Render your first frame

One representative test frame verifies packaging, render-time add-ons, output settings, and the Blender version 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 file. Save to a stable project folder first.

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 archive zipped.

Connect your account

Open Render Properties → Superluminal Render, choose Connect to Superluminal, and complete the browser flow.

*Before sign-in. Password entry 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 no project exists, choose Create Project, finish 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 for a self-contained first test. Choose the image format and Blender version, 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 reports tracing, packaging, uploading, and registration (how to read it). On success, inspect frames, previews, timings, and logs in the browser.

*The job page: frames left, preview center, details 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.

*Original frames download 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 exercises the production range's features: linked files, simulations or caches, geometry nodes, render-time extensions, compositing, view layers, and file-output nodes. Frame 1 proves nothing when those features appear later.

Then submit the animation

When the downloaded test output is correct, switch to Submit Animation. Confirm range, step, and render order first.

Where to go next

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