by Ty Getterman·Workflow
Illustrative cover generated by AnyPlugins — no product screenshot available.
Layer Sherpa earns its place in the aescripts library as a replacement for After Effects' Align panel that folds alignment, positioning, and layer utilities into a single hotkey-driven interface.
Layer Sherpa is a panel for After Effects built as a replacement for Adobe's Align panel, presented in a tabbed UI enhanced by hotkeys. Ty Getterman developed it to bring alignment together with a range of related layer operations in one tabbed panel.
Alignment tabs handle positioning to the composition, to a selection, or to a target layer, and the same options extend to anchor point placement. Adjustments can be made by pixels, by percent of layer, or by percent of composition, on the X or Y axis or across X/Y/Z axes. Values support increment/decrement, math operators, and variables, and a position can be derived from two position keyframes, with separate dimensions supported.
Additional tools set or remove parenting, set in and out points, stagger and order layers, and match dimensions, along with fade in/out and scale in/out. Scale and rotation can be incremented or decremented directly. Layer Sherpa is compatible with After Effects 2024, 2023, 2022, and 2021, and this is the 1.0 release.
Layer Sherpa is best for after Effects users who want alignment, anchor point, positioning, and layer management controls in one tabbed, hotkey-driven panel.
Layer Sherpa is completely free to download and use.
Layer Sherpa lists compatibility with After Effects 2024, 2023, 2022, and 2021, so those releases are covered. It functions as a panel that replaces Adobe's Align panel and presents its controls in a tabbed UI enhanced by hotkeys. If you run a version outside that range, check the developer's page on aescripts for the current compatibility details before installing, since supported versions can change with later updates to the tool.
Layer Sherpa is listed as free in this catalog. Pricing and licensing on aescripts can change over time, so the developer's page by Ty Getterman is the place to confirm the current terms before downloading. Beyond cost, the tool covers alignment to the composition, to a selection, or to a target layer, plus anchor point, positioning, and layer management controls, all reached through a tabbed interface enhanced by hotkeys.
Layer Sherpa includes layer utilities alongside its alignment functions. It can set or remove parenting, set in and out points, stagger and order layers, and match dimensions. It also applies fade in/out and scale in/out, and can increment or decrement scale and rotation. Positioning values support increment/decrement, math operators, and variables, and a position can be derived from two position keyframes with separate dimensions supported. All of this sits in the same tabbed panel.
Layer Sherpa has a demo video available on YouTube if you want to see the panel before installing. Layer Sherpa is at version 1.0, released January 25, 2023 as the initial version, and is compatible with After Effects 2024, 2023, 2022, and 2021. For the most current build and any newer changes, the developer's page on aescripts is the best reference.
Also in Workflow for After Effects.
by Aris Melachroinos
Mask Unlinker is a script for After Effects that detaches a layer's masks from its transformations. You can move the layer without moving the mask, removing the need for separate matte layers.
by Block Chumps
Chump NFT Engine is an After Effects tool from Block Chumps for assembling and generating NFT collection artwork along with its metadata. The whole process runs directly from After Effects.
by Freshmograph
Groups and Toggles is a Freshmograph script for After Effects that lets you access pre-composed layers to create mattes, rearrange layer order, embed mattes in MOGRTs, or add multiple MOGRT versions in one file while keeping your project procedural.
by Parable Pomelo
TweiNa is a Parable Pomelo panel that pushes Photoshop and Illustrator layers into After Effects, skipping the standard import process. It converts vector and text layers and preserves smart object transformations.
by Eric @ VFX Tools
QueueUp is an After Effects script that stores the output folder and render settings for each job, letting you switch between multiple deliverables for previews and final renders throughout the day.
by Salt Media
BlenderAe2 by Salt Media transfers 3D data and objects between Blender and After Effects in both directions, covering vertices, 3D layer transforms, camera data and layer synchronization.
by MAXON
Maxon One from MAXON bundles tools like Cinema 4D, ZBrush, Redshift, Red Giant and Maxon Studio into a unified ecosystem, letting artists move between applications and Adobe hosts such as After Effects and Premiere Pro without friction.
by MotionLand
AEVIEWER 2 is a media browser for After Effects and Premiere Pro from MotionLand. Preview, apply, and import projects and media files in one click. Listed here as free.
by MAXON
Maxon Teams Annual Subscription Licensing is a one-year named-user plan for teams working across After Effects, Cinema 4D, and Premiere Pro. It provides access to Cinema 4D, Redshift, ZBrush, and Red Giant's creative tools.
by Motion Array
Motion Array is an extension for After Effects and Premiere Pro that brings its library of templates, stock video, royalty-free music, and more into your Adobe Creative Cloud apps for one-click download and import.
by Thomas Zagler - pixelsucht.net
Free Stock Search is an extension for After Effects and Premiere Pro that searches unsplash.com, pixabay.com, and pexels.com for free stock photos, then downloads and imports a chosen image with one click.
