External Matte Saver Node

External Matte Saver is a specialized version of the Saver dedicated to exporting mattes. Its strengths:

• Dynamic inputs - one input per matte, added as needed with the Add button.
• Automatic channel naming - names the channels after the connected nodes, with no manual setup.
• Multichannel EXR output - a single file holds every matte, ready to use in the Color page.

An alternative to the traditional Saver + Channel Booleans workflow, which requires you to set up each channel and its name by hand. External Matte Saver does everything automatically.

• Effects Library: Tools > I/O > External Matte Saver
• Quick add: right-click in the Node Editor → Add Tool > I/O > External Matte Saver

Traditional Saver + Channel Booleans

For each matte to export: a Channel Booleans to place the matte in a specific channel, then name that channel by hand. Heavy and error-prone.

External Matte Saver

Automates everything. Connect the mattes to the inputs, the channels are named automatically after the source nodes, and a single EXR is produced.

Rule: exporting mattes to the Color page → External Matte Saver (always). Keep the traditional Saver for standard image exports.

At first, there is 1 input (orange). As soon as you connect a matte, a new free input appears. Up to N mattes are possible in a single External Matte Saver.

Each input accepts a 2D image with alpha (or a grayscale image used as a matte).

Multiple mattes for the Color page:
Polygon roto (subject) → External Matte Saver (Input 1: "subject")
Delta Keyer → External Matte Saver (Input 2: "greenscreen_matte")
Luma Keyer → External Matte Saver (Input 3: "highlights_matte")
            ↓
         mattes.exr (a single file, 3 named channels)

In the Color page:
Source clip → (qualifier matte input = mattes.exr)
           → localized grading per channel

Filename

Name and location of the output EXR file. The .exr extension is required.

Browse

Button to browse and choose the destination folder.

Channel setup for each connected matte:

Channels menu

What to extract for each input:

• Alpha: the alpha channel only (standard for mattes).
• RGB: the color channels.
• RGBA: all the channels (RGB + alpha).

Channel Name

Name of the channel as it will appear in the Color page. Auto-populated from the name of the source node. Can be edited by hand.

Node Name

Automatically identifies the connected source. Informational.

Add button

Creates a new input + its associated channel settings. Add as many inputs as you need mattes.

• Complex roto mattes for Color - several roto mattes for different areas (face, sky, object) → one multichannel EXR → the colorist applies different localized grades per channel.
• Tracking mattes - mattes tracked in Fusion (Planar Tracker, Camera Tracker) → exported to the Color page for localized grading that follows the movement automatically.
• Green/blue screen keys + refinements - main key + secondary keys (highlights, shadows) → multiple exports for per-channel color adjustments in the Color page.
• AOV mattes from a 3D render - if you receive mattes from a 3D render (specular, shadow, ambient), route them through External Matte Saver to the colorist.
• Skin / sky / background separation for grading - procedural mattes (through a Fusion qualifier) for each area, exported for independent grading in a Color page pipeline.
• Colorist handoff pipeline - Fusion does all the compositing + generates complex mattes. The colorist receives the EXR + mattes and grades separately in their familiar environment (the Color page).

• Rename the channels explicitly - the automatic names are sometimes cryptic (e.g. "Polygon_1"). Rename them to "subject_hair" or "sky_matte" = the colorist understands right away.
• Alpha channels only for mattes - choose Alpha in the Channels menu for each input. RGB/RGBA is rarely useful for mattes.
• EXR only - the multichannel EXR format is the only one that supports arbitrarily named channels. JPEG/PNG would not work for this workflow.
• One External Matte Saver per pipeline - no need for several unless you really have a lot of mattes. Everything in a single file is easier to manage.
• Resolve Fusion page: prefer multiple MediaOuts - if the workflow is all Resolve, several MediaOuts are enough to expose mattes to the Color page. External Matte Saver is mostly useful in a hybrid pipeline with a file handoff.
• Uncompressed EXR for compatibility - some EXR compressions (B44 for example) can corrupt mattes (loss of precision). PIZ or Lossless for critical data.
• For an all-Resolve workflow, consider multiple MediaOuts as an alternative. External Matte Saver is more relevant for cross-software pipelines or handoffs between teams.