By CG Lumberjack

Automating Everything BUT the Art

Alchemy is a magically simple suite of tools and backend systems designed by CG Lumberjack to make creating animated films seamless and stress-free. Whether you're an artist or a developer, Alchemy transforms complex workflows into intuitive processes, so you can focus on what truly matters: creating.

How do I get alchemy?
Simple - hire us to handle your pipeline and you get Alchemy for free. This means you don't have to spend the next 5 years attempting to build the dozens of back end systems required to do the kind of automation we do.
In 2025 we're looking to partner with a few studios to test what pipelines like this can do for studios at scale. Let us know if you'd like to be one of them.

Apply To be a Partner

Made by artists for artists

At the heart of Alchemy is the Artist’s Interface, a visual and intuitive tool that simplifies every step of the creative process.

Clear Task Management

Tasks are presented clearly, ready to launch with the click of a button.

Powerful Automations:

Creates folders
generates default files
organizes assets
names things correctly
right spot every time

File Management & Version Control:

All Handled with Alchemy's File Management API

Get Alchemy

We work with your team to break down every Production Task into 7 Phases - we Automate Everything But the Art down into single click workflows.

Start Phase:

A typical Start Automation would include:

Folder Creation
Default File Creation
File Naming
Software Compliance

Build Phase

A build phase would automate:

Assemble files from upstream Tasks
Set File Settings
Organize Scenes/Data

Art

We don't touch this phase - the artists know what to

do here!

Render Phase:

Set Render Settings
Set File Output Paths
Manage Versions

Review Phase

Convert High Dynamic Range Images (exr)
Convert Image Sequences to movie
Upload movie to Review Software
Create Task Specific Dailies Playlist
Add movie to playlist
Notify Production

Refresh Phase

Update All Dependencies with the latest files.

Publish Phase

Check Files for Bugs
Quality Assurance Tests
Version Management
Copy files to "Publish" location
Change Status of Task

Automate!

For Developers: Streamline Studio Management

Behind Alchemy’s simple interface is The Alchemist’s Cookbook, a powerful toolkit for pipeline developers to manage entire studio pipelines effortlessly.

From the Cookbook, developers can:

Customize pipelines per project using Git or Bitbucket.
Design and edit custom menus for software tools.
Create "recipes" for streamlined workflows, covering every task phase from Build to Publish.
Simplify client ingestion workflows and automate delivery processes.

Powerful Integrations for Every Studio

Alchemy integrates seamlessly with industry-leading tools and technologies:

ShotGrid: Built-in support for efficient production tracking.
Pixar’s Universal Scene Description (USD): Ensuring compatibility across pipelines.
Unreal Engine & Perforce: Robust support for real-time projects.

Why Choose CG Lumberjack?

CG Lumberjack has the experience, and Alchemy enables us to deliver custom pipeline solutions to studios at about 1/10 the cost allowing:

Artists: Focus on creativity without worrying about logistics.
Production: Manage projects with ease
Developers: Manage complex pipelines with unparalleled efficiency.
Studios: Get back that 56% you're currently spending on finding files.

Transform Your Studio

Make animated filmmaking, games, and VFX faster, easier, and more efficient than ever.