Stabilize a Video in After Effects
Shaky video can ruin a production and distract viewers from the purpose of the shot. Instead of re-shooting the footage on a tripod, there are methods you can take in post production to help stabilize the footage. Adobe After Effects features built-in tools to stabilize the video clips and make them still. The process is pretty easy and even new users to After Effects can navigate and stabilize footage within 10 to 15 minutes.
Instructions
1. Open Adobe After Effects and start a new project. Use the "Project" window to import the video file that you want to stabilize. If you have multiple video files, the best process is to just work on one at a time so your project does not get cluttered.
2. Drag the video clip down into the "Timeline" window to create a new "Comp." A preview of the video appears in the upper-right preview monitor. Double-click the actual clip to set up the layers editing panel.
3. Click on the "Window" menu and select the "Motion Tracking" window. A box will pop up on the center of the screen. In the window, select the "Stabilize Motion" option to apply it to your clip. A tracking point will appear in the center of the clip now.
4. Drag the tracking point to an easily visible object in the clip. This object should appear constantly throughout the clip so the motion tracking works correctly. Play the video completely to make sure your tracking point stays in the footage.
5. Re-size the tracking point so the center point appears on the center of the object and the outer edge appears just outside the tracking point. If you leave the tracking point too large, it will be harder to follow and to stabilize the action.
6. Select the "Analyze Forward" option in the "Motion Tracker" window. The software will automatically go frame by frame to stabilize the footage based off the point that you choose. As it goes frame by frame, you will see little key frames appearing on the screen. These are the different moving points within the project.
7. Play the video to make sure the video has been stabilized. There may be some clipping on the edges of the video because of the stabilization. Adjust this by going to "Transform" and selecting the "Scale" option. Scale the video slightly larger to cut out the parts of the video that are cut off.
8. Click on the "RAM Preview" options in the "Controls" window. This will process all of the key frames and scaling of the video. The final stabilized video will appear in the project.
9. Export the video by going to "File" and "Export." Select a file format and a save location, and press "OK" to finalize the exportation. Play the rendered video in a media player to see how it is stabilized.
Tags: tracking point, After Effects, stabilize footage, Adobe After, Adobe After Effects