What It Does
Squirrel converts your After Effects timeline into an interactive tree view based on layer parenting. Instead of scrolling through a flat list of layers, you see a hierarchical structure that shows exactly how layers are connected. Think of it as an object manager or outliner from Cinema 4D or Blender, but for After Effects.
This is particularly useful when working with complex character rigs or deeply nested compositions where parent-child relationships get hard to track.
Key Features
Drag-and-drop parenting. Reparent layers by dragging them in the tree view, which is faster than using the pickwhip in crowded timelines.
Layer grouping. Create visual groups to organize your composition without creating new precomps. Helpful for separating sections of a rig or logical parts of an animation.
LightTable mode. Visually isolate selected layers by dimming everything else in the tree. Makes it easier to focus on specific parts of a rig.
Search and color labeling. Find layers by name and manage color labels directly from the panel.
Precomp inspection. Peek into nested precomps to see their layer structure without opening them.
A/V switches and clipboard tools. Toggle audio/video switches and use cut/copy/paste buttons right in the panel.
Who It’s For
Character animators working with multi-layer rigs will find this most useful. If you’ve ever lost track of which null controls which limb, or spent time untangling pickwhip connections, Squirrel clarifies the structure.
It’s also helpful for motion designers managing deep compositions with lots of nested precomps and parented layers.
Pricing
Squirrel uses a pay-what-you-want model with a suggested price of $35. You can download a trial version to test it first. The plugin is compatible with After Effects CC 2015 through 2024.