What are the lines called that indicate the movement of the animated anchor?

The lines that indicate the movement of the animated anchor in Adobe After Effects are referred to as motion paths. Motion paths visually represent the trajectory along which a layer or an object moves in an animation. These paths can be adjusted by manipulation of keyframes, allowing for intricate control over the movement's duration and the direction in which it travels.

In After Effects, when you create an animation, the motion path is displayed on the composition panel as a series of points connecting the keyframes that dictate the start and end positions of the animated layer. Understanding how to manipulate motion paths is vital for creating smooth and dynamic animations.

While terms like anchor paths or animation guides may sound appealing, they do not accurately describe the function of these visual indicators in After Effects, making them misleading. Therefore, motion paths is the appropriate term to use.