Heightmaps and shaded relief contours perfect for geographic breakdowns.
You can use your own custom pre-compositions (like animated callouts or lower thirds) as markers.
High entry cost (roughly $300). Some imagery or high-end map styles may require additional third-party subscriptions like MapTiler .
When the 1.0 iteration arrived, it introduced features that completely changed the workflow for editors:
GEOlayers 3 allows you to choose from a vast library of default map styles or connect your own API keys. Supported imagery styles include: GEOlayers 3 1.0
The move from version 2 to version 3 was significant. The plugin was "rebuilt from the ground up," resulting in a faster, more powerful experience that integrates every aspect of mapmaking directly into the After Effects interface.
: Easily draw and highlight country borders, streets, lakes, rivers, and specific regions. 3D Capabilities : Includes support for 3D buildings 3D terrain extrusion. Data Integration
🎉 It’s here: GEOlayers 3 1.0 is live
Getting started with GEOlayers 3 involves a simple, step-by-step pipeline designed to keep your After Effects projects organized and render-friendly. Step 1: Create a Map Comp Heightmaps and shaded relief contours perfect for geographic
What GEOlayers does best
Ensure your disk cache settings in After Effects have ample room allocated. GEOlayers saves downloaded tiles locally so it doesn’t have to fetch them twice.
GEOlayers 3 controls the native After Effects 3D camera. This means your maps react perfectly to standard motion graphics depth-of-field, lighting elements, and motion blur effects. Step-by-Step Workflow Guide Share public link
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the tool is its ability to handle 3D terrain. By utilizing digital elevation models (DEM), GEOlayers 3 can create realistic 3D landscapes. When paired with After Effects’ 3D camera, users can perform dramatic fly-throughs of mountain ranges or deep dives into urban canyons. The software handles the complex math of warping the map imagery over the 3D terrain, a task that would take hours to do manually. Conclusion Some imagery or high-end map styles may require
The map animation game just changed. 🗺️⚡
Note for upgraders: GEOlayers 3 1.0 installs as a completely separate plugin. It will not overwrite GEOlayers 2, allowing you to keep legacy projects intact.
Great for reliable satellite imagery and aerial views.
Not for beginners. You still need basic GIS concepts (shapefiles, projections, GeoJSON). Documentation is improved but lacks in-depth tutorials for advanced features.