<p>Sadly, your options are really still the same as any other footage.  You run the stabilizers and they will do the best they can, but if it is way too unstable, there is nothing that can be done as you don't have details of a consistent shot.  Some higher end commercial software will try to rebuild what is missing, but the results are not generally very good, particularly if you are on a moving vehicle.</p>

<p>Likely you are simply out of luck.  You really needed a physical stabilization rig at time of shooting for something that extreme.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-07T00:35:47.543Z
2015-02-07T00:35:47.543Z
AJ Henderson
<p>If you have access to adobe premiere pro CS6+ or after effects CS5.5+.</p>

<p>Try using the warp stabilizer effect and see how well it handles it.
It would automatically attempt to stabilize the footage (and rolling shutter).
This is probably the easiest thing to try first before doing manual frame by frame tracking.</p>

<p>You can see a video by adobe giving a quick overview of it here:</p>

<p><a href="http://tv.adobe.com/embed/902/12454/" rel="nofollow">http://tv.adobe.com/embed/902/12454/</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-03T17:33:07.957Z
2015-02-04T02:03:23.030Z
2015-02-04T02:03:23.030Z
eLouai
<p>I have footage of me sitting in a boat filming a friend that is riding a wakeboard. The footage is very shaky and as the boat turns around 180° every now and then, the background is constantly changing.</p>

<p>I tried to set the motion tracking point at my friend's head but the point is just flying all over the place. How can I track the motion in this shot?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-03T14:14:34.357Z
Get ready to count frames.
Sharky
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-03T14:17:55.217Z
So I basically have to reposition the tracking point frame by frame?
RandomWhale
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-03T14:24:25.373Z
if your footage is **very** shaky, i'm afraid that's the only option. Let's hope someone more experienced has an answer for this!
Sharky
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-03T15:58:08.707Z
Latest Blender release have new features for shaking footage tracking, but I'm afraid I can't compare it to after-effects since I've never used that. If you want you could give Blender a try and tell us.
YoMismo
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-03T16:18:19.040Z
@YoMismo I installed Blender but I don't understand anything when I open the program. It seems like it can't even open a .mov file...
RandomWhale
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-03T16:21:57.250Z
Welcome RandomWhale :) Can you upload a gif to the question to see what you have? Sounds possible via blenders tracker, you only have to make sure the search area is big enough. For the 180 degree shot you possibly have to track it manually, but this depends on the shutter and or the motion blur of it :)
p2or
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-03T16:27:10.143Z
Have you switched to motion tracking?, default area is 3D when you start the program, you need to swich to motion tracking. Press the icon to the right of help in the top bar menu and select motion tracking.
YoMismo
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-03T16:28:09.520Z
@poor for blurry motion tracking it would be better track-match-blend **2**
YoMismo
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-03T16:30:17.193Z
Yeh, thats the right one: https://cloud.blender.org/training/track-match-blend-2/ sorry Yo :)
p2or
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-03T16:31:46.883Z
This is the amount of shake the video has: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1blSnioVn-c
RandomWhale
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-03T16:55:05.817Z
Ok, thats very shaky :) As I mentioned, try to increase the search area. If you decide which tool you want to use, please add it to your question.
p2or
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-03T17:10:48.083Z
I just had a meal and now I got so extremely tired that I will postpone this to tomorrow.
RandomWhale
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-06T16:47:12.100Z
[Stabilize](http://vegasaur.com/Mercalli) it then apply motion tracking...
altarvic
<after-effects>
Motion tracking in very shaky footage?
RandomWhale
# Motion tracking in very shaky footage?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-02-03)

I have footage of me sitting in a boat filming a friend that is riding a wakeboard. The footage is very shaky and as the boat turns around 180° every now and then, the background is constantly changing.

I tried to set the motion tracking point at my friend's head but the point is just flying all over the place. How can I track the motion in this shot?

**Tags:** after-effects

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Get ready to count frames.  
> **username_0**: So I basically have to reposition the tracking point frame by frame?  
> **username_1**: if your footage is **very** shaky, i'm afraid that's the only option. Let's hope someone more experienced has an answer for this!  
> **username_2**: Latest Blender release have new features for shaking footage tracking, but I'm afraid I can't compare it to after-effects since I've never used that. If you want you could give Blender a try and tell us.  
> **username_0**: @username_2 I installed Blender but I don't understand anything when I open the program. It seems like it can't even open a .mov file...  
> **username_3**: Welcome username_0 :) Can you upload a gif to the question to see what you have? Sounds possible via blenders tracker, you only have to make sure the search area is big enough. For the 180 degree shot you possibly have to track it manually, but this depends on the shutter and or the motion blur of it :)  
> **username_2**: Have you switched to motion tracking?, default area is 3D when you start the program, you need to swich to motion tracking. Press the icon to the right of help in the top bar menu and select motion tracking.  
> **username_2**: @poor for blurry motion tracking it would be better track-match-blend **2**  
> **username_3**: Yeh, thats the right one: https://cloud.blender.org/training/track-match-blend-2/ sorry Yo :)  
> **username_0**: This is the amount of shake the video has: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1blSnioVn-c  
> **username_3**: Ok, thats very shaky :) As I mentioned, try to increase the search area. If you decide which tool you want to use, please add it to your question.  
> **username_0**: I just had a meal and now I got so extremely tired that I will postpone this to tomorrow.  
> **username_4**: [Stabilize](http://vegasaur.com/Mercalli) it then apply motion tracking...  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2015-02-07. Score: 1

Sadly, your options are really still the same as any other footage. You run the stabilizers and they will do the best they can, but if it is way too unstable, there is nothing that can be done as you don't have details of a consistent shot. Some higher end commercial software will try to rebuild what is missing, but the results are not generally very good, particularly if you are on a moving vehicle.

Likely you are simply out of luck. You really needed a physical stabilization rig at time of shooting for something that extreme.


---

### Answer by username_6 on 2015-02-03. Score: 1

If you have access to adobe premiere pro CS6+ or after effects CS5.5+.

Try using the warp stabilizer effect and see how well it handles it.
It would automatically attempt to stabilize the footage (and rolling shutter).
This is probably the easiest thing to try first before doing manual frame by frame tracking.

You can see a video by adobe giving a quick overview of it here:

<http://tv.adobe.com/embed/902/12454/>


---

