As more and more photographers dive into motion graphics, I thought I’d mention some utilities that can help get the job done.
I have been working with After Effects since CS4. While a lot has changed over the years, there are still a select few scripts and plugins that I’ve always wanted to keep. In fact, if any of these things appeal to you, I recommend keeping them in your Creative Cloud storage. That way, they’re accessible on any machine, and you’ll never have a problem without them.
Create an array
React is a thoughtful plugin that allows users to create an array from their classes and, in turn, animate them. It will work with regular old layers, 3D objects and even text. However, if the $25 price tag is a bit high, be sure to check it out Array and Layers2Grid. Both are scripts that don’t need any installation. This can be extremely handy if you’re working on a client’s machine. While you can “name your own price” on AeScripts, I explicitly encourage readers to pay what they can afford.
Find and Replace Text
The worst happened. A client requested a name change and now every comp contains the incorrect word. This plugin can make life a lot easier. Its benefits are so obvious that I wish Adobe had integrated it into the entire CC suite. This also comes in handy when recreating old projects for new clients. Just make sure to test any of your word substitutions. Issues like anchor points and scaling may need to be fixed. You can also find a weirder version of this one here.
Bringing old projects into 2022
After Effects has been out for a while. Remember when it competed with Apple’s Motion? As a result, you may find yourself working on an old project. It may need to be expanded to 4K and brought into the new decade. While it doesn’t happen often, if you have several Swiss Army Knife scenarios, these two will be useful.
Firstly, Un-PreCompose can be extremely helpful. It’s a bit difficult at times, but with time you understand what it can and can’t do. Basically, it can help debug countless pre-comps. Sometimes you just need certain parts of the project or old plugins broke the project.
Similar, Comp . recursive scale can be a real time saver. After Effects’ built in “Scale Comp” has its limitations. Basically, this script works the same way, but it also scales any pre-comps below the surface. Again, this can add up and you will have to do this manually. When it does work, though, it’s a really useful way to get things up to 4K quickly.
Does anyone have their own must-have plugins and scripts? Do mention them in the comments section below. I will also reward Autofill, AEInfoGraphics 2and Blur tool 2. If a beginner asks me a question about motion graphics, these three tools will usually get the job done.
