Creative Effects > Warper > Modifying the Meshes for Live-Action Clips >
Loading a Clip into the Stabilizer

Use the Stabilizer controls in the Warp menu (if you are warping) or in the Morph menu (if you are morphing) to select the clip you want to track, the mesh you want to apply the tracking data to, and the tracking mode.

Select: | To:
--- | ---
Front | Track the front clip.
Back | Track the back clip.
Axis | Apply the tracking data to the axis of the mesh. You can use one or two trackers in the Stabilizer.
Vertices | Apply the tracking data to the mesh control points (vertices). You must select the control points you want to track before entering the Stabilizer. You can track up to 1000 control points. Note that tracking by vertices sets a shape keyframe at every frame of the clip.
Source | Apply the tracking data to the source mesh of the selected clip.
Destination | Apply the tracking data to the destination mesh of the selected clip. This option can be useful if front and back destination meshes are different.

See Stabilizing.

Tracking by Axis

To make the mesh follow the movement in the clip without changing shape, apply the tracking data to the mesh axis.

To track by axis:

1. Set the Stabilizer controls to apply the tracking data to either the Source or Destination mesh for either the Front or Back clip.
2. Select Axis.
3. Click the Stabilizer button.

   The Stabilizer menu appears.

4. Position the tracker on the image. See Working with Trackers.
5. To use two trackers, click Tracker 2, click Active, and position the second tracker on the image.
6. Click Analyse to generate the tracking data.
7. If necessary, fine-tune the analysis.
8. When you are satisfied with the tracking results, click Return to apply the results and return to the Warper.

Tracking by Vertices

To make the mesh follow the movement and shape change in the clip, apply the tracking data to the mesh vertices.

To track by vertices:

1. Select the mesh control points that you want to affect. See Selecting Multiple Control Points.
2. Set the Stabilizer controls to apply the tracking data to either the Source or Destination mesh for either the Front or Back clip.
3. Select Vertices.
4. Click the Stabilizer button.

   The Stabilizer menu appears. A tracker appears on each vertex that you selected. The reference frame is the frame from which you opened the Stabilizer.

5. If necessary, adjust the position of the trackers to ensure that each tracker has a good reference point.
6. Click Analyse to generate the tracking data, and if necessary, fine-tune the analysis.

   For example, disable a problem tracker and re-analyse, as described in Tracking Difficult Shots and Correcting Errors.

7. When you are satisfied with the tracking results, click Return to apply the results and return to the Warper.

Copying and Pasting Tracking Data

You can copy and paste tracking data from one mesh to another using the Channel Editor. For example, if tracking was done using Axis, you can copy the translation of the front source mesh and apply it to the back source mesh.

To copy translation data:

1. Click Animation to view the Channel Editor.
2. Select the X and Y channels in the front_src translate folder.
3. Click Copy.
4. Select the X and Y channels in the front_dst translate folder.
5. Click Paste.

   The translation channels containing the tracking data from the front source mesh are pasted into the front destination mesh.

If tracking was done using Vertices, you can copy the shape animation of the front source mesh and apply it to the front destination mesh.

Example: To copy shape animation data:

1. Select the front_src shapes channel.
2. Click Copy.
3. Select the front_dst shapes channel.
4. Click Paste.

   The shapes channel containing the tracking data from the front source mesh is pasted into the front destination mesh.