Censor mask doesn't move with the tracker

Hello everybody,


I am trying to blur out a logo in a moving shot. I dragged the censor effect on the logo, adjusted the tracker size to fit the logo, adjusted the mask the same way. Than I analyzed the movement and ... the tracker sticks perfectly on the logo but the mask stays in place. I tried to repeat the procedure several times to avoid any mistakes. I tried unpinning the mask and pinning again, etc. and I couldn't find a solution. What am I doing wrong?


Thanks!


Radim

Mac Studio (2023)

Posted on Feb 2, 2024 1:00 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 2, 2024 10:24 AM

I think I know what is happening.


There is a RADIUS parameter that limits the area affected by the Censor effect.

When you add a mask, the effect will work only on the INTERSECTION of that circle and the mask.


The problem is that as the tracker moves, the intersection of the shape mask with the area of the censor effect itself becomes smaller or even empty, and so nothing gets blurred or pixelated.


The solution: increase the radius of the Censor effect. Since you are going to use a Shape Mask, anyway, you may as well make it so the whole frame is in principle affected by Censor.


I hope this image gives an idea of the issue:



The circle indicates the area affected by Censor. There is a shape mask but part of falls outside the circle, so only the intersection of the two is blurred.

I have marked roughly the area of the shape mask in this image (not precisely, but I think it conveys the point):



Part of the logo is thus not blurred (you can see a letter K just outside).

If the image pans so that more of the logo gets outside the circle, more of it is not blurred.


But just increase the radius in the Inspector:



And it will get you something like this:




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11 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 2, 2024 10:24 AM in response to Hirapuri

I think I know what is happening.


There is a RADIUS parameter that limits the area affected by the Censor effect.

When you add a mask, the effect will work only on the INTERSECTION of that circle and the mask.


The problem is that as the tracker moves, the intersection of the shape mask with the area of the censor effect itself becomes smaller or even empty, and so nothing gets blurred or pixelated.


The solution: increase the radius of the Censor effect. Since you are going to use a Shape Mask, anyway, you may as well make it so the whole frame is in principle affected by Censor.


I hope this image gives an idea of the issue:



The circle indicates the area affected by Censor. There is a shape mask but part of falls outside the circle, so only the intersection of the two is blurred.

I have marked roughly the area of the shape mask in this image (not precisely, but I think it conveys the point):



Part of the logo is thus not blurred (you can see a letter K just outside).

If the image pans so that more of the logo gets outside the circle, more of it is not blurred.


But just increase the radius in the Inspector:



And it will get you something like this:




Feb 2, 2024 9:40 AM in response to Hirapuri

Shape Masks (& Color Mask/Effects Masks) do not move with an effect — they can be used to *limit* where an effect is applied. The Shape Masks can be animated (independently).


I do not know if Trackers can be applied to Shape Masks but according to the documentation, you can:

Track an effect to a moving object in Final Cut Pro for Mac - Apple Support

(the section: Adjust the shape mask of a tracking effect)


It would seem to me a better solution, if you are tracking a blurred region to use a Gaussian effect on the entire clip, apply a Shape Mask and track the mask instead of trying to use Censor and tracking both Censor and its shape mask. ... but I could be wrong...


Feb 2, 2024 10:34 AM in response to fox_m


It would seem to me a better solution, if you are tracking a blurred region to use a Gaussian effect on the entire clip, apply a Shape Mask and track the mask instead of trying to use Censor and tracking both Censor and its shape mask. ... but I could be wrong...

Fox, I think you are right. Sorry, I had missed this before I posted my long reply (in which I basically tried to make Censor blur everything...)

Feb 2, 2024 10:33 AM in response to Hirapuri

This is the frame, where the logo is blurred out as desired,

Which logo?



but as the shot moves, the mask stays in one place, although the tracker frame sticks properly to the logo.
  • The two photos have the same angle of view, so you won't notice any difference in movement. Please show me the comparison of the difference.
  • Please show me the option settings for shape mask 1.



I don't know how far the logo has moved, but I think the sensor radius is too narrow. The sensor radius must cover the entire area that the tracker and logo move. Please increase the value to 300 or higher.(As Luis says, even 1000 is OK👍)

If you want to blur the subject while tracking it, the sensor function has radius adjustment and limitations, so the degree of freedom is low. People who are used to tracking use the blur function instead of the sensor. The reason is that you can eliminate unnecessary steps and make fine adjustments.

Feb 2, 2024 4:29 AM in response to Hirapuri

I dragged the censor effect on the logo, adjusted the tracker size to fit the logo, adjusted the mask the same way.

Q1: Did you apply the "+" mark at the bottom of the inspector instead of dragging "Blur"?

Q2: What do you mean by mask? (Effects: Masks and Keying: “Draw Mask”? Shape mask inside blur function? Shapes or trackers in the viewer?) *Please explain with a screenshot.


--

Please check if the steps are correct.

⚫︎The "blur" is tracked according to the movement of the face


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Censor mask doesn't move with the tracker

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