How can I smooth out the shaking camera footage in FCP5?

Hi guys,

I got some footage where the camera is zooming out but shaking.
How can I smooth out the zoom and get rid of the shaking?
Anyone please,
Thanks in advance,

Zia

to be honest - i think youre largely out of luck

slow the video 50% that will smooth it out but ruin the audio, can't have everything.

Get a good cameraman...these days there is no excuse, it just is not worth it..same goes for sound.

The zoom? Not much to do to fix that (other than slowing the footage) However try one of the image stabilizers/motion trackers in After Effects of the plug in from Lyric (www.lyric.com/fcp-plugins) or CHV ( www.chv-plugins.com/motion.html) If the shaking isn't an 8 on the Richter scale...any of the image tracking/stabilizing plugins will help -- the advice on getting a good cameraman is good...but doesn't help you much with the problem in front of you. Andy

Also try iStabilize ([www.pixlock.com]). Free demo, doesn't cost much to buy. I've had some success with it, but nothing will ever make bad technique look pro. Might make it less noticeable though.

Scott

Thank you all,

Zia

Scott-

Do you get better results than with FCP's native Stabilizer?

- Loren
Today's FCP 5 keytip:
Set a Level keyframe with Command-Option K !

The FCP 5 KeyGuide?: a professional placemat.
Now available at KeyGuide Central:
www.neotrondesign.com

Loren,

I never tried the FCP stabilizer enough to tell you. First time, I had no idea what the controls meant, and got no good results. Then I'd see instructions on how to use it on this forum and thought that made sense, but never had an occasion to try FCP's again. I found iStabilize to be far more intuitive and got results rather quickly. Then it started to crash on me without obvious cause, and basically I've had little reason to use it for something serious lately, so I have little to offer. I was pleased with its functionality and results during my trials, however.

How do you like FCP's stabilizer?

Scott

Very limited results; good for shakicam "static" shots, little else. Boris RED has a decent tracking stabilizer, I've never used it but seen it demo'ed, and as always, the demo was impressive.

- Loren
Today's FCP 5 keytip:
Set a Level keyframe with Command-Option K !

The FCP 5 KeyGuide?: a professional placemat.
Now available at KeyGuide Central:
www.neotrondesign.com

If it's irreplaceable footage, you might try freeze framing each frame and resizing it and re-positioning it in photoshop, then re-importing the frames back into fcp and assembling them :-)

It is incredibly easy to use the stabiliser in After effects and it does wonders if you are a bit lucky with the footage (Good points to apply your trackers to)
Just look in the help section it explains it perfectly.

If After Effects dont do it for you use Shake or fid someone who can.


Good luck.



Johan Polhem
Motion Graphics
www.johanpolhem.com

I love the guys that say "your S.O.L." without seeing your footage (lol).

Zia,

You may have a hard time in FCP, but IMHO you should find someone with After Effects 7 Pro and use the Tracker Controls / Stabilize Motion to stabilize movement in "X" & "Y" dimensions (smoothing out the zoom is something else entirely). Works great even on a lousy camera shot (I am using it right now on a Hi8 sunset shot by an inexperienced drunk cameraman). You may find that stabilizing the "X" & "Y" movement may smooth out that zoom...but take one issue at a time.

FWIW: Those of us in the Post Industry have to make due with the footage we are given and not say "woulda / coulda / shoulda". Try saying that to a freelance Producer / Director...you won't get much work from that company in the future. A "Can-Do" always-positive attitude is what they need from their Post people. I have seen extremely talented Editors & Designers get thrown off jobs for a negative attitude. There's no room for it in Post. Not only are we story tellers, the most valuable Post people are troubleshooters & problem solvers.

"Fix It In Post" continues to be my personal bread & butter $$$...so bring on the lame shaky shooters that forget to white balance & the rotoscoping. My son will be going to college someday.

You are RARELY "out of luck" when you have the right tools. Just ask away.

- Joey



Post Edited (05-21-06 11:47)

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

Thanks,

I'll try that.

Zia

Thanks,

I have Shake and After Effects but reakky familiar with AE.
A little familiar with Shake.

Zia

Thanks Joey,

I know I'll fix it. That's why I post issues here to get help from all you guys.

Zia

i gotta tell ya, this has been one of the more educational threads ever for me.
my previous ventures into the various stabilizers resuted in either odd blurrs and vibrations or an empty pocketbook.

after playing with iStabilize - im sold

There was a similar thread a few months ago and iStabilize came into the conversation. Someone said it was a piece of *&^*&^, don't remember who or why, but it made me wonder - something that simple must not be much good. I found it to be extremely easy to use, didn't require setting target points or anything like that, just tell it how much stabilization you wanted (at the price of cropping and some resolution loss). I used on some stuff I took walking by a trade show booth, with all the rock and roll that a handheld walking shot gets you, and was astounded at the results. But I've never used it in a "serious" project. Wayne, what kind of things have you tried it with, and how did the sharpness hold up?

Scott

Hey Scott,
I'm trying this iStabilize demo but not having much luck with it.
After importing the movie into iStablize, I set the in/out points and go to Stabilizer/Track Motion.
I playback the clip but it still plays the same.
Please give me some guidance.
Thanks in advance,

Zia

Wayne,
What were the steps you applioed to Stabilize the clip.
I am trying the demo but maybe I am not applying the right steps.
Please give me some instructions.
Thanks,

Zia

ok. lets start from the top.

first of all, let me say that the istabilize interface is a MESS and makes NO SENSE at all. but here is the process.

1. open your footage in the istabilize application
1.b. if its a long clip, set your in and out points
2. under the stabilizer menu pull down to "track motion"
3. when thats done select "new edit session" under the same menu
4. play with the settings to isolate the area of interest.
5. hit enter (on the keyboard) to process your footage
6. export your finished clip

i took an old waste shot that was CRAZY shakey just to test it and it indeed smoothed the hell out of it. but what it seems to do is scale the clip so that it has headroom to compensate x,y (and z if you tell it to) to accomdate the degree of movement. you'll have to either tell it to or manually (im not sure) zoom/crop it yourself to crop the extra area out - admittedly i havent played with it enough to figure out all the details.

it seems to do what it claims it can, just will take some time to figure out its wonky workflow...

ive posted my before and afters - big files (7 and 15 megs) so be patient. the file blockwalkx is the results - you'll notice the bouncy black outline...

go here:
[understandinc.com]

Got it Wayne,
This looks really good!
Thanks,

Zia

Wow,
Wayne this is really cool!
Thanks again,

Zia

its the least i can do after being the first to tell you you were "out of luck" to begin with...

Hey Wayne,

I didn't even know that was you and didn't even pay attention to that.
You know there is always a solution to just about everything.
Thanks again,

Zia

That's right, Zia...there is always a solution. Never listen to the "S.O.L." folks.

Glad you found something that works for you.

- Joey



When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.