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# Using Multichannel Soft Effects

You can utilize Multichannel EXRs directly in the timeline. This allows you to use effects and make precise adjustments choosing specific layers, and combine them to get fast shot tweaks, which you can copy and paste across shots in the timeline.

# Import EXR into the timeline

Import your EXR files into the timeline using File > Import Files(s), and selecting your .exr file.

Your file will now be visible in the project panel.

The layers available in the current frame are visible on the first level of the Layer dropdown at the top of the Viewer.

# Add new channels

You can create new channels from any Soft Effect.

To do this, go into a soft effect’s properties, select the output > channels dropdown, and select new.

This opens a window where you can choose what type of channel to create using the buttons in the auto menu.

# Apply soft effects to specific layers and mask through any available channel

You can select, filter, and isolate specific layers for detailed editing. For example:

• Use soft effects such as HueCorrect, Grade, and Blur, and apply them to specific channels.
To do this, open each effect’s Properties, and use the channel dropdown.

• Mask a color soft effect via a non-rgba layer such as depth or mattes.
To do this, you can open each effect’s Properties, and use the mask dropdown.

• Premult and unpremult using any layer.
To do this, you can open each effect’s node Properties, and use the (un)premult by dropdown.

• Use BlinkScript with multiple layers as inputs.
To do this, you can open the BlinkScript effect’s Properties, and use the src dropdown.

For example, you can see specific layers have been selected for a Grade effect here:

Tip: See Adding Effects on the Timeline to learn more about each soft effect.

# Channel indicator chips

You’ll be able to see which channels are being used by a soft effect, when a soft effect is using a mask, and which channels are being used by a track item.

Colored indicator chips will appear on track items and soft effects when they are selected.

- red color layer.

- green color layer.

- blue color layer.

- alpha layer.

- depth layer.

- forward motion vector layers.

- backward motion vector layers.

- all other custom layers, such as disparity.

When a layer is being used as a mask it will show the icon -

Note: Multi-part EXRs are required for optimal performance. If you haven’t already, we recommend you switch to this type of files in order to get the best of this feature.

Note: While the multi-channel aware timeline is a powerful tool, it's important to note that extremely large or complex EXR files may still impact performance. We recommend optimizing your files where possible for the best experience.

Tip: The BlinkScript soft effect allows multiple layers as an input, which means a great expansion of the potential of this versatile tool. For example, using secondary inputs to process, such as DepthBlur Kernel, Shuffle(BlinkScript) and others.

Tip: You can use .cat files requiring multiple inputs with the Inference soft effect. See Apply Pre-Trained Models to Shots Using Inference.