Natron

Software Overview

An open source, node-based application used for compositing and producing visual effects in film and television. It was created in 2013 at Inria, a science and technology institution in France. It is available for Windows, OS X, and Linux.

Natron features an interface that uses nodes instead of layers for compositing and visual effects. Natron can render multiple graphs at the same time and offers real-time playback. The program relies on the OpenColorIO library for color management and OpenImageIO for file format support, which includes JPEG, EXR, TIFF, DPX, and PNG.

One of the best aspects of Natron is its support of a wide variety of OpenFX plugins, such as TuttleOFX, OpenFX-IO, OpenFX-Yadif deinterlacer, and OpenFX-Vegas SDK samples, that allow you to add functionality to the software. You can also purchase commercial plugins from RE:Vision Effect, GenArts Sapphire, and Furnace by The Foundry.

Natron is a nifty tool for creating television and film visual effects. The compositor ships as a lightweight package, but can be built to reflect your needs through the installation of plugins. Natron appears similar to Nuke, another node-based compositor, but it doesn't offer as many features. However, Natron is available for free, which makes it an alluring option for users with compositing needs that lack a budget.

Primary File Type

.NTPNatron Project File

Supported File Types

Additional Related File Types