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AEAfter Effects

Faux Parent

by Freshmograph·Workflow

Images © Freshmograph. Used for product review; image policy.

Why we like it

Faux Parent earns its place in the aescripts library by rethinking a core After Effects behaviour: instead of a full parent-child link, it hands you control over how much influence passes down. The batch options and rewritten sync engine extend that across many layers at once.

What is Faux Parent?

Faux Parent is a script for After Effects, developed by Freshmograph, that lets you decide how much control a parent layer has over its child. It keeps the power of standard After Effects parenting while adding a level of freedom that a normal parent link does not give you.

Applied across multiple layers, it offers Batch Parenting for setting the parenting type on application, plus Batch Delay and Batch Influence, each available in Random and Sequential modes. Version 1.4 introduced a rewritten sync engine with a significant speed increase and support for After Effects running in other languages, and the tool works with releases from CC 2019 up to After Effects 2026.

Within the aescripts library it offers a different take on layer parenting, and a demo video is available on the developer's page. The most recent update, version 1.4.5 from July 2024, fixed SEQ Opacity.

Who is Faux Parent best for?

Faux Parent is best for after Effects users who want to set how much a parent layer influences its child rather than relying on standard full parenting.

How much does Faux Parent cost?

Faux Parent is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Control over how much influence a parent layer has over its child
  • Batch Parenting to set the parenting type when applying Faux Parent to layers
  • Batch Delay in Random and Sequential modes
  • Batch Influence in Random and Sequential modes
  • Rewritten sync engine with a significant speed increase, introduced in version 1.4
  • Compatibility with After Effects running in non-English languages
  • Support for After Effects CC 2019 through After Effects 2026

Tags

#After Effects#Faux Parent#parenting#layer parenting#Freshmograph#batch parenting#animation#aescripts

Frequently asked questions

Does Faux Parent work with After Effects 2026?

Faux Parent supports a broad range of After Effects releases, including 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2020, along with CC 2019. Version 1.4.1 restored compatibility with AE 2019 through to present, so older and current installs are covered. If you run a version outside this list, check the developer's page for the latest compatibility details before installing for your setup.

Can Faux Parent be used in non-English versions of After Effects?

Faux Parent is compatible with versions of After Effects running in other languages, a change introduced in version 1.4 alongside a rewritten sync engine that brought a significant speed increase. That means it can run within an After Effects install set to another language. The same 1.4 update also removed the obsolete Clean checkbox from the UI. For the current behaviour in your specific language version, the developer's page is the best reference.

What parenting options does Faux Parent offer across multiple layers?

Faux Parent includes batch options for working across multiple layers. Batch Parenting, added in version 1.1, lets you set the parenting type when applying Faux Parent. Version 1.2 added Batch Delay and Batch Influence, each available in Random and Sequential modes. The core idea behind the script is letting you decide how much control the parent has over the child, and these batch controls extend that across several layers at once.

Is Faux Parent free to download?

Faux Parent is listed as free in this catalog. For current licensing terms, download details and any usage conditions, the developer's page on aescripts is the place to confirm before you rely on it in a project. The script's most recent update, on July 6, 2024, fixed SEQ Opacity, so checking there also shows the latest released version. Version 1.4.5 is the current build recorded here.

Alternatives to Faux Parent

Also in Workflow for After Effects.

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