Free Maya Animation Scripts and Tools
Tweener
A modern tween machine. It allows you to blend between 2 keyframe poses with any controllers selected. A very fast way to speed up your workflow - especially in stepped.
Tween Machine
An older but still effective Tween Machine. Updated for the newer versions of Maya using Python 3.
Less features than tweener.
Arc Tracker 110
A very old tracker that still gets it done better than Maya's built in Arc Tracker. It plots the curve, your timing, spacing, and allows you to customize it.
Arc Tracer
Morgan Loomis's Arc Tracer is a fantastic. It may have less visual options than others but it gives you everything essential. INCLUDING camera space arc tracking. Essential when your animating to a moving camera. You also need ML Utilities. More info on all scripts: LINK
FCM Hider
Create quick on/off buttons for hiding any part of any character very easily. This way you can focus your eyes and attention to what your fixing in your animation.
Studio Library
Save face poses, hand poses, body poses, or entire animations for any character. This way you can click a button to add it to your character instantly in the future. It can easily double your animation time.
World Bake
Completely change pivots / reorient an entire animation, save / copy parts or all of your animation from one rig or object to the next. Extremely useful. You also need ML Utilities. More info on all scripts: LINK
Convert Rotate Order
THE cure for gimbal lock. It will swap the rotation order for any controller on the fly while preserving your animation (unlike maya) and give you recommendations. You also need ML Utilities. More info on all scripts: LINK
JT Ghost
Create semi-transparent ghosts of your character to track arcs, see silhouettes, etc. A super fun and useful script!
Sticky Mod
Create custom deformations on any character to clean up poses, shapes, and contacts.
IK/FK Switcher
Snap from IK to FK with your arms, legs, spine, etc without losing your starting
Paid Maya Animation Scripts
Anim Bot
The end all be all complete animators toolset. Available at various tiers and features.
That said, often for less experienced animators this is overkill.
Keyframe Pro
The ultimate shot playback and review tool designed specifically for animators in production.
Additionally its a great way to study your favorite animations without the need for heavy or online software.
FCM Multi-view
Quickly output a playblast that has multiple camera views in 1 video.
This is fantastic for showcasing demo reel shots like game cycles or for getting critiques.
bh Aim Tools
Based off a Richard Lico presentation - this uses an aim constraint (typically on top of normal parent constraints) to create arcs intuitively by hand off where the arcs should be (tip of a sword).
bh Anim Proxy
To focus your eye -- hide parts of your character and turn the rest into simple shapes basic cubes.
Allowing you to see the big picture.
bh Wave it
Once you've mastered overlap and follow through by hand - this really speeds up your ability to create it anywhere.