We all love free stuff, and with the way the economy is right now there’s not a lot of extra money going around. That doesn’t mean we can’t have new toys to play with! I’ve put together a big list of free plugins for After Effects, Final Cut Pro, and Cinema 4D.
Free After Effects Plugins
Minning
Normality 3, Atlas, Generator
http://www.3dcg.net/software/normality/
Normality is a powerful plug-in that allows motion graphics artists to light 3D objects and scenes directly within the familiar Adobe After Effects environment through the use of normal passes and advanced relighting techniques.
http://www.3dcg.net/software/atlas/
Atlas is a part of the pfstmo tone mapping operators to the Adobe After Effects plug-in format.
http://www.3dcg.net/software/generator/
Generator is a simple and free plug-in for Adobe After Effects which can be used to create normal maps from alpha mattes, such as text and shape layers.
Red Giant Software
http://www.redgiantsoftware.com/products/free/
Free plugins from Red Giant including Knoll 3D Flare (Beta) 1.0, Knoll Unmult, Magic Bullet Colorista Free, Magic Bullet LUT Buddy, and Magic Bullet Quick Looks Free
Noise Industries
http://www.noiseindustries.com/fxfactory/free/
Free plugins from Noise Industries for After Effects, Final Cut Pro, and Motion. Plugins include Manifesto, Pan and Zoom, Star Titler, Barcode, CoverFlux, Freebie Pack, and PHYX Freebies. To run these plugins you need to install FX Factory (http://www.noiseindustries.com/fxfactory/download), also free.
Omino Suite
http://omino.com/store/
Download the omino suite for After Effects CS5 and later. The installer includes omino kaleidoscope, omino python, and others. You may use this for commercial and noncommerical works. The installer also includes examples and documentation.
AE Flame
http://www.andrewdavidson.com/aeflame/download.html
AE Flame is an Adobe After Effects plugin that allows you to create and animate cosmic recursive flame fractals.
Videocopilot
http://www.videocopilot.net/presets/
A host of free AE presets including Magic Tracking, Sure Target, Reflection, 3D Falloff and a lot more.
AlphaPlugins Fir Tree
http://www.alphaplugins.com/products/products.php?menu=get_prod_id&prod_id=9
AlphaPlugins FirTree is additional module for Adobe After Effects. This plug-in allows you to create animated fir tree branches. You can use these elements to decorate your Merry Christmas and Happy New Years videos.
Frischluft Field Fixer and HSL Selection
http://www.frischluft.com/free/index.php
Field Fixer allows the user to correct field problems manually by selecting upper and lower field for the current frame. HSL Selection Is a standalone version of the selection method found in Flair and Lenscare.
Philipp Spoeth
Sinedots II
http://www.philipp-spoeth.de/aftereffects/sinedots2.php
Shear
http://www.philipp-spoeth.de/aftereffects/shear.php
Retrodots
http://www.philipp-spoeth.de/aftereffects/retrodots.php
CoreMelt
http://www.coremelt.com/download.html
The CoreMelt FREE pack has 33 completely free plugins from all their products & VeeYou V2.
Automatic Duck
http://www.automaticduck.com/products/download/index.html
With Pro Import AE for Adobe After Effects, your digital desktop has never been more powerful or complete. Translating a sequence from an Avid® or Final Cut Pro 7 editing system, or a project from Apple’s Motion takes just seconds, importing all your media and clips in one step. Effects are translated and recreated for you and your timeline becomes a composition in After Effects, ready for you to take your vision to the next level.
Free Final Cut Pro Plugins
Connor Productions
http://www.connerpro.com/free-fcpx-templates/
Free Final Cut Pro X templates including Seal, Diamond, Wisp, Puff, Lights, Film Dust, and more.
Noise Industries
http://www.noiseindustries.com/fxfactory/free/
Free plugins from Noise Industries for After Effects, Final Cut Pro, and Motion. Plugins include Manifesto, Pan and Zoom, Star Titler, Barcode, CoverFlux, Freebie Pack, and PHYX Freebies. To run these plugins you need to install FX Factory (http://www.noiseindustries.com/fxfactory/download), also free.
