S-Curve Ultra for After Effects
S-Curve Ultra is a After Effect project template that gives the user fine control over a customisable S-Curve shape layer. It is both 2D and 3D compatible, and you can mix the two if you are so inclined.
Simply choose a Start and End position, and use the controls to change the position of the bezier handles. This setup, in my view, is preferable over having an extra 2 or even 4 null objects just for handles (the result you would get from using the Create Nulls from Paths script).
It features options to automatically control distance and orientation. With 4 different distance settings to choose from.
I've also included controls for Stroke settings, Dashes, and Taper. So you don't have to go digging into shape layer dropdown menus. The Dashes have also been given expressions so that they automatically fit the curve and don't exhibit any odd behaviour, especially in 3D.
Duplicating the curve is as simple as duplicating the layer + position nulls, and changing the Start and End layer controls to the new null objects. If you require the Auto-Orient on Y options, then make sure your duplicated null objects have the correct layer selected in their controls.
The UI Helpers give you a visual cue of where your bezier handles are.
It's recommended that you only use this tool with After Effects 2020 and above, as Taper was not available in previous versions. It may still work, but the Taper controls won't do anything.
Video demonstration coming soon.
I'd love to see what you create using this tool! I'm on Twitter @AECartographer, and am around on the /r/AfterEffects Discord. If you have any feedback, shoot me a message on Twitter! Thanks to those who helped me with some tricky expressions to get this working!
Note: This is not an Effect plugin, this is a Pseudo Effect on a shape layer with quite a number of expressions.
This product is free, but should not be redistributed/sold/rebranded as a new product. If you include it as part of a template, please credit AECartographer and provide links to this page.
Video assets courtesy of:
You'll receive an After Effects project file containing 2 compositions. One 2D example, and one 3D example.