download, select the job, choose a download path, and click Download job output.

*You download original frames from Blender, not the web page.*

• Annotation 1: Job list with status and progress

• Annotation 2: Download path and job output

Choose a first test frame

A useful test frame uses the same features as the production range: linked files, simulations or caches, geometry nodes, render-time extensions, compositing, view layers, and file-output nodes. Rendering frame 1 proves nothing when those features only appear later.

Then submit the animation

Once the downloaded test output is correct, switch to Submit Animation. Confirm the scene or custom range, step, and render order before submitting.

Where to go next

• Install and connect: Local compatibility, farm version choices, upgrades, browser auth, and password fallback.
• Choose an upload mode: Understand ZIP, PROJECT, project roots, relative paths, and cross-drive limits.
• Configure a job: Still versus animation, image formats, frame ranges, and render order.
• Troubleshoot: Fix missing assets, registration delays, frame errors, and downloads.