Free plugin · After Effects
Turn your phone into a virtual camera
Stream your After Effects composition to your phone in real time. Move the phone to steer the 3D camera, then walk through your scene to record natural camera moves as keyframes.
FreeAE plugin
6DOFCamera control
0Setup steps
Watch
See your phone drive the camera
A quick tour of streaming, camera control and recording inside After Effects.
What it does
Two tools in one free plugin
The plugin installs as a native panel (Window > Phone Camera Control). The companion app runs on your phone, and the two find each other over your Wi-Fi with no IP addresses to type.
01
Live preview on your phone
See your composition streamed to your phone in real time. Walk around the room, show a client, or check framing on a mobile screen, all without rendering.
02
Physical camera control
Move your phone and the After Effects camera moves with it. Pan, tilt and orbit with the gyroscope and accelerometer, then hold record and walk through your 3D scene for organic moves a mouse can’t make.
How it works
From install to first take in five steps
Install the plugin
Install on Mac or Windows in about 30 seconds, restart After Effects and open Window > Phone Camera Control.
Install the app
Get the app from Google Play or the App Store and sign up. You start with 30 free Ad Credits.
Connect
Put both devices on the same Wi-Fi. Your phone finds After Effects within seconds and appears under Ready Phones.
Stream and control
Your active comp streams instantly. Tap the gyroscope icon and your movement drives the 3D camera. Set zoom, focus, aperture and depth of field from the phone.
Record
Tap record for one keyframe, or press and hold to capture a keyframe every frame as you move. Release to stop.
Features
Everything you need on set, in your pocket
Real-time streaming
Your comp is rendered and streamed to your phone as a live feed, with every layer, effect and 3D object.
6DOF camera control
Position (X, Y, Z) and orientation (pan, tilt, roll), all driven by your phone’s motion sensors.
One-tap and continuous recording
Tap to set a keyframe at the current time, or hold to record frame by frame as permanent keyframes.
Camera settings from your phone
Focal length, focus distance, aperture, blur level and depth of field, applied live.
Multi-phone support
Connect several phones at once. Each gets its own camera layer and sees the comp from its own view.
Timeline control
Play, pause, scrub, step and jump to start or end from your phone, without touching the keyboard.
Camera picker
Choose which camera layer your phone controls, or let the plugin create one for you.
Zero configuration
Bonjour/mDNS discovery on your local network. No IPs, ports or pairing codes.
Dockable panel and auto split view
A native AE panel with per-device permission toggles. With several phones, the viewer splits to show each camera.
Pricing
Free for everyone. Ad-free if you like.
Every feature is included for every user. There is no lite or pro version. Ad Credits only apply to recording keyframes.
Free
$0
- 30 free Ad Credits when you sign up
- Watch a short ad to earn 10 more seconds of recording, with no daily cap
- Streaming, camera control, settings, timeline and multi-phone are unlimited and ad-free
Ad-Free
One-time purchase
- Unlimited recording with no credits and no ads
- Record as long and as many takes as you need
- Same features as free. Pay once, record forever.
Download
Get the plugin
The After Effects plugin is completely free: no trial, no license key and no subscription.
macOS
Phone Camera Control 2.0 · .pkg · 183 KB
macOS 13 or later, Intel or Apple Silicon, After Effects 2024 or later.
Install on Mac
- Double-click the downloaded .pkg to open the installer.
- Follow Introduction > License > Install and enter your Mac password.
- Open or restart After Effects.
- Go to Window > Phone Camera Control.
It installs to the shared Adobe MediaCore folder, so it works with every After Effects version on your Mac.
Windows
Phone Camera Control 2.0 · .rar · 445 KB
Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit), After Effects 2024 or later.
Install on Windows
- Run the installer and click Yes on the UAC prompt.
- Follow Welcome > License > Install.
- Open or restart After Effects.
- Go to Window > Phone Camera Control.
It installs to C:\Program Files\Adobe\Common\Plug-ins\7.0\MediaCore\, so it works with every After Effects version on your PC.
Android beta
- Join the tester group at groups.google.com/g/phone-cam-control-android-testers.
- Open the testing page on Google Play and tap Become a tester.
- Install the app from Google Play.
Getting started
Your first session
Requirements
- Adobe After Effects 2024 or later, Mac or Windows
- A phone with the Phone Camera Control app
- Both devices on the same Wi-Fi network (5 GHz recommended)
- Create a composition with a few 3D layers. A simple 3D text or shape layer is enough.
