Best Free and Open Source Alternatives to Autodesk ShotGrid

Last Updated on April 16, 2022

Autodesk, Inc. is an American multinational software company that makes software products and services for the architecture, engineering, construction, product design, manufacturing, media, education, and entertainment industries. It bills itself as a “… leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software”.

The company was founded in 1982 by John Walker, who was a joint developer of the first versions of AutoCAD, the company’s best known software application. Autodesk is listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange, it has over 11,000 employees, and is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area.

While Autodesk develops many high quality applications they are proprietary software. And the vast majority of their products are not available for Linux. This series looks at the best free and open source alternatives.

Autodesk ShotGrid is project management software used for visual effects and animation project management in television shows, movie production and video game development.

ShotGrid is not available for Linux and it is proprietary software. What are the best free and open source alternatives?

1. Prism Pipeline

Prism is a pipeline focused on VFX and animation projects. It helps users to organize the projects, automating tasks and simplifying their workflow.

The software lets you manage scenefiles, exchange data with other scenes, generate playblasts, automate the rendering workfolow, compare and convert media. The software offers Shotgun integration.

2. Phraseanet

Phraseanet is a Digital Asset Management system (DAM for short) targeting the professionals’ needs.

Phraseanet can store, manage and share a wide range of digital resources such as images, videos, audio or office documents within working groups of any size.

This is web-based software and runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows. It’s based on common software components such as Elasticsearch, MySQL, PHP or Apache.

3. TACTIC

TACTIC is a remote collaboration platform used for configuring and deploying enterprise workflow solutions. These solutions simplify the development and delivery of digital assets through a well defined set of processes.

This is achieved by integrating a core Workflow Engine with Digital Asset Management and Content Management components to provide a complete platform for the creation of individualized enterprise Workflow solutions

4. Pimcore

Pimcore is also digital asset management software. It centralizes all your media assets, including images, graphics, documents, videos, and other media content.

Pimcore’s DAM places digital asset management at the core of digital experience management. It can integrate, consolidate, and manage any type and any amount of digital assets.

Alternatives to Autodesk's Products
	3ds Max is a 3D computer graphics program for making 3D animations, models, games and images.
	Arnold is software for rendering three-dimensional, computer-generated scenes using unbiased, physically-based, Monte Carlo path tracing techniques.
	AutoCAD is computer-aided design (CAD) and drafting software. It's used in industry, by architects, project managers, engineers, graphic designers, city planners and others.
	EAGLE is a scriptable electronic design automation (EDA) application with schematic capture, printed circuit board (PCB) layout, auto-router and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) features.
	Flame is 3D visual effects (VFX), finishing, and color grading software. It includes AI-powered tools and remote solutions.
	Maya creates assets for interactive 3D applications (including video games), animated films, TV series, and visual effects.
	MotionBuilder is 3D character animation software. The software is designed for virtual cinematography, motion capture, and traditional keyframe animation. Capture, edit, and play back complex animations.
	Mudbox is 3D digital painting and sculpting software. Sculpt and paint highly detailed 3D geometry and textures.
	ReCap lets you create rich and accurate digital models of existing conditions. Capture high-quality, detailed models of real-world assets.
	ShotGrid is project management software used for visual effects and animation project management in television shows and movie production and video game development.
	Sketchbook is a raster graphics software app intended for expressive drawing and concept sketching. It's also useful for making animations.
	Tinkercad is an online 3D modeling program that runs in a web browser. Tinkercad uses a simplified constructive solid geometry method of constructing models.