Bake Parented Transform

This script will take a parented layer and convert its motion into keyframes of an unparented layer suitable for exporting or similar use.

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Bake Parented Transform

Version: 1.06 Sign up to be notified by email when a new version is posted

It’s time to move out of the parent’s basement, to cut the umbilical cord, to leave the nest. When you’ve got parent layers driving the position, scale or rotation of a child layer, it can be somewhat problematic to get the same motion once the layer is unparented. This is especially true if the parent layer’s rotation is animated. Ideally, just leave the layer parented. Try ‘baking’ the parent transform into the unparented layer.

This script will take a parented layer and convert its motion into keyframes of an unparented layer. It is especially ideal when you need this parented layer to become unparented but still maintain its original motion. The script can also be used to convert combined orientation-rotation animations into simple rotation keyframes so it is useful on normally unparented layers as well.

Baking essentially converts the animation into keys and removes the parenting at the same time. You can choose individual transform properties (not including opacity) or just select the layer to process all of them. The script will still process a layer even if it is not parented. In which case, it is simply placing keyframes at all frames. Orientation for 3D layers gets baked into euler rotations.

Version History

1.06 – Fixed bug with Cameras and Lights not responding correctly when dimensions are separated – Jan 2011
1.05 – Updated to work with audio and light layers – Dec 2010
1.03 – Initial Release – Dec 2010

Last updated January 26th, 2011
2,001 views
Tags: Bake, Child, CS3, CS4, CS5, CS5.5, Keyframes, Parent, Parenting, Transform

Michael Gochoco

About the author

I work as a graphic designer for a video game company and manage a motion graphics blog called Blurrypixel.com. I first started using After Effects scripting to help me get my work done faster and decided that other artists may find them useful as well.

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8 Comments

DeFritz (Reply to this comment)
February 19, 2012

I use simple camera rig too. Guess that’s the main problem!
DeFritz (Reply to this comment)
February 19, 2012

Damn, this script doesn’t converts my sure target cam correctly. Would be nice to have a solution for this problem. But the script is nice otherwise.
Beep (Reply to this comment)
July 13, 2011

Hey, this script is great, but it breaks when you use scale that isn’t locked proportionally, such as you scale vertically but not horizontally. I wish I knew a little more scripting to figure this one out but maybe it’ll be someone would like to tackle!
ii (Reply to this comment)
May 9, 2011
steve (Reply to this comment)
January 27, 2011

This script works brilliantly and is the perfect way to bake a parented camera before exporting it to Cinema 4D. Michael responded really quickly to an issue I was having with separate XYZ and fixed the script, saving me loads of work. Well worth the price of a pint or two
jochem (Reply to this comment)
December 9, 2010

wow.. this is a life saver. THANK YOU!

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