Master Paralax

A one-click 2.5D parallax rig builder for After Effects. Turns a set of flat layers into a working depth rig — camera, control null, spacing — with a direction pad, focus/target helpers, Look At, depth fog and camera shake to art-direct the result. Works great with the Advanced 3D renderer on newer AE builds, giving you finer control over depth and focus.

One click builds the rig.

Every rig parameter lands on a single pseudo-effect named Master Paralax, applied to the control null — one place in Effect Controls for everything downstream.

Build it, then art-direct it.

Paralax & Update

One click creates a camera + control null, enables 3D on selected layers and offsets them by your settings. Update re-syncs the rig to the comp's current 3D renderer without losing keyframes.

Direction pad + camera helpers

Push/pull layers in Z or spread in X per press. Flat, Return 2D, Set Focus, Set Target and Look At art-direct the camera without touching expressions by hand.

Classic & Advanced 3D

Works with both of AE's 3D renderers — the mode chip shows which one it currently detects, and Update re-syncs the control set after you switch.

Atmospheric fog

An opt-in opacity expression fades layers the farther they sit from the camera. Off by default — building the rig never changes how anything looks until you turn it on.

Natural drift, seeded in

Four shake parameters link straight to the camera with a gentle default so a fresh rig starts with subtle motion instead of a static shot.

Everything on the control null

Camera zoom, DOF, focus, aperture, shake and depth opacity all live on a single pseudo-effect — one place to find and keyframe every parameter.

Quick and easy to install.

1. Install the packaged MasterParalax_0.1.0.zxp with ZXP Installer or Anastasiy's Extension Manager.
2. OS Trusted: false is normal — it's self-signed and accepted by both installers.
3. Restart After Effects, open Window → Extensions → Master Paralax.

Requirements: After Effects 2022 or newer (Host 16.0+, CSXS 9–12), Windows or macOS. Works with both the Classic 3D and Advanced 3D renderers — no third-party plug-in required.

Good to know.

It is a CEP panel for After Effects that turns a set of flat 2D layers into a working 2.5D parallax rig in one click — a camera, a control null, layers spaced out in depth, plus tools to art-direct the result.

Flat layers in. A 2.5D rig out.

$5 one-time, for After Effects on Windows and macOS.

Frequently asked questions

What does Master Paralax do?

It is a CEP panel for After Effects that turns a set of flat 2D layers into a working 2.5D parallax rig in one click — a camera, a control null, layers spaced out in depth, plus tools to art-direct the result.

Which After Effects versions and OS are supported?

After Effects 2022 or newer (Host 16.0+, CSXS 9–12), on Windows or macOS. Works with both the Classic 3D and Advanced 3D renderers built into AE — no third-party plug-in required.

Panel says "No pseudo-effect found" — what now?

Reinstall the .zxp and restart After Effects — that registers the Master Paralax pseudo-effect. If it still doesn't show up, remove and reinstall the extension.

Can it change my composition's 3D renderer for me?

No — you always switch renderer yourself from the dropdown at the bottom of the Composition panel. An early build tried setting it from script and it silently failed to stick, so the extension deliberately never touches it; click Update afterward to re-sync the rig.

Does building the rig change how my shot looks?

Depth Opacity (atmospheric fog) is off by default, so building the rig never changes the look until you opt in from the Master Paralax effect on the control null.

Where do I adjust camera zoom, DOF and shake?

They're plain Slider/Checkbox parameters on the Master Paralax effect, applied to the control null — open Effect Controls in AE and adjust them there like any other effect.