Too Much Too Soon
http://www.mattias.nu/plugins/
Large selection of free plugins including Warp Sharp, Flash Frame, Slow Motion, and a whole lot more.
Nattress
http://www.nattress.com/Free/freeFCP.htm
9 free plugins including G Reverse, G Earthquake, G Speed, and more
Lyric
http://www.lyric.com/fcp-plugins/index.htm#shadow
Lyric’s free Shadow-Highlight plugin filter provides functionality similar to the Highlight/Shadow function in Photoshop CS, revealing detail in under or overexposed footage by lifting shadows or reducing highlights.
CoreMelt
http://www.coremelt.com/download.html
The CoreMelt FREE pack has 33 completely free plugins from all their products & VeeYou V2.
CHV
http://www.chv-plugins.com/silkandfog.html
CHV Silk and Fog provides you with 5 effects: Silk, Fog, Shadows, Borders, and Flatten.
River Rock Studios
http://www.riverrockstudios.com/riverrock/pages/FCP.html
Free Jitterbug, Chromatic Glow, and Day for Night plugins
Digital Heaven
http://www.digital-heaven.co.uk/freeware
Free plugins for Final Cut versions 4 through X, including DH Fade, DH Field Trans, DH Grid, and more.
Automatic Duck
http://www.automaticduck.com/products/download/index.html
With Pro Import AE for Adobe After Effects, your digital desktop has never been more powerful or complete. Translating a sequence from an Avid® or Final Cut Pro 7 editing system, or a project from Apple’s Motion takes just seconds, importing all your media and clips in one step. Effects are translated and recreated for you and your timeline becomes a composition in After Effects, ready for you to take your vision to the next level.
Patrick Sheffield’s Plugins
http://pistolerapost.com/pluginz/index.html
7 Free plugins including Two Strip Technicolor, Three Strip Technicolor, Three Strip Extreme, Richer, Convolve Toy, Captain’s Blowout Fixer, and Luma Toy.
Luca’s Plugins
http://www.videonline.co.uk/MainMenu.htm
13 Free plugins including Vignette, Image Adjust, Light Streaks, Shaky Bump, and more.
Film Impact
http://www.filmimpact.net/index.php/download/
7 Free plugins including Impact Stretch, Impact Roll, Impact Flash, Impact Blur to Color, Impact Push, and Impact Wipe
alex4d
http://alex4d.wordpress.com/finalcut/
Large amount of plugins including Inside-Outside Matte, Improved Crop, Pond Ripple Transition, and more.
Free Cinema 4D Plugins
Welter 4d
http://www.welter-4d.de/fplugs/freeplugins_en.html
17 free plugins including Time Shift, Extended Starfield, Atmosphere Shader, and more.
Ben Johnson’s Plugins
http://www.bensj.com/Plugins.html
10 free plugins including Particle Trails, MultiTarget, Randomize Emitter Seeds, and more.
Riptide
http://skinprops.com/riptide.php
Riptide is a plugin for Maxon’s Cinema 4D to extend its .obj file import/export capabilities.
Nitro 4D Plugins
http://nitro4d.com/blog/
18 Free plugins including Thrausi, Xbreaker, Magic Snow, Magic Domino, Magic Paint, and more.
Kuroyume’s Development Zone
http://www.kuroyumes-developmentzone.com/cinema-4d/free-plugins/
Free plugins including IvyGrower, MeshInfo, OneSpline, Split Selection, DropIt!, and Drop To Floor.
Tools 4D
http://www.tools4d.com/?page_id=1102
Free pack of 7 plugins including Wireshader, Restart c4D, GodRays, RoadGen, Stipple Modifier, SolidSplines, and Reverb.
Jack’s Secret Stash
http://www.c4d-jack.de/site/en/downloads/cat_view/43-plugins.html
7 free plugins including GearBuilder, Oscillator, Restart Cinema, Scene Documenter, Sidewalk, SwitchObject, and TrainDriver.
Photo Illusion
http://www.photo-illusion.com/cinemaplugs.html
2 free plugins, Bolt and Quickpipe