by Andrew Yang·VFX
Images © Andrew Yang. Used for product review; image policy.
Stands out in the aescripts library as a keyer that keeps its controls to a short list, background color, crush and despill, rather than a deep parameter panel.
YY_MagicKey is a keying plugin for After Effects, built by Andrew Yang, that removes a chosen background color without complicated settings. You set the Background Color that gets keyed out, then shape the result with a small set of controls rather than an extensive parameter panel.
Crush Transparent and Crush Opaque adjust how much of the image is keyed and how opaque the remaining pixels stay. Despill Amount removes cast color from the background, while Despill Size sets the size of the border around the image to despill, from none up to the whole image. Several output modes let you view the unmodified Source, the Alpha Matte, the Despill Matte or the Final Output.
The plugin runs across a wide range of After Effects versions, from CS4 through 2024, and version 1.2 added support for Apple M1 and MFR. It is listed here as free; check the developer's page for current licensing.
YY_MagicKey is best for removing a background color and despilling footage in After Effects when you want a keyer with a short set of controls.
YY_MagicKey is completely free to download and use.
YY_MagicKey lists compatibility with After Effects 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2020, along with older releases going back through the CC versions, CS6, CS5.5, CS5 and CS4. That wide range means it can slot into both current installs and much older projects. If you are on a specific build, confirm against the version list on the developer's page before installing so you know it matches your setup.
YY_MagicKey added support for Apple M1 in version 1.2, released in March 2022, which also brought support for MFR. Earlier updates added macOS 10.15 Catalina support and CS6 compatibility. If you are working on an M1 machine, use version 1.2 or later to get that native support, and check the developer's page to confirm you are on the current release for your system.
YY_MagicKey is listed here as free, so you can add it to your keying setup without a purchase. Because licensing terms can change over time, check the developer's page for the current details before you download. Beyond cost, it is a keyer for After Effects that removes a chosen background color, with crush and despill controls and several output views to inspect the result at each stage.
YY_MagicKey offers four output views. Source shows the unmodified footage, Alpha Matte is the transparency matte, and Despill Matte covers the areas where despill is performed. Final Output is the finished keyed image. These modes correspond to the plugin's Source, Alpha Matte, Despill Matte and Final Output settings, letting you switch what the plugin displays while you adjust the Background Color, crush and despill controls.
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