aescripts + aeplugins

Mike Overbeck · June 2015

Hi everyone! Today is the initial release of Parrot. If you're finding the tool useful in your workflow, I'd love to hear about it. If you find any bugs, you can open a ticket through the contact page.

robin richardson · June 2015

I'm really liking Parrot so far, it's a real timesaver! You can create complex animations on just one layer and then quickly apply those keyframes and effects to multiple layers and even offset the motion and effects in time just by putting a layer marker where the effect should begin.

alejandro elizondo · June 2015

It's nice but when I "parrot" my layers these change of position, so I have to put them back into position

Mike Overbeck · June 2015

Yes, when you Parrot the Position property, it offsets you Parrot layer positions relative to your Master layer's distance from center stage, or default position. This is done so that by hitting "Reset" on your Parrot layer's transform property group, it will precisely match your Master layer's position. It also assures that if you reParrot your layer, you'll get a consistent result in case you've changed the position of your Parrot layer.

If you want to avoid these unexpected offsets, animate your Master layer at center stage. I often hide my Master layer and only display my Parrot layers if the animation is not intended to be seen at center stage.

It would be feasible to implement an option that would allow Parrot to offset positions from the Parrot layer's current position. Would you be intersted in a feature like that?

alejandro elizondo · June 2015

Yes, this would be a great function, so far I have been searching a expression or script that can help me make an offset on any property how PARROT, but all options that I have seen has the same problem and is a bit tedious and inaccurate position these layers again.

Mike Overbeck · June 2015

I have posted a small update to Parrot! Version 1.0.1 is up! I have added a Position offset option called "Offset from Master Start". This will keep your Parrot layers from shifting when you Parrot your layers. See a walkthrough here:

Krystyna Kwiatkowska · June 2015

This is the one, I've been waiting for! Thanx for this big timesaver!

cutman cutman · January 2016

First time starting, "Marker management" doesn't work in UI panel mode. It works as a trial version. You need to run the script from "File→Scripts→Run script", Then You can use it in UI mode.

Mike Overbeck · January 2016

cutman cutman said:

Marker management doesn't work in UI panel mode. You need to run script from File→Scripts→Run script (

Are you using the registered or trial version? Marker management tools are disabled in the trial mode, but fully functioning when registered.There should be an alert to tell you so if you are in trial mode.

Daamun Mohseni · October 2016

So I am having a hard time with Parrot these days. Fresh install, most recent version, and I am getting Expression Errors out the wazoo. This is the first time I am using it on CC 2015.3 and it seems like it is broken? It works when the master layer has no keyframes, but when I add the keyframes and re parrot, it just gives me huge expression errors on each layer. Any insights to this? It is a very heavily used script in my arsenal!

Mike Overbeck · October 2016

Hi Daamin,

I will try to recreate this error. I have been using it in CC 2015.3 without problems, so If I can't recreate the error I may ask you to fill out a support ticket with one of your example projects so I can patch this up for you.

-Mike O

Daamun Mohseni said:

So I am having a hard time with Parrot these days. Fresh install, most recent version, and I am getting Expression Errors out the wazoo. This is the first time I am using it on CC 2015.3 and it seems like it is broken? It works when the master layer has no keyframes, but when I add the keyframes and re parrot, it just gives me huge expression errors on each layer. Any insights to this? It is a very heavily used script in my arsenal!

Daamun Mohseni · October 2016

Wow, quick response! Awesome, thank you!

Mike Overbeck said:

Hi Daamin,
I will try to recreate this error. I have been using it in CC 2015.3 without problems, so If I can't recreate the error I may ask you to fill out a support ticket with one of your example projects so I can patch this up for you.
-Mike O

Daamun Mohseni said:

So I am having a hard time with Parrot these days. Fresh install, most recent version, and I am getting Expression Errors out the wazoo. This is the first time I am using it on CC 2015.3 and it seems like it is broken? It works when the master layer has no keyframes, but when I add the keyframes and re parrot, it just gives me huge expression errors on each layer. Any insights to this? It is a very heavily used script in my arsenal!

Mike Overbeck · October 2016

Daamun Mohseni said:

Wow, quick response! Awesome, thank you!

Mike Overbeck said:

Hi Daamin,
I will try to recreate this error. I have been using it in CC 2015.3 without problems, so If I can't recreate the error I may ask you to fill out a support ticket with one of your example projects so I can patch this up for you.
-Mike O

Daamun Mohseni said:

So I am having a hard time with Parrot these days. Fresh install, most recent version, and I am getting Expression Errors out the wazoo. This is the first time I am using it on CC 2015.3 and it seems like it is broken? It works when the master layer has no keyframes, but when I add the keyframes and re parrot, it just gives me huge expression errors on each layer. Any insights to this? It is a very heavily used script in my arsenal!

