Cascadeur Bridge for Blender — Core 2.5

Cascadeur Bridge transfers characters, props and animation between Blender and Cascadeur. This modified GNU GPLv3 release focuses on a non-destructive Blender workflow: imported animations become numbered NLA blocks, later imports do not erase earlier work, and local pose corrections live in separate layers.

The Human Generator Offline Lip Sync tool is distributed as a separate Blender add-on and is not included in this Core package.

What it looks like

Blender workflow

The bridge lives in Blender's 3D Viewport sidebar. Its numbered, colour-marked panels keep character setup, transfer, safe editing, redirection, looping and animation placement organized without filling the screen.

Character and prop transfer

Select the character and reference props in Blender	Character and props arrive together in Cascadeur

Static reference props keep the same relative position to the character, making it easier to animate contact with objects in Cascadeur and return the motion to the correct character in Blender.

Collapsible workflow panels

Open only the part of the workflow you need; Blender remembers which sections are expanded.

Compatibility

• Windows is the primary tested platform.
• Blender 3.5 and newer, including Blender 4.x and 5.x.
• Cascadeur 2024.1 through 2026.x.
• Future Blender and Cascadeur releases cannot be guaranteed, but optional FBX arguments are checked at runtime so unsupported settings fail gracefully.
• Importing FBX animation from Cascadeur may require an appropriate Cascadeur licence. This bridge does not bypass Cascadeur licensing.

Installation and updating

1. Download the newest Core ZIP from GitHub Releases.
2. In Blender, open Edit > Preferences > Add-ons.
3. Choose Install or Install from Disk, then select the ZIP. Do not extract it first.
4. Enable Cascadeur Bridge for Blender.
5. Open its preferences and select the Cascadeur executable if it was not found automatically. The common Windows path is C:\Program Files\Cascadeur\cascadeur.exe.
6. Click Install Requirements. On Windows, accept the administrator/UAC prompt because Cascadeur is normally installed under Program Files.
7. Restart Cascadeur, or use Commands > Reload Scripts inside Cascadeur.

Repeat steps 6–7 after updating the add-on. Blender and Cascadeur must use the matching bridge scripts from the same release.

The bridge appears in the 3D Viewport sidebar. Press N and open the tab named CSC Bridge (the tab name can be changed in add-on Preferences).

Interface overview

The sidebar is divided into colour-marked Blender panels. Click a panel heading to open or hide it. Blender remembers the open/closed state.

1. Character — selects the character that sends and receives animation.
2. Send to Cascadeur — transfers a skeleton, model, props or animation.
3. Animation Blocks & Safe Edit — manages imported clips and corrections.
4. Redirect Animation — points an imported animation in another direction.
5. Loop Animation — repeats one selected block smoothly to an End Frame.
6. Import & Place Animation — chooses where returned animation is placed.
7. Whole Scene or Static Model — imports non-animation scene content.
8. Settings — exposes Cascadeur and Blender FBX options.
9. Help, Bugs & Feature Requests — opens documentation, downloads and issue forms for this maintained version.

Start and close Cascadeur

At the top of the panel, the bridge checks whether the configured Cascadeur application is running.

• Start Cascadeur appears when it is closed.
• Close Cascadeur appears in red when it is open.
• The line below the button also says Cascadeur is open or Cascadeur is closed.

Closing asks for confirmation and sends a normal close request to Cascadeur. Save the Cascadeur scene first. On Windows the bridge asks the main Cascadeur window to close instead of force-killing the process, allowing Cascadeur to handle its normal shutdown.

1. Character

Choose the Blender armature that should send or receive animation. You may select the visible skinned character mesh in the viewport; the bridge finds its Armature modifier automatically. The panel shows the armature name and detected connected meshes.

If a temporary imported skeleton and the real character rig are both present, choose the real character explicitly. Animation-only import is applied to this target rather than leaving a loose second skeleton in the scene.

2. Send to Cascadeur

Send Character Model Only

Sends the connected character meshes and the complete skeleton without an animation stack. It includes deform bones, non-deforming control bones, newly added bones, Unreal/MetaHuman bones and Human Generator bones. Because animation export is disabled, Cascadeur does not receive empty keys on every frame.

Use this when initially creating the character in Cascadeur or after changing the Blender skeleton.

Send Selected Props with Character

Sends the character plus selected static mesh reference objects—such as a chair, sword, table, vehicle control or wall—in one FBX scene.

1. Select the character mesh or armature.
2. Shift-select every separate mesh prop that Cascadeur needs as a reference.
3. Click Send Selected Props with Character.

All objects are exported together using their world transforms. Their relative distance, rotation, scale and placement are therefore consistent between Blender and Cascadeur. The transfer is intended for shapes and animation reference: it does not embed textures and does not create animation keys.

Animation range

The range selector controls the frames sent by the two animation buttons:

• Current Animation (Recommended) finds the useful range automatically.
• Selected NLA Strip uses the currently selected imported animation block.
• Preview Range uses Blender’s enabled Preview Range.
• Scene Range uses Blender’s scene Start and End.
• Manual exposes explicit Start and End fields.

