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Getting the shake out
In this exercise we’ll take a clip that was shot without a tripod and try to make the producer happy by correcting the shot so the building doesn’t move at all.[an error occurred while processing this directive]Click here to download the full QuickTime movie and project file so you can follow along. The file is in .sit format and is 13MB because you are working with uncompressed video files.
Step 1: Create a new project (Option+command+N or Control+Alt+N) and import (Command+I or Alt+I) the Shakycamera.mov video clip.
Step 2: Create a new composition by clicking and dragging the shakycamera.mov clip to the Create New Composition icon in the Project window.
Step 3: Right+Click the shakycamera.mov layer in the Timeline and select Stabilize Motion from the pop up menu.
Step 4: In the Tracker Controls Palette, make sure only the Position box is checked for this portion of the exercise. The Position box let’s After Effects know we will only be modifying the position of the Anchor Point to compensate for our videographer’s shaky shoulder.
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| Only one tracking region indicator is used in this exercise because you are stabilizing position only. |
You need to identify a region or element on the video to track. Because the building is the focus of the shot, let’s use a window as our element.
Step 5: Press the Home key on your keyboard to take the Time Indicator to the beginning of the clip. Click and drag inside the Feature region box and move it to a corner of one of the many windows. If you find you are having trouble getting a precise placement with the mouse, you can also use the arrow keys on the keyboard to move one pixel at a time.
The Feature region box should encompass a portion of the black window and a portion of the brighter limestone blocks. You can resize the Feature region box by clicking on any of the handles that surround the box.
Remember that you can move just the Feature region box or just the Search region box by clicking on the edge of the bounding region and dragging to the new location.
If you like you can stretch the Feature region box to surround an entire windowpane.
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| Feature regions can be any size you like, but the larger the box, the longer the calculations will take. |
If you are working at a small magnification, you can temporarily turn on the Zoom Tool by holding down on the Z key, and click in the window to magnify the area you are trying to track (hold down the Option+Z key to turn zoom out). Releasing the Z key will return the pointer.
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