LOCKED-ON STABILIZATION EFFECT (Beats By Dre Commercial) | After Effects Tutorial

Introduction

In this tutorial, you will learn how to create an advanced locked-on stabilization effect using the Tracker tool in Adobe After Effects. This effect is often used in professional commercials, such as the Beats By Dre Powerbeats Pro Commercial, to give a dynamic and polished look to video footage. Best of all, this technique requires no additional plugins.

Step 1: Prepare Your Footage

• Import the video footage into After Effects.
• Drag your footage onto the timeline to create a new composition.
• Make sure your footage is properly trimmed to the section you want to stabilize.

Step 2: Select the Tracker Tool

• Navigate to the "Window" menu and select "Tracker" to open the Tracker panel.
• If your footage layer is not selected, click on it in the timeline to activate it.

Step 3: Track Motion

• In the Tracker panel, click on "Track Motion."
• A set of tracking points will appear on your footage in the Composition panel.
• Adjust the tracking point (the square) to focus on a feature in the footage you want to lock onto (e.g., a person's face or an object).
• Make sure the inner box is placed on the feature, while the outer box is set to capture surrounding motion.

Step 4: Analyze the Motion

• In the Tracker panel, click the "Play" button (analyze forward) to allow After Effects to track the motion.
• Watch the tracking points as they follow the selected feature throughout the footage.
• If tracking fails or the points drift, stop the analysis and adjust the tracking points manually before re-analyzing.

Step 5: Apply the Tracking Data

• Once tracking is complete, click on "Edit Target" in the Tracker panel.
• Select the layer you want to apply the tracking data to, typically a null object or a new solid layer.
• Click "OK" and then click on "Apply" to apply the tracking data to the selected layer.
• Choose "X and Y" for the dimensions to apply.

Step 6: Stabilize the Footage

• With the null object selected, go to the "Layer" menu, then "Transform," and select "Position."
• Adjust the position of your footage layer to align with the null object.
• This will give the effect of the footage being locked onto the tracked feature.

Step 7: Refine the Effect

• If the stabilization looks shaky, you can add a slight motion blur to smooth it out.
• To do this, check the "Motion Blur" box for both the footage and the null object.
• Adjust opacity or scaling to ensure the locked-on effect looks natural.

Conclusion

You have successfully created a locked-on stabilization effect using After Effects. This technique allows for dynamic visuals that can enhance your projects, particularly in commercial settings. As a next step, consider experimenting with different types of footage and tracking points to see how they affect the final result. Happy editing!