The bridge reports a clear error when a chosen range source is unavailable—for example, Preview Range is selected but Blender’s Preview Range is disabled.

Send Character + Animation (First Time)

Sends the model, complete skeleton and selected animation range. Use it when a Cascadeur scene does not already contain that exact character. This keeps bone names and hierarchy synchronized for the return trip.

Send Animation Only

Sends only the armature animation for the chosen range. Use it when the same character is already open in Cascadeur. This avoids creating another model.

3. Animation Blocks & Safe Edit

Returned animations are stored as non-destructive NLA strips. The original imported Action is not replaced when another animation is added.

Show All Animation Frames in Timeline

Creates display markers so the normal Timeline shows the frame coverage of all imported blocks. These diamonds are an overview, not the real bone keys. Deleting display diamonds does not remove the underlying NLA animation. Use the block controls described below to manage real clips.

Numbered animation blocks

Every imported clip receives:

• a coloured badge;
• an automatic number;
• an editable name such as First Import or Second Import;
• its exact Blender frame range.

Each block provides:

• Select — selects that exact NLA strip and moves the playhead to its start only when the playhead is currently outside the block.
• Safe Edit — creates a separate correction layer for selected bones and the Preview Range.
• Rename — changes the human-readable block label.
• Mute/Enable — temporarily turns the block off or on.
• Delete Block — removes only that NLA block while retaining its Action as a recoverable Blender data-block.

Clear All Imported Animations removes all imported blocks and correction layers from the selected character. Their Actions remain as backups.

Safe Edit workflow

Safe Edit corrects a hand, foot, head or other body part without modifying the imported Cascadeur Action.

1. Put the character in Pose Mode.
2. Select only the bones that need correction.
3. Enable Blender’s Preview Range and set its Start/End around the problem.
4. Click Safe Edit on the required numbered block.
5. Move or rotate the selected bones.
6. Click Save Current Pose Key to key Location, Rotation and Scale.
7. Click Finish Editing Current Layer.

The correction is a neutral NLA Combine layer. Creating it does not alter the pose. It affects only the selected bones and frames. The original imported block continues underneath it.

Each correction layer can later be edited, muted, enabled or deleted. Deleting one immediately restores the original imported motion below it.

Remove selected correction keys

While editing a correction layer, select only the real correction diamonds in the Timeline or Dope Sheet and click Remove Selected Correction Keys. The operator cannot delete keys from the original Cascadeur Action. Persistent old key selections are cleared automatically when a correction layer opens.

4. Redirect Animation

Redirect Animation creates a reversible directional version of one numbered Animation Block. First click Select on the required block, or place the playhead inside that block. The Redirect panel displays the selected block name and frame range before making a change.

Direction buttons are relative to the animation as imported:

• Forward keeps the original heading.
• Left and Right rotate it by 90 degrees.
• Backward rotates it by 180 degrees.
• 45° Left and 45° Right create diagonal travel.
• Custom Direction Angle accepts any in-between value, such as 27°, 62° or 135°.

Blender uses X/Y as its ground plane and Z for height. The bridge rotates only the X/Y root-motion path around its first position, so the starting location and vertical movement remain unchanged.

Enable Turn Character with Movement for normal redirected walking, running or jumping. The root facing direction turns with the travel path. Disable it to rotate travel only while the character keeps its original facing direction, which creates strafing or sideways motion.

Each application copies the untouched imported Action and places the directional version in the same NLA block. Existing Safe Edit correction layers remain connected. Reapplying an angle always starts from the original—not from the previous rotation—so angles never accumulate. Reset to Untouched Original Direction restores the exact original Action immediately.

Animations require identifiable root-motion location curves. If a rig has no root-motion channel, the bridge stops and reports that clearly instead of rotating unrelated body keys.

5. Loop Animation

Loop Animation repeats only one selected numbered Animation Block while leaving all other blocks and the source Action untouched.

1. In Animation Blocks & Safe Edit, click Select on the required block. You can instead place the playhead inside that block.
2. Open Loop Animation and confirm that it shows the correct block number, name and current frame range.
3. Choose Whole Selected Animation Block to repeat all its motion.
4. Alternatively, choose Timeline Preview Range, enable Preview Range and place Start/End around only the keys or motion section that should repeat.
5. Enter Loop Until End Frame. This is an absolute Blender timeline frame, not a number of repetitions.
6. Set Smooth Join Frames. Three frames is a useful starting value.
7. Click Create Smooth Loop for Selected Block.

The Timeline diamonds generated by Show All Animation Frames are only display markers. You do not need to select or delete those diamonds. Select the numbered block, then use Preview Range when only part of its real Action should form the loop.

At every cycle, root location receives the previous cycle's movement offset. A forward walk therefore continues forward instead of snapping back to its first position. Other animated channels blend toward their first loop pose during Smooth Join Frames, producing a softer seam. A value of zero preserves the exact source motion without join blending.

