How do I stabilize using two points? (Like in After Effects)

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rgames

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How do I stabilize using two points? (Like in After Effects)

PostSun Jul 18, 2021 8:45 pm

I'm a long-time After Effects user who is trying to stabilize footage in Resolve. The footage I'm trying to stabilize has some foreground motion but a static horizon.

In AE, I used to set the two points for the tracker, do the track, then apply the data so that the two points have no motion.

Is there an equivalent function in Resolve? I can't figure out how to set only two points - it seems I can only specify areas on the planar tracker. And when I apply the tracking data I can't figure out how to get zero motion, only smoother motion.

I've also tried the "stabilize" function in the inspector panel and that doesn't work at all for my footage.

Thanks,

rgames
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Peter Cave

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Re: How do I stabilize using two points? (Like in After Effe

PostMon Jul 19, 2021 1:21 am

For 2 point tracking you will need to use the Fusion tracker.
There is a single point tracker in the Classic Stabiliser option in the tracking window options '3 dots menu'.
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ReneRotterdam

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Re: How do I stabilize using two points? (Like in After Effe

PostMon Jul 19, 2021 8:57 am

In the interactive mode under window stabilization you can add and subtract points,
you might be able to get the desired result that way.
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bryantocara

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Re: How do I stabilize using two points? (Like in After Effe

PostMon Jul 19, 2021 1:17 pm

Don't really have anything helpful to add, LOL, but just some comments since I struggled trying to find the equivalent commands when I first switched over as well.

I am (was) an After Effects Guy myself, and although settings in the Edit Page can do most of the hard work, if you're doing any advanced compositing/After Effects type technique, it will definitely be done in the Fusion Page.

Fusion is the apples-to-apple comparison to AE; Edit Page is that to Premiere; Fairlight is that to Audition; Cut is that to Rush (sorta); Deliver Page is that to Media Encoder; and the Media Page is that to Prelude (sorta). Color Page can probably be split between AE + Premiere (which can both use Lumetri and both do masks, tracking, etc.).

I didn't know all the buttons at first, but it helped me wrap my head around WHERE to start looking for the comparable features; since each program calls it a different name.

For example, you would think that "Content Aware Fill" in AE is totally unique to Adobe, but Color Page calls it "Object Removal" and it came out around the same time. Same effect, different name.

All in all, I had to not get mad at Resolve and just tell myself that it could probably do whatever technique I'd learned in other programs, I just had to look a little.
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rgames

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Re: How do I stabilize using two points? (Like in After Effe

PostTue Jul 20, 2021 4:44 am

Thanks for the replies, but I am using the planar tracker in Fusion.

The problem is that I can't figure out how to specify points, only an area. I have the tracker set to "point" but if I specify only two points then when I try to create the track it says "invalid polygon". So clearly it's looking for an area, not two points.

And after I do the track I can't figure out how to specify "no motion". The track seems to work fine - I get a bunch of green dots all over the place within the area I specified. But then when I switch "Operation Mode" to "Stabilize" I don't see an option for "no motion". The only option is "parameters to smooth".

I don't want to smooth the motion, I want to fix the position based on the tracker measurements. I want to take the (x,y) values at each frame and subtract them from the initial position so that those two points stay in exactly the same spot (as in After Effects). They're not "smoothed". They're "fixed".

Can someone point me to a page in the manual or a tutorial?

Thanks,

rgames
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Peter Cave

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Re: How do I stabilize using two points? (Like in After Effe

PostTue Jul 20, 2021 6:11 am

The Planar tracker is the wrong tool. Use the regular tracker and refer to the Fusion User Manual for tracking methods.
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bryantocara

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Re: How do I stabilize using two points? (Like in After Effe

PostTue Jul 20, 2021 8:33 pm

"No motion" in Fusion is called "steady", look for that.

Page 1505 or 1519 in the most recent manual seems to cover steady and unsteady techniques.

However, reading your comment again, I think I'm understanding that you just want no motion? In that case, the inspector might be all you need. Select "camera lock" in the stabilization section in the Edit Page or Color Page.

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Dermot Shane

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Re: How do I stabilize using two points? (Like in After Effe

PostTue Jul 20, 2021 9:22 pm

For 2 point tracking you will need to use the Fusion tracker.
There is a single point tracker in the Classic Stabiliser option in the tracking window options '3 dots menu'.

a note - one can add as many tracker points as wants in the classic stab interface
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rgames

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Re: How do I stabilize using two points? (Like in After Effe

PostWed Jul 21, 2021 1:13 am

OK - got it done with the "Tracker" instead of "Planar Tracker".

Thanks for the help,

rgames

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