Normal Scanner by Blace Plugins adds video-native normal estimation to After Effects and Premiere Pro, allowing users to generate normal maps from generic footage or human characters for VFX passes. The plugin leverages blace.ai and supports recent After Effects releases.
Developed by Blace Plugins.
About Normal Scanner
Normal Scanner is a plugin from Blace Plugins that provides video-native normal estimation within After Effects and Premiere Pro, powered by blace.ai. It creates normal maps from generic footage or human characters, enabling the creation of VFX passes and quick relighting when paired with Normality. Users can increase temporal stability by setting the Window Size parameter to the highest value their GPU permits, and responsiveness improves when the Composition → Preview → Cache Frames When Idle option is disabled. The plugin is compatible with After Effects 2024, 2025, and 2026, and recent updates added a human‑centric estimation model, enhanced out‑of‑memory feedback, a crash fix for long renders, and better performance in Mercury‑enabled compositions. A demo video is available for reference.
Features
- Create normal maps from generic footage or from human characters
- Video-native normal estimation powered by blace.ai
- Pairs with Normality for quick relighting
- Window Size parameter to improve temporal stability, set as high as your GPU allows
- Better feedback for out-of-memory situations
Best for
Artists creating VFX passes who need normal maps from footage or from human characters in After Effects and Premiere Pro.
Frequently asked questions
Which After Effects versions does Normal Scanner support?
Normal Scanner supports After Effects versions 2024, 2025, and 2026.
Is Normal Scanner free to use?
The catalog lists Normal Scanner as free, but licensing terms should be verified on the developer’s page.
How do I improve temporal stability in Normal Scanner?
Temporal stability is improved by setting the Window Size parameter to the highest value your GPU can handle.
Can Normal Scanner create normal maps of people?
Yes, Normal Scanner includes a human‑centric model that can generate normal maps from human characters.
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