A collection of helpful workflow scripts for After Effects that either run natively right from the After Effects menu or partner well with 3rd party tools from aescripts + aeplugins such as KBar3, Tool Launcher, Quick Menu 3.
I also have a free tool for After Effects called Atheneum which I personally use with this script collection.
To run a script natively in After Effects use File > Script > Run Script File... and choose the script.
Add an adjustment layer above the currently selected layer to break the 3D space of After Effects. If no layers are selected the adjustment layer will be added at the top.
Add a camera and 3D null as a controller to the current composition.
Add a 16x9 fuscia rectangle shape layer to act as a guide. Helpful with things like precomposed character rigs.
Add the Fill effect to all selected layers while cycling through red, green,
blue, yellow, magenta, and cyan.
Add a composition marker at the out point of each layer in the composition.
Add a marker to all selected layers with an optional comment.
Add Posterize Time adjustment layer to the current composition. Default Frame Rate will be half the current frame rate.
Add posterizeTime(fps) expression to all selected properties. Default fps will
be half the current frame rate and existing expressions will be preserved.
Add all selected properties to Essential Graphics Panel. If any properties belong to a native After Effects expression controller then use the effect name instead.
Angle ControlCheckbox ControlColor ControlDropdown Menu ControlLayer ControlPoint ControlSlider Control
Add a checkbox that controls the visibility, using opacity, for a selected layer.
Calculate the difference between two keyframe values.
Caution
Currently this script only supports 1 dimensional properties.
Calculate the distance between any two layers.
Distance Types:
2D Distanceis the distance between two layers in composition space - the optical distance3D Distanceis the distance between two layers in world space - the literal distance
Calculation Combinations:
2Dand2Dwill default to2D Distance3Dand3Dwill default to3D Distance2Dand3Dwill default to3D Distance
Hold the ALT key to force any combination to calculate 2D Distance.
Calculate and alert the amount of time, in frames instead of seconds, between the currently selected keyframe and the Current Time Indicator.
Center the composition in the Composition Panel. Hold the ALT key or SHIFT key
for other values.
Change the background color of the current composition and all nested compositions.
Change the duration of the current composition and all nested compositions.
Change the frame rate of the current composition and all nested compositions.
Clean out the Render Queue.
Remove unused items from any selected folders.
Copy all markers from the current composition to the currently selected layer including duration, comments, and labels.
Sister script to: Copy Layer Makers to Composition.jsx
Copy all markers from the currently selected layer to the current composition including duration, comments, and labels.
Sister script to: Copy Composition Markers To Layer.jsx
Add a Text Layer to the current composition for each line in the selected text file.
Cycle the composition background color between black, gray, and white.
Disable all specified effects in the current project. Hold the ALT key to enable.
Add additional effects to be checked to the MatchNames object.
Duplicate the selected layer exactly like pressing CMD/CTRL + D but move the new
layer directly below the selected layer instead of above it.
Export path points for the select path property to a text file on the desktop.
Essential Properties from a nested composition can not be directly added to the Essential Graphic Panel of the parent composition.
Instead, run this script to expose those Essential Properties by using an intermediate expression controller. Select a layer to add all properterties or select specific properties to add them.
This script does not currently support Dropdown Menu Control.
Find all instances of a specific efffect in the current project. Add additional
effects to be checked to the MatchNames object.
Append .value; to the end of an expression recently set with the pickwhip.
Force the Composition Panel to refresh the current frame.
Disable all selected layers.
Increment any version numbers found in the name of all compositions in the current project.
Invert selected keyframe values.
Lock all layers in all conmpositions in the current project.
Convert selected keyframes into hold keyframes.
Match the in point of all selected layers to the layer directly below it.
Match the start time of all selected layers to the layer directly below it.
Merge all imported and selected items in a previously existing and matching folder.
Multiply selected keyframe values by a provided value.
Parent the closest layer in the composition to each selected layer. Calculations done in 2D space. Typically used in conjunction with Newton by Motion Botique.
Parent each selected layer to the layer directly below it.
Posterize all selected keyframes in a composition to be on 2s.
Caution
Currently this script does not respect easing, spatial interpolation, temporal interpolation, roving keyframes, labels, or anything else. Results will always be linear keyframes.
Posterize the start time of all layers in a composition to be on 2s.
Randomly shift the start time of all selected layers within a provided range.
Remove all proxies within the current project.
Rename the composition to match the name of the project file.
Rename selected arm puppet pins in preparation for DuIK. Hold the ALT key to
rename selected leg puppet pins.
Rename the source of the currently selected layer.
Rename the selected layers append letters as needed.
Rename the selected layers appending zero-padded numbers as needed.
Rename the selected layers appending each character and character count as needed.
Rename selected project items appending zero-padded numbers as needed.
Rename the selected item to match the name of the layer it is used for.
Replace text in the name of all selected project items. RegEx is accepted.
Set the Work Area to cover the entire composition.
Round the values for all selected keyframes to the nearest whole number. Currently supports basic properties with 1, 2, or 3 dimensions.
Round the values for all selected properties to the nearest whole number. Currently supports basic properties with 1, 2, or 3 dimensions.
Save the current frame as a PNG to the desktop. Output will match the following format:
Composition Name YYYY-MM-DD HH.MM.SS AM.png
Select any unlocked layer parented to the selected layer in the current composition.
Select any unlocked layer in the current composition that is disabled.
Select all layers in the current composition that are directly below a layer with
the label color 16. In my preferences label 16 is Black #000000 and is always used for track
mattes.
Select any unlocked layer in the current composition not created as a null object.
Select the parent of the currently selected layer.
Randomly select any unlocked layer in the current composition.
Select any unlocked layer in the current composition without a parent.
Set the label for all items in the current project to None or label 0.
Set the label for all layers in the current composition to None or label 0.
Set the label color for all track matte layers in the active composition to 16. In
my preferences label 16 is Black #000000 and is always used for track mattes.
Select a color property and set a new color based on the original color, blend mode, and opacity. Colors are calculated using the After Effects order of operations. Supports the following blend modes:
MultiplyScreen
Set proxies for all compositions within the project.
Automatically enable Time Remapping, set the appropriate keyframes, and apply the
loopOut() expression to correctly loop a layer.
Set the last selected layer to the average position of all other layers. Hold the
ALT key to set the first selected layer.
Set the track matte for all selected layers to the layer above it.
TrackMatteType.ALPHATrackMatteType.ALPHA_INVERTEDTrackMatteType.LUMATrackMatteType.LUMA_INVERTEDTrackMatteType.NO_TRACK_MATTE
Shift the start of a group of selected layers to the current time while maintaining relative timing within the group.
Help effects with position properties such as CC Bend It or Gradient Ramp stick
properly to a layer.
Swap the values of two selected properties with the same property type.
Swap the dimension values for all selected properties. For example, swap the x and y size values for a rectangle shape layer.
Toggle the blend mode of the selected layers to Difference. Hold the ALT key to
toggle back to Normal.
Toggle an expression that maintains visual scale for layer regardless of Z position.
Toggle onion skinning in the current composition using CC Wide Time.
Toggle the types of selected puppet pins between Position and Advanced.
Copy the Work Area from the current composition. Hold the ALT key to paste a
copied Work Area to the current composition.
Unlock all layers in all conmpositions in the current project.
Zero out the position of all selected layers.