- Open the panel from Window > Phone Camera Control. The Ready Phones list starts empty.
- Open the app and sign up the first time. It scans your network for After Effects.
- Your phone appears in Ready Phones and your comp starts streaming within seconds.
- Activate camera control with the gyroscope button, then move the phone slowly to see the camera follow.
- Calibrate if the orientation feels off. The current position becomes the new neutral.
- Record a move. Place the time indicator, then tap for one keyframe or hold and move for continuous recording.
Tips
Get the smoothest results
Network
- Use 5 GHz Wi-Fi for the fastest streaming
- 2.4 GHz works with more latency
- Keep both devices on the same network
Smooth recording
- Hold the phone with both hands
- Start slow to avoid jerky keyframes
- Review takes with the phone’s timeline controls
- Undo with Cmd/Ctrl+Z and try again
Camera settings
- Frame with focal length before recording
- Turn on depth of field for focus pulls
- Aperture and focus can animate while recording
Multi-phone
- Add a second phone for a second angle
- Each phone gets its own named camera layer
- Bind a phone to an existing camera with the picker
- The viewer splits to show every perspective
Performance
The stream is a preview, so it doesn’t need 60 fps. Even at 5 fps the camera feels responsive, because the motion sensors update at full speed and the plugin moves the camera independently of the stream.
| Condition | Expected FPS |
|---|---|
| Simple comp, 5 GHz Wi-Fi | 8–12 fps |
| Complex comp | 5–8 fps |
| 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi | 4–7 fps |
| Heavy comp, many effects | 2–4 fps |
System requirements
What you need
After Effects plugin
- After Effects 2024 (v24.0) or later
- macOS 13 Ventura or later, Intel or Apple Silicon
- Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit)
- Local Wi-Fi network
Phone app
- Android 8.0 or later (Google Play)
- iPhone (App Store)
- Gyroscope and accelerometer
- Wi-Fi on the same network as your computer
FAQ
Questions, answered
Is the plugin really free?
Yes. The After Effects plugin is 100% free, with no trial, license key, subscription or feature limits.
Is the app free?
Yes. It includes every feature and 30 free Ad Credits for recording. Watch a short ad to earn more, or upgrade to Ad-Free with a one-time purchase.
Do I need an internet connection?
Only Wi-Fi between your phone and computer. Your composition never leaves your network. The app goes online for sign-up and to load rewarded ads in the free version.
Does it work with any composition?
Yes. It streams 2D layers, 3D layers, effects and precomps. Camera control applies to 3D camera layers.
Can I use it with a 2D composition?
Yes, as a wireless preview monitor. Camera control needs a 3D camera, and the plugin creates one when a phone starts sending motion.
Does it work over cellular or remote networks?
No. Both devices must be on the same local Wi-Fi, since discovery and streaming only work locally.
Which phones are supported?
Phones with a gyroscope and accelerometer: Android 8.0 or later, and iPhone through the App Store.
Can several people control cameras at once?
Yes. Each connected phone gets and controls its own camera layer.
Will it slow down After Effects?
It renders at quarter resolution by default and only while the panel is open and a phone is connected. Otherwise it is dormant.
What data does the app collect?
An account for Ad Credit tracking. Your composition is streamed locally and never uploaded.
Need help?
Troubleshooting
Phone can’t find After Effects
Check both devices are on the same Wi-Fi and the panel is open in AE. Allow After Effects through your firewall. On Windows, make sure the Bonjour Service is running.
Stream is slow or choppy
Switch to 5 GHz Wi-Fi, set the comp resolution to Half or Quarter, close network-heavy apps and keep both devices on the same access point.
Camera movement is jittery
Tap calibrate in the app, hold the phone with both hands and avoid very fast moves.
Plugin doesn’t appear in After Effects
Restart After Effects after installing, and check the file exists at /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Common/Plug-ins/7.0/MediaCore/PhoneCameraControlStream.plugin (Mac) or C:\Program Files\Adobe\Common\Plug-ins\7.0\MediaCore\PhoneCameraControlStream.aex (Windows).
How do I uninstall?
Mac: delete PhoneCameraControlStream.plugin from the MediaCore folder above and restart AE. Windows: use Add or Remove Programs, or delete PhoneCameraControlStream.aex from the MediaCore folder.
Get started
Your next camera move is in your pocket
Download the free plugin, install the app and record your first take in minutes. Questions or bugs: john@motionist.studio.
Studio list
Get new tools and free drops first
One email when a new plugin, template or free pack is out. No spam, unsubscribe any time.