About Trigger

Trigger is a script for After Effects that sets up and retimes animations by triggering them inside a precomp using layer markers. You can create Trigger comps, add markers, and trigger animations from within a precomp, turning a linear workflow into an automated, event‑based one. This enables non‑destructive retiming of complex animations, testing multiple versions, and sequencing several animation events from a global composition. The workflow begins by selecting a nested composition and pressing Retime, which adds a null object named Trigger. Inside the precomp, you select the Trigger null and choose Add Trigger to place a layer marker. Adding multiple markers allows several animation events, and a single click can generate triggers for global layers. Version 1.3 runs on After Effects releases from CS3 through the 2026 version.

Features

• Call up specific animations inside a composition using layer markers
• Create multiple animation events with one click, auto-generating event triggers onto global comp layers
• Non-destructively retime complex animations
• Test out multiple versions of an animation
• Sequence together multiple animation events from the global composition
• Press Retime to place a null object called Trigger inside a selected precomp
• Add layer markers to the Trigger null with Add Trigger to mark each animation event

Best for

After Effects artists who need to retime and sequence precomp animations non‑destructively using layer markers.