What It Does
AutoSway generates swaying animations for layers in After Effects. Think ropes, hair, flags, trees, anything that needs organic movement from wind or physics. It works in two modes: apply puppet pins to a single layer, or link multiple layers together in 2D or 3D space. Both approaches create a SwayControl layer for adjusting amplitude, speed, and decay.
Key Features
Puppet Pin mode. Place puppet pins from start point to end point on a layer, select them, click apply. AutoSway generates the swaying motion along the pin chain. Adjust parameters from the SwayControl layer.
Layer mode. Select multiple layers (start point first, end point last) and sway them as a linked chain. Works in 2D or 3D, with additional bending and twisting controls. Includes tools to divide and duplicate layers for quick setup.
Bake function. Convert the expression-based sway into keyframes and collapse everything into a single layer. Reduces render time and simplifies the comp. Unbake restores the original setup if you need to adjust later.
Decay control. Set a single keyframe on the decay property to make the sway gradually stop from that point forward. Useful for settling animations or timed wind gusts.
Older versions of After Effects (pre-CC) require manual PseudoEffects installation from the options menu.
Who It’s For
Motion designers who animate organic elements, character rigs with hair or cloth, or anyone building physics-based motion without simulation overhead. If you’re tired of keyframing rope swings or flag waves by hand, this handles it automatically.
Pricing
AutoSway uses a pay-what-you-want model, starting at $23.20 (regular price $29.00). One-time purchase, no subscription. Upgrade pricing available for previous owners.