What It Does
Layer Stalker tracks any spatial attribute to the position of any layer, even when that layer is buried inside multiple nested compositions. Select an attribute (position, anchor point, particle emitter location, corner pin point, puppet pin, etc.), choose your target layer, and Layer Stalker generates an expression that handles all the coordinate math automatically. It accounts for parenting, time remapping, and transformation, so a 2D callout can follow a 3D layer nested five comps deep without manual calculation.
Key Features
Cross-comp tracking. Target any layer in the same comp or in any comp nested within it. The plugin handles unlimited nesting depth (tested up to 24 levels) and returns values in the correct coordinate space.
Any spatial attribute. Works with any 2D or 3D point value: layer position, anchor points, effect control points (beam start/end, particle emitters, corner pins), puppet pins, and more.
Parent space support. As of version 1.5, Layer Stalker can return values in parent space, so you can apply it to parented layers without breaking your hierarchy.
Strength and lag controls. Adjust tracking intensity and add frame-based lag for follow-through effects. Both sliders are built into the panel.
Human-readable expressions. Version 1.5 rewrote the expression engine to generate clean, editable code. If you need to tweak the tracking behavior, you can read and modify the expression directly.
Who It’s For
Built for FUI designers and animators working with complex nested compositions. Particularly useful for motion graphics that require callouts, HUD elements, or UI overlays to follow moving targets across multiple comp layers. Also helpful for rigging workflows where puppet pins or null objects need to track positions in nested pre-comps.
Pricing
$24.99 for a single-user license. A floating server license is also available. Trial version included.