What It Does
Helix is a script by mograph.tools that generates helix paths on a shape layer in After Effects. Anyone who has used Cinema 4D’s helix spline tool will recognize the parameter set immediately. The result is a pseudo-3D path projected onto a 2D shape layer, which means it responds to a comp camera but does not receive 3D lights like a true 3D model would.
Compatible with After Effects 2023 and later.
Key Features
Start and End Radius. Set independent radius values at the top and bottom of the helix to create tapered or funnel shapes.
Start and End Angle. Control how many coils the helix makes. Increasing the angle adds more rotations.
Radial Bias. Shifts the midpoint between the start and end radius, letting you bunch the coil tighter toward one end.
Height Bias. Distributes path points toward the top or bottom of the helix, useful for non-uniform spacing effects.
Subdivisions. Higher values produce smooth, curved helices. Lower values create angular, geometric styles.
Built-in Trim Paths. Animate the helix drawing on or off without adding a separate Trim Paths effect manually.
Stroke and Color controls. Quick-access stroke width and color settings sit directly in the panel.
Camera Culling. When a comp camera causes points to appear behind the camera plane and produce messy artifacts, toggling camera culling cleans up the path.
The script is K-Bar compatible and includes an SVG icon.
Who It’s For
Motion designers who need helix or spiral path shapes for title animations, infographic elements, or abstract motion graphics. It saves the manual work of building a helix expression or importing geometry from a 3D app just to get a spiral path.
Pricing
Single one-time purchase at $12 USD (introductory sale price; regular price is $16). A floating server license is also available for studio use. No subscription required.
