EffectCraft expert (After Effects workflow over MCP)

This skill turns the standard After Effects workflow into concrete EffectCraft calls. It assumes EffectCraft is connected over MCP to Claude Code or any SKILL.md-compatible agent, so the mcp__effectcraft__* tools are available. Every mapping below is tied to a verified EffectCraft command id.

For what to cut and why (hooks, pacing, retention, caption style), pair it with the video-editor skill; this one covers the how inside EffectCraft.

Sources. The workflow is informed by Adobe's After Effects Classroom in a Book 2026 Release (Adobe Press) and verified against EffectCraft's live command catalogue on 2026-11-03. This skill is written independently and reproduces no text from the book.

0. The app changes every day — re-check before saying "missing"

ArtCraft apps get updates almost daily. Every "absent" or "missing" item in this skill and in references/ is a snapshot as of 2026-11-03, not a permanent limit.

• Before you tell the user that a feature is missing, or fall back to a workaround, search the live catalogue with a filter (command_list / list_effects / effects.list). If the command exists now, use it.
• The Adobe method described here is the target. Apply it in full as soon as the app supports it.
• If you find a command that this skill lists as absent, or a mapping that has changed, update this skill (or open an issue on the repository) so the snapshot stays accurate.

1. Core concepts

• Project → compositions → layers → properties. A composition has space (w×h) and time (fps, duration). Layers stack top to bottom. Every property has a path, for example:
  • transform/position, transform/scale, transform/rotation, transform/opacity, transform/anchor;
  • effects/#1/blurriness, masks/<name>/feather;
  • text/sourceText, contents/trim/end.
• Keyframes (add_keyframe) animate a property over time. Interpolation sets the temporal ease: linear, bezier, hold, easyEase, easyEaseIn, easyEaseOut. Never ship linear motion for graphics.
• Expressions (set_property {expression}) are JS code. Common ones: wiggle(2,20), time*90, loopOut(), pick-whip references.
• Anchor point is the pivot for scale and rotation. Parenting (layer.setParent) passes position, rotation and scale (not opacity) from parent to child. Nulls are invisible controllers.
• Precomp (layer.precompose) nests layers into a sub-comp. Use it to group them, change render order, or apply one effect or animation to a whole group.
• Adjustment layer applies its effects to everything below it.
• Track matte: one layer is visible only through another layer's alpha or luma.
• Motion blur needs the layer switch and the comp switch.

2. Recommended flow (every job)

1. Check what is open with doc_inspect. Never file.open/file.save user files unless the user asks.
2. command_run comp.new {name, width, height, frameRate, duration, background}. The new comp becomes active.
3. Create layers with layer.newSolid / layer.newText / layer.newShape / layer.newNull / file.import + layer.addItem. Each returns {layer:id}, so keep those ids.
4. Arrange (layer.arrange), parent, and precompose.
5. Animate with add_keyframe {layer, path, keys:[…], interpolation:"easyEase"}. For behaviours use presets (anim.applyBuiltinPreset, layer.applyTextPreset) or expressions.
6. Add effects with add_effect {layer, effect, values}. It returns the parameter paths for later keys.
7. Verify with render_frame {time} at several times (start, each transition, end). Use get_comp for structure and get_layer {flat:true, time} for values.
8. Render with renderQueue.add → renderQueue.render {wait:true}, then ffprobe the file.
9. Deliver the rendered file where the user asked for it. At the end of throwaway tests, run file.newProject to clear the session.

3. Mapping: After Effects → EffectCraft

Legend: ✔ verified with a live call on 2026-11-03 · ○ command exists, not tested · ✘ absent as of 2026-11-03 (re-check, see §0).

4. Recipes (condensed; details in references)

Animated text (title or kinetic type): layer.newText → layer.centerAnchor → keys on scale 0→110→100 (easyEase) or layer.applyTextPreset (fadeUpCharacters, trackingIn, typewriter) → for per-character control layer.addTextAnimator and key …/rangeSelector/offset −100→100 → motion blur (layer and comp). Ref 02-animated-text.md.

Animated logo: vector logo as a shape (edit.pasteSvg, shape.newPath or an import) → precomp it → write-on with addShapeItem trim (key contents/trim/end 0→100) or a mask reveal → scale/rotation settle with overshoot → Glow/Drop Shadow → optional 3D camera push (10-3d-camera-lights.md). Leave 0.5–1 s of hold at the end.

