Unlike other extrusion tools that open a separate window or require exporting to a different app, Extrude lives inside the AE effect stack. You apply it to a layer, and that layer becomes 3D.
A GPU‑accelerated plugin that detects image edges and extrudes them into 3D models with environment map shading. More specialized for edge‑based extrusion.
The core philosophy behind Extrude is simplicity. The developer, Plugin Everything (founded by James Whiffin), is known for creating intuitive tools like Deep Glow, Repeater, and Shadow Studio 3 to streamline motion graphics workflows.
: Native tools like tracking, character offsets, and line spacing pass directly through the plugin seamlessly. Animating Shape Layers and Mask Paths Plugin Everything - Extrude for After Effects F...
Extrude is not just a flat 2D effect mimicking 3D. It fully responds to native After Effects 3D cameras and composition lights. If you orbit a camera around your text, the sides of the extrusion shift and distort realistically according to your lens settings. 3. Infinite Customization
: While compatible with AE cameras, the plugin does not natively render camera-based depth of field.
Enables seamless transitions between standard extrusion and inward-facing extrusion, great for creating inset effects. Unlike other extrusion tools that open a separate
Extrude works with three core After Effects layer types:
At first the plugin felt like a secret shortcut. With one effect applied, a rounded keyline became physical. The controls were familiar — depth, bevel, edge profile — but there was a tactile simplicity to them, as if someone had translated a sculptor’s toolbox into sliders. Alex dialed in a rough-cut extrude: soft rounded edges, a flange that caught the light, and a subtle ambient occlusion. The letters suddenly existed in a room, not just on a screen.
Because it is a native plugin, you don't need to import/export files or sync heavy C4D scenes. More specialized for edge‑based extrusion
: Works with live text layers, allowing you to change fonts or characters while maintaining the extrusion effect.
At its simplest level, allows users to take 2D text and shape layers and give them immediate depth. Unlike the standard "Cinema 4D Renderer" built into After Effects, which can be render-heavy and limited in customization, Extrude uses a clever, lightweight approach.
With a single click, you can turn a 2D layer into a 3D object, ideal for rapid iterations.
While Extrude is optimized for speed, here are a few tips for working with complex scenes: