EXR / plate

A plate is a shot handed out to VFX — and the iron rule is that it goes out un-graded, because a compositor needs the original scene-referred image to light and integrate CG correctly; a graded, display-referred file has the rendering baked in and fights every composite. The standard interchange format is OpenEXR (.exr): floating-point and scene-linear, in a known space (ACES / ACES2065-1, or the show’s working space). EXR is the standard precisely because it’s float and holds the full dynamic range and wide gamut VFX needs — an 8-bit display-referred frame would throw all that away. You also give VFX the show look / AMF so they can preview under the grade without baking it in, then they deliver the finished shot back un-graded in the same space, and your grade re-applies on top cleanly.

First used in: 3.9 · Dailies & VFX interchange