Color Master scans your entire After Effects project, finds every fill and stroke color, and links them all to one editable control panel — so you can recolor an entire project from a single place. It automates the null-object-and-expression setup pros use, whether you're managing two layers or two thousand.
How color control normally works in After Effects
The pro way to manage color is with a null object and Expression Controls. You add a null named "Control," apply Effects > Expression Controls > Color Control, and link that swatch to the fills and strokes of other layers via expressions. Change the swatch, and every linked element updates.
This video may reference an older version of ColorMaster. Features and UI may have changed since recording.
It works — until the project grows. On a complex composition with dozens of nested comps, building and wiring those controls by hand is slow, error-prone, and creatively stifling.
What Color Master does differently
Color Master automates that whole system. Instead of wiring expressions one swatch at a time, it:
- Scans your project for every color value across fills and strokes
- Creates central, editable swatches for all of them
- Links every color to one control panel via expressions
- Updates in real time and merges duplicate colors
Step-by-step: using Color Master
Build the Color Master
Launch the plugin and click Build Color Master. It scans the project, compiles every detected color, and creates a panel of editable swatches.
Edit from one place
Change any swatch and every linked fill or stroke across the project updates instantly — no hunting through nested comps.
Merge duplicates
Use Merge Colors to collapse near-identical shades (six slightly different greens) into a single swatch for a clean, consistent palette.
Update as you work
Added new layers or footage? Run Update Colors or Update Expressions to fold them into the existing system or create new swatches.
Why it's a game-changer
Color Master turns a tedious, manual chore into a few clicks. Rebrand a template, enforce a client's palette, or test a whole new look across hundreds of elements from one panel — then tweak any swatch and watch the project update. It's built for animators and motion designers who value scalable, consistent color control, and it's included with the Filmit Studio subscription.
