Tracking and Stabilizing

Nuke’s 2D Tracker allows you to extract animation data from the position, rotation, and size of a pattern. You can then apply the data directly to transform or match-move another element. Or you can invert the data values and apply them to the original element to stabilize the image.

Before Tracking

Before you track, it’s important to play back the image several times. This will help you identify the best features for the process, as well as any problems with motion blur, occlusions, or features moving out of frame.

For some images, you may need to apply filters or color-correction to boost the visibility of features before you attempt to track them. Because of the procedural nature of Nuke, you can disable these extra nodes after you get a successful track, or simply reconnect the Tracker node at the appropriate place to apply the transform.

Quick Start

Here's a quick overview of the workflow:

1.

Connect a Tracker node to the image you want to track. See Connecting the Tracker Node.

2.

Place the required number of track anchors on features in the image. See Adding Track Anchors.

3.

Use Automatic Tracking for simple tracks or, for greater accuracy or difficult tracks, use Keyframe Tracking.

4.

Apply your tracking data depending on requirements. See Applying Tracking Data.