In Premiere Pro, you make something (like text, graphics, or an effect) follow a moving object in your video by using the Motion Tracking feature. This feature analyzes the movement of a chosen area in your clip and applies that movement data to another element or property, like a mask or position keyframes.
Understanding Motion Tracking
Motion tracking is a powerful tool that allows you to automate the process of matching the movement of an object in your footage. Instead of manually keyframing the position of text or a mask frame by frame, Premiere Pro can do the hard work for you by analyzing pixels.
Once an object's movement is tracked, you can link other elements or effects to follow its path. This is commonly used for:
- Censoring or blurring faces/objects that move.
- Adding text or graphics that appear to be "attached" to a moving object.
- Stabilizing shaky footage (though there are dedicated Warp Stabilizer effects for this too).
- Masking specific areas that need to follow a subject.
Steps for Object Tracking in Premiere Pro
Based on the provided reference, here is a method involving motion tracking:
| Step | Action | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Import Your Video Clip | Add the video footage you want to work with to your Premiere Pro project and drag it onto a timeline. |
| 2 | Select the Clip | Click on the video clip in your timeline to select it. |
| 3 | Initiate Motion Tracking | In the action bar (or potentially within a panel specific to the effect/mask you are applying tracking to), select Tools > Motion Tracking. This action prepares the clip for tracking analysis. |
| 4 | Define the Tracking Area | Click Select Object. A tracking box or area will appear over your video frame. Drag and resize this box to precisely cover the object you want to track. Make sure the area includes distinct pixels that Premiere Pro can easily follow. |
| 5 | Analyze the Motion | Click Track Object. Premiere Pro will analyze the frames, tracking the movement of the pixels within the selected area over time. This process might take some time depending on the length and complexity of the clip. |
| 6 | View the Result | Click the Play button or press the spacebar. You can now see the clip with the motion tracking data applied. Depending on what you linked the tracking to (e.g., a mask or position data), you will see the linked element following the tracked object. |
Note: The exact location of the "Tools > Motion Tracking" menu item may vary depending on the Premiere Pro version and the specific panel (like Effect Controls, Lumetri Color, etc.) where tracking is initiated for a particular property (e.g., a mask).
Applying the Tracking Data
After tracking, the data captured isn't just for viewing. It's used to drive other properties:
- Mask Tracking: If you initiated tracking on a mask (e.g., on Opacity, Lumetri Color, or an effect like Mosaic), the mask shape will now follow the tracked object's movement.
- Linking Properties: Tracking data can often be linked to other properties like position, scale, or rotation of effects, text layers, or graphic elements, making them follow the tracked object.
By utilizing motion tracking, you can seamlessly integrate external elements or effects into your moving footage, making them appear as if they are part of the original scene or are reacting to the subject's movement.
