Stabilize on X or Y Axis using Mocha Data?

[Graham Macfarlane]

Not sure about the context of your question but I would have thought it possible to stabilize fully in Mocha then bring the data back into AE onto a Null and then pick whip onto another layer/null only the X or Y stabilizing data that your interested in.

Graham Macfarlane
3D animator and VFX specialist
London UK

[Jason Mckee]

How I’ve always stabilized my footage using Mocha is to first track the footage in Mocha. I then take that tracking data into AE and apply it to the layer or a null that needs stabilized and then delete all of the keyframes (position, rotation and scale) except for the Anchor Point keyframes. If I applied it to a Null then I link the layer to the Null. This will stabilize the layer. However, there is no separate keyframes for the X or Y axis so how would I delete these? thanks.
-jm

[Bartek Skorupa]

Go to the first frame of the stabilized piece, read the value, let’s say it is 365 for x and 290 for y.
Add an expression to the property and depending on which axis you want to keep, you should type in something like:

x=value[0];
y=290;
[x,y]

or:

x=365;
y=value[1];
[x,y]

That’s, what I would do.
The expression will read the value, and leave one axis and set the other axis to the value you specify.

Bartek Skorupa
Warszawa, Poland

[Jason Mckee]

thank you I will definitely try this out.

[Graham Macfarlane]

I don’t think you can delete an X key frame without Y being deleted, and vice-versa.

Lets say you want to use only the X data from your track.
If you pick whip the X field to another null, by default the expression should read something similar to:

temp = thisComp.layer("Null 1").transform.position[0];
[temp, temp]

The result will be that the new Null X and Y will equal the tracked X value.
Change the above expression to:

temp = thisComp.layer("Null 1").transform.position[0];
[temp, X]

Where X is a number of your choosing.

Graham Macfarlane
3D animator and VFX specialist
London UK

[Nathan Wood]

You sir, have saved the day for me. Thank you very much.