What It Does
BAO Joint rigs a layer to two different parents simultaneously in After Effects, creating a distorting connection between them. The plugin was designed specifically for inverse kinematics (IK) setups where you need parts like arms or legs to bend and deform naturally between two control points.
The layer automatically distorts as the parents move, eliminating the need for manual animation or complex expression rigs. The plugin handles all the calculations natively with GPU acceleration, making it fast enough for real-time preview.
Key Features
Dual parent rigging. Connect any layer to two parents at once. The layer distorts automatically as the parents move, maintaining a natural connection between them.
Squash & Stretch controls. Add cartoon-style deformation with adjustable strength. The layer can compress or elongate based on the distance between parents, useful for organic character animation.
Bezier tension and midpoint. Control the curvature of the distortion with adjustable tension values. Set where the bend occurs along the joint, giving you precise control over how the layer deforms.
Motion blur with distortion. Accurate motion blur that accounts for the layer’s distortion, not just its position. This creates realistic blur on fast movements of rigged elements.
Self-intersection avoidance. The plugin prevents the layer from folding over itself during extreme deformations, maintaining a clean appearance even with aggressive movements.
Who It’s For
Character animators building IK rigs for limbs, tentacles, or any articulated elements. Motion designers who need procedural connections between objects that bend naturally. Anyone tired of manually keyframing distortion effects between parented layers.
The plugin integrates directly into After Effects as a native effect, so it works within your existing rigging workflow. Compatible with After Effects CS6 through 2025.
Pricing
$69.99 for a single user license (one-time purchase). Also available as part of the BAO Distortion Bundle with BAO Boa and BAO Layer Sculptor for $156.99 (25% savings). Upgrade pricing available for owners of previous BAO plugins.