Quick Start

Before you start

1. Open After Effects with a saved project, and open Window > Extensions > Ground Control. The panel’s status line should read Taking commands.
2. Make a folder for your scripts, for example Documents\AE Scripts, and start a Claude Code session in it, or open Codex in the ChatGPT desktop app and point it at that folder. The folder can be empty. Your AI writes scripts into it and runs them through Ground Control.

If you use the ChatGPT desktop app, create a file named AGENTS.md in that folder with one line: “Read the Ground Control notes at” followed by the path setup printed on its ChatGPT notes line. Claude Code needs nothing extra; setup installs its skill.

Your first run

Ask for something small and visible, for example:

Using Ground Control, add a 200 px red solid to the active comp and center it.

Your AI looks up the After Effects API it needs, writes the script, checks it, and runs it in your open After Effects. The panel shows the run as it happens, and your AI reports back in plain language, usually with a captured frame of the comp so you can see the result.

Building a ScriptUI panel

Ask for the panel the same way. Your AI runs it through Ground Control as a floating window each time it changes something, so you can try it as it takes shape.

When you are happy with it, ask your AI to copy the finished script into After Effects’ ScriptUI Panels folder, then restart After Effects. It then appears in the Window menu and docks like any other panel.

	Folder
Windows	C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects [version]\Support Files\Scripts\ScriptUI Panels\
macOS	/Applications/Adobe After Effects [version]/Scripts/ScriptUI Panels/

Undo

Every run is one undo step. If you do not like the result, press Ctrl+Z on Windows or Cmd+Z on macOS once.

If a run fails

Your AI reads the failure, explains it, and tries again within a limit. Nothing runs that fails the safety check first. See What protects your project.