Hi Daamun,

I can't seem to create any expression errors on my end with CC 2015.3. If you wouldn't mind, could you fill out a support ticket and upload an .aep that is showing you these expression errors? Go here to fill out a ticket:

https://aescripts.com/contact/

Miika Turunen · November 2016

This seems to be super useful script!

-Would it be technically possible to make Parrot to parrot thing that happen within comps? Other than using time remapping.

-The only thing that I would wish Parrot would do in addition to what it already does is that it wouldnt "cut" straight to next parrot marker but would animate the transition between the keyframes.

Oleg Friesen · November 2017

Hi Mike,

great extension, but unfortunately unusable for After Effects with other language.

The expression tags "checkbox" and "slider" are not understood.

isDynOffset = SourceLayer.effect("Parrot:Dynamic Time Offset")("Checkbox").value;

or

offsetAmount = SourceLayer.effect("Parrot:Offset Amount")("Slider") * thisComp.frameDuration;

Could you please do an update there. It would be great.

sorry for my google-english.

Mike Overbeck · November 2017

Oleg Friesen said:

Hi Mike,

great extension, but unfortunately unusable for After Effects with other language.
The expression tags "checkbox" and "slider" are not understood.

isDynOffset = SourceLayer.effect("Parrot:Dynamic Time Offset")("Checkbox").value;

or

offsetAmount = SourceLayer.effect("Parrot:Offset Amount")("Slider") * thisComp.frameDuration;

Could you please do an update there. It would be great.
sorry for my google-english.

Wow, what a rookie mistake of mine!

I will post an update ASAP. Thank you for finding this bug.

-Mike

Mike Overbeck · November 2017

Mike Overbeck said:

Oleg Friesen said:

Hi Mike,

great extension, but unfortunately unusable for After Effects with other language.
The expression tags "checkbox" and "slider" are not understood.

isDynOffset = SourceLayer.effect("Parrot:Dynamic Time Offset")("Checkbox").value;

or

offsetAmount = SourceLayer.effect("Parrot:Offset Amount")("Slider") * thisComp.frameDuration;

Could you please do an update there. It would be great.
sorry for my google-english.

Wow, what a rookie mistake of mine!
I will post an update ASAP. Thank you for finding this bug.
-Mike

I've updated Parrot so the expressions should work with all languages. Please update, and you'll be good to go!

clod richar · April 2018

Hello @Mike Overbeck

Question about automation of text animations.

In short, I have a long video with .srt subtitles. I want to use subtitles timestamps (start and end markers in AE) as placeholders for a precomp, text animation (lower-third) or a simple graphic.

How to import subtitles timestamps ? pt_importsubtitles script can do that.
How to link a precomp, text animation (lower-third) or a simple graphic ?
Parrot can handle that ? Distibute one lower-third across all marker pairs (timestamps) on a layer ?
Thank you

Mike Overbeck · April 2018

clod richar said:

Hello @Mike Overbeck

Question about automation of text animations.

In short, I have a long video with .srt subtitles. I want to use subtitles timestamps (start and end markers in AE) as placeholders for a precomp, text animation (lower-third) or a simple graphic.

How to import subtitles timestamps ? pt_importsubtitles script can do that.
How to link a precomp, text animation (lower-third) or a simple graphic ?
Parrot can handle that ? Distibute one lower-third across all marker pairs (timestamps) on a layer ?
Thank you

I there, I'm not really clear on what you are asking here. Parrot does not allow you to have a master property control properties in many other comps if that's what you're asking.

clod richar · April 2018

Hi Mike Overbeck
A comp (lower-third) activates when time cursor hits the start marker and comp (lower-third) ends when time cursor hits end marker. The problem is that I will have a project with too many marker pairs (timestamps from .srt file imported with pt_importsubtitles) on a layer. In would be difficult to copy a lower-third and place it within dozens of marker pairs on a one layer.

Sorry for wrong terminology I have used. I am completely new to AE.

Max Whip · July 2019

Hi! Your script seems to be amazing but I only have 1 question...

Is it possible to continue a movement? For example I have a Null Object where I put 2 keyframes on position that drive my null object from 0px to 500px on x axis with a marker called "1".

If I put 2 markers named "1" on a layer parroted, will my layer move from 0px to 500px and then from 500px to 1000px?

Is it relative to the last position, rotation, scale, opacity, effects etc... of the parroted layer or not?

Thank You.

aescripts + aeplugins

Categories