The Old Stabilize/Destabilize Trick

When you are adding elements to a moving image, you essentially have two choices. First, you could analyze the motion of the moving clip and apply that motion to your elements. Or you could stabilize the moving clip, combine all of your elements, and then destabilize the composite. This second method restores the original motion to the finished shot.

1.	Highlight the car clip and select a Stabilize node from the Transform tab.
2.	Go to frame 1 and place the tracker over the rear headrest.
3.	Size the reference pattern around the dark areas of the headrest. [View full size image] If the reference pattern is too large, the tracker will wander during the analysis process.
4.	Turn limitProcessing on, which will make the tracking analysis go faster.
5.	Click the forward tracking button. As the motion of the clip is analyzed, the screen turns black except for the area around the tracker, because limitProcessing is active.
6.	When the tracker completes its motion analysis, turn on applyTransform.
7.	Create a flipbook. The black border that moves around the edges of the image is a dead giveaway that the car image has been stabilized. You are now ready to composite.
8.	Close the flipbook.