Nuke MCP: AI Copilot for Compositors
Taught by Doug Hogan
- Duration:
- 0 hours 50 minutes
- Software Version:
- 16.0
- Launch Date:
- May 2025
- Course Number:
- AIF101
vfx
AI
vfx
AI
This course introduces you to the Model Context Protocol (MCP) and demonstrates how to build an AI-powered assistant within Nuke. You’ll learn how to connect The Foundry’s Nuke with Claude Desktop using the open-source Nuke MCP system. From creating the socket server and writing Python command handlers to authoring workflow rules and testing real prompt-based interactions, this project is built to give you a working AI copilot that complements your real-world compositing workflow.
Through three 20-minute chapters, you’ll get hands-on experience writing your tools, enforcing stability rules, and shaping how an AI assistant behaves when working with Nuke. This course is designed for Nuke artists, pipeline developers, and technical directors who want to experiment with building a faster and more innovative workflow while maintaining creative control squarely in the artist’s hands.
Doug Hogan is a Creative Technologist, VFX Supervisor, and veteran Nuke Compositor with over 18 years of experience in feature films, commercials, and immersive media. He spent most of his career at Reel FX, where he built and led the Compositing and Matte Painting departments on shows like Scoob! and Rumble. Today, Doug works at Groove Jones, pushing the intersection of AI, XR, and traditional post-production. He’s also the creator of the open-source Nuke MCP project, an active contributor on Nukepedia and GitHub, and the host of VFXTalk, an online community for compositors and creative technologists.
Class Listing
Class 1: Understanding and Building the Nuke MCP System
We’ll start with the story of how this project began and walk through what MCP actually is. Then we’ll break down the full system architecture, Claude Desktop, the FastMCP server, and the Nuke socket addon. You’ll learn how to spin up the server, how JSON commands are structured, and how they’re routed through the Nuke plugin. We’ll also look closely at how the socket connection is handled, how commands are dispatched, and how to keep Nuke stable when things go sideways.
Class 2: Installation and Configuration
This chapter covers everything you need to get up and running. We’ll walk step-by-step through installing the Nuke addon, running the MCP server, and editing the Claude Desktop configuration file. You’ll also get a guided walkthrough of how to verify the system is working, troubleshoot connection issues, and run your first prompts. Whether you’re on Mac, Windows, or Linux, this part will get you connected and confident.