What It Does
Cleanup Master reorganizes shape layer workflows in After Effects. Instead of spreading animation across dozens of layers, it lets you consolidate entire characters or complex compositions onto a single shape layer. The tool handles masks, clipping paths, stacking order, null parenting, and point deletion while preserving animation data.
Key Features
Point-based editing. Select points in the comp viewer to rename groups, isolate keyframes, or apply transformations. No digging through the timeline hierarchy.
Clipping masks for shape layers. Use any shape as a clipping mask via merge paths. Hold CMD/CTRL to convert strokes to fills first, so they clip correctly while staying fully editable. Supports taper and all cap/join modes.
Shape groups to nulls. Parent shape groups directly to nulls without creating extra layers. Hold SHIFT modifiers to invert opacity, delete parent pairs, or zero out transformations.
Linked masks from paths. Convert open paths to closed masks that stay connected to the original shape. Masks match the source layer’s in/out points and can be added in Add or Subtract mode (hold OPT/ALT). Target layers can move, rotate, or scale while masks stay aligned.
Stacking reordered inside one layer. Change the draw order of shapes without splitting them across multiple layers. One click shifts groups up or down the hierarchy.
Delete points, keep animation. Remove vertex points from a path without losing keyframe data. Useful for simplifying shapes mid-animation or cleaning up traced artwork.
Shade groups. Nest shape groups like precomps, but within the same layer. Keeps complex shading hierarchies manageable.
Solo, hide, reveal controls. Isolate specific shape groups for editing without affecting visibility of the rest. Hold OPT/ALT to select all points in visible paths.
Additional tools include copy/paste shape states, point collapse (alignment), keyframe creation for selected paths only, and expression removal from selections.
Who It’s For
Character animators working in After Effects who need the flexibility of frame-by-frame drawing without the chaos of 50+ layers. Also useful for motion designers managing complex iconography, cel animation workflows, or rotoscoping cleanup where shapes need frequent reorganization.
Pricing
Cleanup Master uses pay-what-you-want pricing, with a suggested price around $80 (currently discounted 20% for users switching from Animate). One-time purchase, no subscription. A trial version is available with limits of 5 non-null layers per comp and 40 keyframes maximum.