Shape-layer animation: layer.newShape → operators (wiggle, offset, pucker, repeater, trim) → keys on operator params → parent the shapes to a null for global moves. Ref 03-shapes-keyframes-parenting.md.

Slideshow / animated presentation: one precomp per slide (title + image + bullets) → layer.sequence {overlap:true, transition:"crossDissolve"} or anim.applyBuiltinPreset in/out per slide → background preset (softGradientDrift, bokehDrift) → audio with layer.addItem → stagger the elements with layer.quickOffset. Ref 03-… (lesson 5) and 01-….

Masks and rotoscoping: static shape → layer.addMask / mask.new + feather. Moving subject → roto.stroke fg/bg → roto.propagate (poll roto.status) → roto.freeze → new background below, or text between two copies. Refs 05-masks.md, 07-roto-brush.md.

Puppet: puppet.addPin at the joints/extremities (Starch on rigid parts) → puppet.movePin keys or puppet.recordPin → puppet.follow for secondary motion. Ref 06-puppet.md.

Color grading: adjustment layer on top → Lumetri Color (correct first: temperature/exposure/contrast; then creative/look, vibrance, vignette) → per-shot fixes on the footage layers → Hue/Saturation colorize for duotones. Ref 08-color-and-mood.md.

Motion graphics template: master comp → controls on a null (Color/Slider Control, pick whip) → essential.addProperty (text, font, colour), essential.addMedia (logo) → groups and comments → comp.responsiveTime for the intro/outro → essential.exportTemplate. Ref 09-motion-graphics-templates.md.

3D and camera: threeD switch or new3dPrimitive → layer.newCamera (two-node 35–50 mm, key position with easyEase, optional DOF) → Spot with shadows + low Ambient → check the lighting in renders. Refs 10-…, 11-3d-camera-tracker.md.

Tracking and stabilizing: track.motion workflow onto a null, then parent the overlay. track.warpStabilizer for shake. Ref 12-stabilize-track-advanced.md.

Render and export for social: 9:16 1080×1920, 1:1 1080×1080, 4:5 1080×1350, 16:9 1920×1080; 30 fps; H.264 10–20 Mbps; ProRes 4444/WebM for alpha. Build one master and nest it in per-format comps. Respect safe areas on 9:16. Ref 13-render-export-social.md.

5. Common mistakes

• Acting on the wrong comp. Creating or opening a comp changes the active one, so pass comp/layer ids explicitly.
• Motion blur switched on for the layers only (it needs the comp switch too).
• Parenting after animating: the child jumps. Parent first, or use compensate.
• Scaling or rotating text around a baseline anchor: run layer.centerAnchor first.
• Linear keys everywhere. Use easyEase, and an overshoot for "pop".
• Text in the platform UI zones of 9:16.
• Wanting Lottie but using 3D, Puppet or most effects (dropped on export; read the warnings).
• Huge tool outputs: avoid puppet.info, renderQueue.formats and roto.models inside batches, and prop.get on tracked properties. Use get_layer {flat:true, time}.
• keys.wiggle without selected keys fails. Prefer the wiggle() expression.
• Reading background jobs too early: poll roto.status/track.status (jobs.wait may return immediately).

6. Pre-delivery checks

1. get_comp: size, fps and duration match the brief; no stray solo/guide/disabled layers.
2. render_frame at at least 4 times: 0 s, mid-animation of each element, the last transition, the final frame (and frame 0 = last frame for loops).
3. Text is legible and inside the safe areas, and the brand colours are correct.
4. Render with renderQueue.render {wait:true} → renderQueue.list shows Done → ffprobe codec, size, frames and audio.
5. Deliver to the location the user specified and tell them the path. Clean the session with file.newProject after tests.

7. References

• references/01-workflow-effects-presets.md (L1–2), 02-animated-text.md (L3), 03-shapes-keyframes-parenting.md (L4–5), 04-layers-mattes-time.md (L6), 05-masks.md (L7), 06-puppet.md (L8), 07-roto-brush.md (L9), 08-color-and-mood.md (L10), 09-motion-graphics-templates.md (L11), 10-3d-camera-lights.md (L12), 11-3d-camera-tracker.md (L13), 12-stabilize-track-advanced.md (L14), 13-render-export-social.md (L15), 14-troubleshooting-and-mcp-notes.md (appendix + verified MCP behaviour).
• "L" numbers refer to the lesson order of the Adobe book the workflow follows.
• Found something out of date? Update this skill or open an issue.