What It Does
LoadUP! generates animated progress bars and counters directly inside After Effects. Instead of manually aligning shapes, masking elements, and writing custom expressions, the script creates all necessary layers with built-in controls. It handles linear and circular bars, adds synchronized text counters, and prevents the character wiggling that typically occurs when animating numbers.
Key Features
Separate digits. Each digit gets its own layer, eliminating font-width issues and enabling smooth counting regardless of typeface. Numbers animate cleanly without the visual jitter common in single-layer text counters.
40 presets. Ready-made configurations for linear and circular bars speed up creation. Includes styles matching common video player interfaces and data visualization layouts.
13 numbering modes. Options include basic numbers with leading zeros, HH:MM formats, and timecode display at various frame rates (24fps, 25fps, 29.97fps drop frame, 30fps, 50fps, 59.94fps drop frame, 60fps). One mode syncs to the current composition timecode automatically.
Circular sections. Set any percentage of a full circle, useful for gauges, pie chart segments, and radial indicators.
Buffering bars. Add a secondary bar behind the main progress indicator, replicating the buffering display in online video players.
Stepping option. Fill bars in equal increments rather than continuous motion, creating discrete progress stages.
Customizable controls. Effect controls cover fill opacity, background opacity, roundness, pointer placement, skew (for linear bars), and stripe patterns. Text tracking, position offset, size, and color are exposed for quick adjustments.
Multiple bars per comp. Place as many bars as needed in a single composition. Each gets unique naming and label colors for organization.
The script works as either a dockable panel or a floating window, depending on installation location. Keyboard arrow keys adjust numeric inputs precisely. Grouped undos let you reverse an entire bar setup with one click. All generated layers remain editable after creation.
Who It’s For
Useful for HUD designers, infographic animators, broadcast graphics teams, and anyone building UI mockups or data visualizations. Common applications include tech interfaces, news graphics, explainer videos, and sci-fi displays.
Pricing
LoadUP! costs $29.99 for a single-user license. A trial version is available for testing before purchase.