OpenCue
An open source render management system
Scale your rendering pipeline with job scheduling, resource optimization, and integration across your production workflow
OpenCue Walkthrough Tutorial
Learn how to use OpenCue with this quick guide
Submitting Jobs
Launch the OpenCue submission form, configure job details (name, shot, layer), and set job types and services for your render.
Setting up Dependencies
Configure relationships between render jobs to control execution order and manage complex multi-stage workflows.
Powerful Render Management
Built for the demands of modern visual effects and animation production
Intelligent Scheduling
Advanced algorithms distribute render jobs across compute resources for optimal performance and resource utilization.
Scalable Architecture
From small studios to major facilities - handles thousands of concurrent jobs with enterprise-grade reliability.
Cross-Platform
Native support for Linux, macOS, and Windows environments with consistent performance across platforms.
Python Integration
Comprehensive Python API enables custom integrations, automation scripts, and seamless pipeline workflows.
OpenCue History
Decades of production-proven render management evolution
Early Foundations
Early internal tools and scripts supported the first large-scale rendering workflows at Sony Pictures Imageworks (SPI).
1992–2006: Cue1 and Cue2
The earliest generations of Sony Pictures Imageworks (SPI)'s internal queueing and render management systems.
2007–2018: Cue3
A major internal rewrite of Cue1 and Cue2 at Sony Pictures Imageworks that powered high-throughput, feature-film rendering at SPI for over a decade.
2019–2021: OpenCue Launch
The Sony Pictures Imageworks's Cue3 core code was open-sourced in collaboration with Google, becoming OpenCue.
2021: ASWF Adoption
OpenCue became an official Academy Software Foundation project.
2023: Academy Award
Matt Chambers received a Scientific and Technical Academy Award for pioneering Sony Pictures Imageworks’ original Cue3 system, later adapted as the Plow system at another company. Cue3 was further enhanced and evolved into what is now known as OpenCue.