The bridge refuses to extend a loop across another imported Animation Block; choose an earlier End Frame or move the other block first. The loop is created as a new Action version and the original remains a recoverable Blender data-block. Reset Selected Block to Before Loop restores both the previous Action and its exact original length.

When combining direction mapping and looping, redirect the animation first and then create the loop. To change direction later, reset the loop, redirect, and create the loop again. This prevents rotations or loop offsets from being accidentally accumulated.

6. Import and place animation

Animation import targets the character chosen in section 1 and offers several placement modes.

Add at Current Frame

Places the new NLA block at the playhead. Existing blocks before and after it are preserved. The panel displays the current playhead frame before import.

Add at Character’s First Frame

Places the new block at the first frame used by that character. This is useful for an alternate take that should begin alongside the original animation.

Add After Last Animation

Finds the end of the character’s last block and places the new animation on the next free frame. Root-motion continuity is aligned to the previous ending pose, so the character continues from its last position instead of jumping back to the origin.

Replace Selected Animation Clip

Updates the selected NLA strip with the animation returned by Cascadeur. The old Action is retained as a revision. When the new duration differs, the chosen length policy controls whether later clips move or the replacement is fitted.

Add from all Cascadeur tabs

Imports animation from every open Cascadeur scene/tab and places the results as successive blocks after the selected character’s last animation.

Import options

• Cascadeur import method chooses the bridge command used for round-trip animation.
• Update length mode controls how a longer or shorter replacement affects later NLA blocks.
• Validate skeleton compares animated Cascadeur bone names with the target Blender rig before applying the Action.
• Allow partial skeleton permits compatible matching bones while warning about missing ones. Use it carefully; retargeting is better for unrelated rigs.
• Trim static tail removes a long baked tail after every animated channel has stopped changing. Useful movement frames are preserved.

7. Whole scene or static model

• Import Complete Cascadeur Scene brings back all exported objects, including character and reference props. Use this to preserve their scene relationship rather than importing animation only.
• Import Static Model Only imports model geometry without relying on the animation workflow.
• Import All Complete Scenes imports complete content from all open Cascadeur tabs.

These commands intentionally remain separate from animation-only import, which targets an existing Blender character and removes temporary FBX skeletons.

8. Settings

Cascadeur Export Settings

• Apply Euler Filter reduces unnecessarily large Euler rotations.
• Up Axis controls the Cascadeur FBX up direction.
• Bake Animation controls Cascadeur-side animation baking for full exports.

Blender Import Settings

Controls FBX global scale, transform application, manual orientation, forward and up axes, animation offset, leaf-bone handling, child connection, automatic bone orientation and pre/post rotations.

Blender Export Settings

Controls included object types, global scale, forward/up axes, transform baking, bone axes, deform-only filtering, leaf bones, NLA-strip baking and all-Action baking. Dedicated bridge buttons override unsafe generic options where required to protect the round-trip workflow.

Advanced

The port must match the Cascadeur bridge scripts. Change it only when another application uses the default port, then save settings and reload both programs.

Save Settings stores the current FBX choices. Reset Settings restores the bridge defaults.

The add-on Preferences also contain Report a Bug, Request a Feature and Open Project on GitHub buttons.

9. Help, bugs and feature requests

The sidebar’s Help, Bugs & Feature Requests panel provides direct buttons for the maintained repository, releases, bug reports and change requests.

Before reporting a bug, include:

• Blender and Cascadeur versions;
• Core add-on version shown at the top of the panel;
• exact button used and selected range mode;
• the complete Blender status/error message;
• whether the character is MetaHuman, Unreal, Human Generator or custom;
• a screenshot and a minimal .blend file when possible.

Open the project · Report a bug · Request a feature

Troubleshooting

“No connection could be made”

Confirm Cascadeur is open, requirements are installed, and both applications use the same port. Restart both applications after updating.

“Install Requirements” cannot write files

Accept the Windows UAC prompt. If it does not appear, run Blender as Administrator once, install requirements, then return to normal Blender use.

Character or prop has the wrong scale, rotation or position

Use compatible import/export axes and global scale. For selected props, send the character and all props together. Avoid moving one object independently in Cascadeur if you expect its original Blender relationship to remain unchanged.

Animation-only import creates loose bones

Choose the real character in section 1 and use the animation placement buttons, not Complete Scene. Skeleton validation must pass for direct application.

Timeline looks empty

Choose the character and click Show All Animation Frames in Timeline. The real imported Actions are stored in NLA blocks and remain visible in the NLA Editor even when Timeline display markers are hidden.

Cascadeur exports more empty frames than expected

Enable Trim Static Tail. The bridge removes only the constant baked tail after useful channel movement ends.

Licence and attribution

This is a modified release of Cascadeur Bridge by Aron Nemeth. The source and modifications are distributed under the GNU General Public License version 3. See LICENSE, CHANGES.md and CONTRIBUTORS.md.