Sidekick
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Installation

Install Sidekick in After Effects

Sidekick ships as a single ZXP that registers two CEP panels. Plan on about three minutes from download to first prompt.

Before you start

  • After Effects 2022 or newer
  • A free ZXP installer (we recommend the aescripts ZXP Installer)
  • An API key from at least one provider – Anthropic, OpenAI, or Google Gemini

Step 1. Get a ZXP installer

If you do not already have one, grab the free aescripts ZXP Installer. Anastasiy's Extension Manager works equivalently if you prefer it.

Step 2. Quit After Effects

AE caches the list of CEP extensions at startup, so installing while AE is running will not register the new panel. Fully quit the app before installing.

Step 3. Drag the .zxp onto the installer

  1. Download sidekick.zxp from your purchase or beta link.
  2. Open the ZXP Installer.
  3. Drag sidekick.zxp onto the installer window and confirm.

Step 4. Open After Effects

Launch AE. The bundle registers two panels:

  • Window > Extensions > Sidekick – the chat panel where you write prompts and apply results
  • Window > Extensions > Sidekick Toolbar – a KBAR-style launcher for the scriptlets you save

Step 5. Acknowledge the one-time disclosure

On first launch, Sidekick routes you to Settings to acknowledge a short disclosure: API keys are stored locally in the panel's localStorage, lightly obfuscated, but not encrypted. Treat them like any other app password.

Step 6. Add your first API key

You only need one provider to get going. Anthropic is the default and works well for most motion graphics work, but any of the three is fine.

Anthropic (Claude)

  1. Visit console.anthropic.com/settings/keys
  2. Sign in, click Create Key, name it "Sidekick"
  3. Copy the key immediately – it is only shown once
  4. Paste it into Sidekick > Settings > Anthropic

Suggested model: claude-sonnet-4-6.

OpenAI (ChatGPT)

  1. Visit platform.openai.com/api-keys
  2. Click + Create new secret key and copy it
  3. Paste it into Sidekick > Settings > OpenAI

Suggested model: a GPT-5 mini variant for balanced cost and speed.

Google Gemini

  1. Visit aistudio.google.com/app/apikey
  2. Click Create API key and copy it
  3. Paste it into Sidekick > Settings > Gemini

Suggested model: gemini-2.5-pro. If you hit empty responses on long scripts, swap to gemini-2.5-flash.

Step 7. Pick a default model

At the top of Settings, set your default Provider and Model. This is the brain Sidekick reaches for when you hit Send. You can still swap models per-prompt from the dropdown next to the Send button without touching this default.

You are ready

Close Settings and head to Getting started to send your first prompt.