by Paul Conigliaro·Motion Graphics
Images © Paul Conigliaro. Used for product review; image policy.
Wayfinder earns its place in the aescripts library by keeping artwork attached to shape layers as they animate, so motion paths built from modifiers like twist and zig-zag can carry followers along without manual repositioning.
Wayfinder is an After Effects plugin from Paul Conigliaro for attaching and guiding artwork along shape layers, including complicated or animated ones. You can use it to create a draw-on or trail effect, or to set up several layers that follow each other along the same path.
The workflow runs through the shape layer itself. Select or create a shape layer with any modifiers like twist or zig-zag already applied, then enter the number of points to attach or select existing layers in the order you want them attached. Clicking Attach Layers connects them, and a Hide Calculation Layers option shies the helper layers created to calculate points along the shape, which aren't used for animation. Animate the original shape and the attached layers stay attached.
The main shape layer gains a Wayfinder Leader control for trimming or offsetting, with all attached layers following, while each created null or attached layer gets a Wayfinder Follower control for individually positioning along the shape and offsetting from it. A free trial is available to download.
Wayfinder is best for after Effects artists attaching and guiding artwork along shape layers, and building draw-on or trail effects from animated paths.
Wayfinder is completely free to download and use.
Wayfinder is compatible with After Effects 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, and 2020, along with older CC releases going back to CC 2014. Version 1.2.8, released December 20, 2024, updated the plugin to a new licensing framework and made it fully compatible with After Effects 2025 and macOS 15.0. If you run one of the recent versions of After Effects, Wayfinder should fit into your setup. Check the developer's page for the full compatibility list before installing.
Wayfinder starts with selecting or creating a shape layer, with any shape modifiers like Zigzag or Twist already applied. You then enter the number of points you want attached or select existing layers in the order you'd like them attached, and click Attach Layers. Checking Hide Calculation Layers shies the layers created to calculate points along the shape, which aren't used for animation. Once attached, you can animate the original shape layer and the attached layers stay attached.
Wayfinder adds a Wayfinder Leader control to the main shape layer for trimming or offsetting, with all attached layers following along. The created nulls, or other attached layers, each receive a Wayfinder Follower control for individually positioning along the shape and offsetting from it. This split lets you drive the whole group from the leader while still adjusting each follower on its own position along the path.
Wayfinder is listed as free here, and a free trial is available to download. Licensing terms can change over time, so check Paul Conigliaro's developer page for the current details before you rely on it in a project. Version 1.2.8 also moved the plugin to a new licensing framework, so confirming the latest licensing information on the developer's page is worth doing before committing to a workflow.
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