This wikiHow teaches you how to add a still image or video to a moving video using motion tracking in Adobe After Effects.
Steps
Step 1. Add the files to After Effects
Open After Effects, then do the following:
- Create a new project by clicking File, Choose New, and click New project.
- Click on File.
- Choose to import.
- Click on Multiple files ….
- Hold down Ctrl or Command while clicking the files you want to import.
- If the files are in separate locations, you'll need to click File > to import > Multiple files … again, and select what is missing.
- Click on To open.
Step 2. Create a new composition with the video
Click and drag the video file from the "Name" section to the "Composition" icon, which has an image of red, green, and blue shapes, then drop the video. You should see it appear in Adobe's After Effects center.
Step 3. Add the motion tracking file to the project
Click and drag the video or photo from the "Name" section to the project panel in the lower left corner of the window, making sure to drop the file over the video title.
- This will ensure that the motion-tracking file stays on top of the video and not hidden behind it.
- If you drop the file below the video title, you can click and drag the file up to rearrange the order of both files.
Step 4. Select the video title
Click on the video title in the lower left side of the window.
Step 5. Create a null object
This will serve the purpose of the motion tracker:
- Click on Cap.
- Choose New.
- Click on Null object.
Step 6. Add a motion tracking animation
Select the video title again by clicking on it in the lower left corner of the window, then do the following:
- Click on Animation.
- Click on Follow movement.
- If the button Track movement is grayed out, make sure the video is selected by clicking its title in the project panel.
Step 7. Position the motion tracker
In the main window, click and drag the box-shaped icon to where you want to track the file's movement.
Step 8. Record the steps of the motion tracker
In the "Tracker" window in the lower right corner of the window, click the "Play" button.
, then allows video playback.
- If you don't see the "Tracking" panel here, click Window at the top of the screen, then check the option Tracker.
Step 9. Click Edit Goal…
It's at the bottom of the "Tracker" window.
Step 10. Select the null object
Click the drop-down box at the top of the pop-up menu, then click Null 1 in the resulting drop-down menu and click okay.
Step 11. Apply the changes
Click on Apply in the "Tracker" section of the window, then click okay when it appears.
Step 12. Place the file you want to track movement with
Click and drag the file over the null object in the main window.
Step 13. Connect the file to the null object
In the project panel in the lower left corner of After Effects, click and drag the spiral icon to the right of the file name, under the title Null 1 and then release the mouse.
- This process is called "Parenting", and it will ensure that the file is crawled along with the null object.
- When you drag from the spiral icon, you should see a line appear behind the mouse cursor.
Advice
- The higher the quality of the footage, the easier it is to create smooth, professional motion tracking
- It takes some experience to be able to choose an easily traceable location on the image. If one point doesn't work well, keep trying different points.