diff --git a/openpype/hosts/aftereffects/plugins/publish/collect_render.py b/openpype/hosts/aftereffects/plugins/publish/collect_render.py
index 1ad3d3dd18..b41fb5d5f5 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/aftereffects/plugins/publish/collect_render.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/aftereffects/plugins/publish/collect_render.py
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@ class CollectAERender(abstract_collect_render.AbstractCollectRender):
             family = inst.data["family"]
             if family != "render":
                 continue
-            self._debug_log(inst)
 
             item_id = inst.data["members"][0]
 
@@ -127,12 +126,11 @@ class CollectAERender(abstract_collect_render.AbstractCollectRender):
 
             is_local = "renderLocal" in inst.data["families"]
             if inst.data.get("creator_attributes"):
-                is_local = inst.data["creator_attributes"].get("farm")
+                is_local = not inst.data["creator_attributes"].get("farm")
             if is_local:
                 # for local renders
                 instance = self._update_for_local(instance, project_entity)
 
-            self.log.info("New instance:: {}".format(instance))
             instances.append(instance)
             instances_to_remove.append(inst)
 
@@ -224,12 +222,3 @@ class CollectAERender(abstract_collect_render.AbstractCollectRender):
                 break
 
         return instance
-
-    def _debug_log(self, instance):
-        def _default_json(value):
-            return str(value)
-
-        import json
-        self.log.info(
-            json.dumps(instance.data, indent=4, default=_default_json)
-        )
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/aftereffects/plugins/publish/collect_workfile.py b/openpype/hosts/aftereffects/plugins/publish/collect_workfile.py
index 29ec3a64e6..d8a324f828 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/aftereffects/plugins/publish/collect_workfile.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/aftereffects/plugins/publish/collect_workfile.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ import os
 from avalon import api
 import pyblish.api
 
+from openpype.lib import debug_log_instance
+
 
 class CollectWorkfile(pyblish.api.ContextPlugin):
     """ Adds the AE render instances """
@@ -61,8 +63,6 @@ class CollectWorkfile(pyblish.api.ContextPlugin):
 
             # adding basic script data
             instance.data.update(shared_instance_data)
-        else:
-            instance.data.update({"version": version})
 
         # creating representation
         representation = {
@@ -74,7 +74,4 @@ class CollectWorkfile(pyblish.api.ContextPlugin):
 
         instance.data["representations"].append(representation)
 
-        self.log.info('Publishing After Effects workfile')
-
-        for i in context:
-            self.log.debug(f"{i.data['families']}")
+        debug_log_instance(self.log, "Workfile instance", instance)
diff --git a/openpype/lib/__init__.py b/openpype/lib/__init__.py
index 6a24f30455..fb7afe7cb3 100644
--- a/openpype/lib/__init__.py
+++ b/openpype/lib/__init__.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ from .execute import (
     path_to_subprocess_arg,
     CREATE_NO_WINDOW
 )
-from .log import PypeLogger, timeit
+from .log import PypeLogger, timeit, debug_log_instance
 
 from .path_templates import (
     merge_dict,
@@ -313,6 +313,7 @@ __all__ = [
     "OpenPypeMongoConnection",
 
     "timeit",
+    "debug_log_instance",
 
     "is_overlapping_otio_ranges",
     "otio_range_with_handles",
diff --git a/openpype/lib/log.py b/openpype/lib/log.py
index a42faef008..7824e96159 100644
--- a/openpype/lib/log.py
+++ b/openpype/lib/log.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import time
 import traceback
 import threading
 import copy
+import json
 
 from . import Terminal
 from .mongo import (
@@ -493,3 +494,14 @@ def timeit(method):
             print('%r  %2.2f ms' % (method.__name__, (te - ts) * 1000))
         return result
     return timed
+
+
+def debug_log_instance(logger, msg, instance):
+    """Helper function to write instance.data as json"""
+    def _default_json(value):
+        return str(value)
+
+    logger.debug(msg)
+    logger.debug(
+        json.dumps(instance.data, indent=4, default=_default_json)
+    )