Thanks to everyone who has chosen and used Mask To Motion.
Since the first release, we’ve seen people use the plugin across a wide range of setups and editing workflows. Along the way, we’ve discovered new use cases and areas we could improve.
At first, transferring mask tracking data into motion seemed like a simple task. But making that motion look natural meant accounting for more than we expected: changes in the subject’s size, coordinate calculations, clip playback speed, and more.
Those experiences shaped Mask To Motion 1.2. We focused on making motion feel more natural, resolving loading issues across different setups, and reducing friction in repetitive tasks.
1. More natural motion, even with Position alone
The previous version didn’t fully account for changes in the subject’s size when calculating position. This was less noticeable when the subject stayed the same size. But when it moved closer to or farther from the camera, as in the video above, the spacing between the subject and attached text could look awkward.
In 1.2, position calculations also account for changes in scale. By considering the relative spacing as the subject changes size, text and graphics can stay attached to the subject more naturally as it moves.
2. Apply the X and Y axes independently
Previously, selecting Position or Reverse Stabilization applied motion on both the X and Y axes. Handy for keeping a person at a fixed point in the frame, but you couldn’t choose horizontal or vertical motion on its own.
Now, you can choose only the axis you need: X, Y, or both. For example, applying only the X axis to a stage clip preserves vertical movement while creating the feeling that the camera is following the performer horizontally.
You can also choose just the direction you want in scenes with a lot of subject movement, such as sports footage. Reverse Stabilization now lets you selectively apply Scale and Rotation as well as Position, opening up more creative options.
Other improvements
- Move graphics individually or all at once. We improved the handling of text, shapes, and images within graphics. Use Apply All to move multiple elements in a graphic together.
- Work with slow motion and faster playback. We improved timing for clips set to speeds such as 50% or 200%, as well as edits where the source and sequence frame rates differ.
- Keep editing after import. If you move a tracked clip within the same sequence, the plugin finds its new position when applying the motion. It also checks newly created or modified graphics again at conversion time.
- More reliable repeat operations. We prevent duplicate keyframes when reapplying motion and improved the handling of unstable sections in perspective tracking. We also reduced unnecessary analysis in large projects and refined Windows file access and multilingual messages.
We’ll keep improving Mask To Motion to help you work more efficiently. We’re looking forward to sharing new tools with you, too.
Thank you.
LUCAMOTIVE