Burning Question: What is Reverse Stabilization?

Reverse Stabilization is a compositing workflow where you stabilize the shot, then composite. Finally, you bring the motion back into your shot. Below, learn about how to incorporate this technique into your workflow in After Effects with Mocha Pro, Mocha AE, and Warp Stabilizer.

Reverse Stabilize with Mocha Pro & After Effects

Boris FX’s Mary Poplin walks you through the reverse stabilization workflow with Mocha’s Planar tracker. In fact, this technique is very useful for cleanup and more. With Mocha Pro 2019, the CC Power Pin Export format gives an easy workflow to create a ‘stabilized pre-comp’, which is great for compositing.

Note: If you’re working with Mocha AE, the MochaImport+ script from Mamoworld can be used to achieve a similar workflow.

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Reverse Stabilize with Mocha AE & After Effects

Below, another tutorial on Reverse Stabilization from AE Blues that uses Mocha AE.

There’s a bit on this in the Adobe After Effects Help for Warp Stabilizer VFX / settings, under Tracking and Stabilizing Motion:

Reversible Stabilization and Reverse Stabilization Use these options to apply an effect to a region. Use two instances of the Warp Stabilizer VFX effect, one with Reversible Stabilization to steady a shaky object, and a duplicate instance with Reverse Stabilization to insert the shake back in, so that any effects you apply after Reversible Stabilization appear within the original scene.

Mark Christiansen has an in-depth discussion about this technique on Lynda.com. If you have access to Lynda.com, watch it here.

Featured image credit: Caleb Lucas