What It Does
LayerMonkey arranges and animates layers across time and space with a single button press. Select any combination of stills, video, pre-comps, shapes, solids, or text, and the script generates a kinetic layout complete with transitions and a parented camera that tracks between elements. It’s TypeMonkey’s approach applied to any layer type, not just text.
The script excludes non-visual layers (nulls, cameras, audio, adjustment layers) and focuses on elements that appear on screen. You control the density, timing, and visual style through a parameter panel, then let the algorithm build the composition.
Key Features
Three layout algorithms. Choose between different randomization methods plus a Justify option. Each produces distinct spatial arrangements based on the same source layers.
Keyframe-less timeline. Timing adjustments happen by sliding markers instead of editing keyframes. Drag a marker left or right to change when a layer appears, no need to recalculate animation curves.
Marker Sync. Drop a marker layer (like one exported from Premiere or generated from audio) into your comp. LayerMonkey aligns layer transitions to those markers, making music synchronization a matter of clicking a button.
Auto-generated camera. The script creates a parented camera that points at each layer as it appears. You can adjust interpolation type, enable auto-rotate, or use auto-frame to keep elements centered.
Manual tweaks after generation. Adjust size, position, rotation, and opacity per layer without rebuilding. The script separates generation from refinement.
Palette controls and Kuler support. Import color palettes from Adobe Color (formerly Kuler) or define your own to colorize layers during generation.
Variable transitions. Randomize from a library of transitions or specify which ones to use. Useful for maintaining a consistent look across multiple builds.
MonkeyTools utilities. Included free: UnShy layers, Reset View, Scene Maker, Lock/Unlock commands, and other helpers designed to work with the Monkey Suite.
Who It’s For
Motion designers working on music videos, title sequences, or abstract montages where visual rhythm matters more than perfect hand-placement. Useful for building styleframes from stock footage libraries or testing layout ideas before committing to manual animation.
Works well for projects that need many variations quickly, like client revisions or social media versions. The marker-based timing makes iteration faster than traditional keyframing.
Pricing
Pay-what-you-want pricing with a suggested one-time price of $89.99. A free trial is available to test the workflow. MonkeyTools utilities are included at no extra cost. Upgrade pricing applies if you own previous Ebberts + Zucker tools (requires login to view).
Also available in the Monkey Suite bundle ($674, regularly $842.50) alongside TypeMonkey, MotionMonkey, and other scripts.
