High Quality After Effects Plug-In Providers

The vast and spacious world of plug-ins can become cumbersome and daunting. More time and patience is required to unravel the capability, and this alone can become frustrating. To help reduce the stress, scouting efficient and reliable plug-ins can become a life saver. The common denominator for plug-ins are the creators. Consistency drives quality. Below are a number of innovators in plug-in creation for Adobe After Effects.

Red Giant

The most arguably well-known plug-in provider in motion graphics, color-correcting, video editing, compositing, and visual effects is Red Giant. The most popular of their offerings is their Trapcode Suite. The Trapcode Suite contains particle and energy systems with additional lighting, compositing, and glow plug-ins sprinkled in. This is the essential package to create almost anything within After Effects at a professional level. Magic Bullet Suite is their second most popular product that provides color-correcting tools for colorists.

Video Copilot

If not all, then the majority of After Effects users have at least heard of Video Copilot tutorials. Andrew Kramer is a legend in the motion graphics and visual effects industry. The legend keeps delivering by constantly rolling out new plug-ins. For those financially strapped, Video Copilot provides free plug-ins that are regularly updated. 

Have a few extra bucks? Element 3D is Video Copilot's fantastic 3D object and particle render engine. Element 3D is GPU-accelerated: which adds an extra boost to productivity when dealing with reflections and refractions in 3D scenes. It should be noted that Video Copilot's Element 3D package was used during post-production for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Andrew Kramer divulged more information about the process of creating the visual effects in The Force Awakens.

Boris FX

A lesser known company, Boris FX, provides plug-ins for motion graphics and visual effects. Their Sapphire plug-in is their headlining product: which includes a number of presets and effects. Sapphire's target audience is geared toward the broadcast industry.

The creators of Mocha Pro (Imagineer Systems) were acquired by Boris FX and provide an example of what this team is capable of creating. For extremely high-valued tracking and advanced roto capabilities, explore Mocha Pro: which is compatible with After Effects, Premiere, Avid, The Foundry's Nuke, and Blackmagic Fusion.

AEScripts + AEPlugins

Unlike the previously mentioned After Effects plug-in creators, aescripts + aeplugins is a community focused distributor for 3rd party scripts and plug-ins. There is a massive library that is updated on a regular basis, and the site does a fashionable job advertising the most optimal content. Of course, with the excess of quality, the process can become frustrating sifting through the good and the bad. Motion Boutique recently released a plug-in called Newton 2 on the site, and that deserves to receive a prospect from designers. Be sure to check it out!

Closing Time

These are just a few of the dozens of plug-in providers that support After Effects. Adobe provides a list of well-received curators that deserve a look and appreciation for their love and support. Without plug-ins, creators would not be able to create to their fullest potential. Give a hand and reinforce the industry by word of mouth, and with your pocket.