Creative Effects > Tracking and Stabilizing > Tracking Difficult Shots and Correcting Errors >
Tracking Manually

Track manually when the pattern you are tracking disappears behind an object for several frames, moves out of the frame, or is extremely difficult to track.

Tracking a Pattern that Disappears

Tracking a pattern that disappears is easier to do when the Fixed option is off. However, the results may not be as accurate because any small errors you make in positioning the tracker box are compounded when Fixed is off. Leave Fixed on when possible.

To track a pattern that disappears:

1. Go to the last keyframe before the reference point disappears.
2. Click Snap to redefine the reference point on this frame.
3. Select Add in the Edit Mode box.
4. Ctrl+Shift-drag the tracker box to the required position in the current frame.

   Use the reference image you see in transparency as a guide to find the new position. A keyframe is set and the timeline advances one frame forward or backward when you release the pen. The direction of the timeline depends on the setting in the Direction box.

   NoteIf you do not see the reference image in transparency, set the Opacity option in the Setup menu to approximately 50%.
5. Repeat step 4 as necessary.
   TipLock the keyframes as you add them.

Tracking an Erratic Pattern Manually

Using this method, you create part of the tracking path manually. You can either add a keyframe in each frame, or add keyframes in significant frames of the clip and extrapolate the curve for the other frames.

You must delete unwanted keyframes before you can add new ones.

TipTo go to the desired frame, select Move in the Edit Mode box and click on the corresponding keyframe in the image window.

To track an erratic pattern manually:

1. Erase any bad keyframes by selecting Delete in the Edit Mode box and clicking the bad keyframes in the image window.
2. Go to the last good frame before the frame where you want to start tracking manually.
3. Click Snap to redefine the reference on this frame.
   NoteIf you are tracking a whole clip manually, position the reference box on the pattern to track.
4. Select Add from the Edit Mode box.
5. Select one of the following options from the Interpolation Mode box.
   - To set critical keyframes only, select Bézier.
   - To set keyframes on every frame, select Linear.
6. Add a keyframe by holding Shift and dragging the tracker box over the reference point.

   You should see the reference image in transparency. The keyframe is added in the following frame when you release the mouse button or lift the pen.

   NoteIf you do not see the reference image in transparency, make sure you have defined a reference and check that the Opacity is set to approximately 50% in the Setup menu.
7. Repeat step 6 for every frame where you want to define a keyframe.
8. Play the clip and adjust the tracking path by moving or adding keyframes.