Warp Stabilizer VFX can no longer be applied to an adjustment layer

[michaelf62410779]

I used to frequently use the following technique in After Effects:

1 - apply Warp Stabilizer to footage in a comp (reversible stabilization)

2 - add other elements on top of the stable footage

3 - copy-paste the Warp Stabilizer effect from the moving footage layer onto an adjustment layer to restore the original motion (reverse stabilization)

The technique, demonstrated in this video by Chris Meyer: After Effects and mocha AE: Screen Replacement (skip to 5:20), no longer works. I now get an error that says "Frame not analyzed for reverse stabilization." Why? This used to be a very reliable method for adding elements to handheld footage.

AE Version 14.2.1.34 (CC 2017.2) on OS X 10.11.6 on a Mid 2012 Mac Pro

[Roei Tzoref]

transcode the footage to lossless and try again.

[michaelf62410779]

This is an excellent work-around! Thank you Roei Tzoref​!​​!

For the record, I've discovered that the problem stems not from the codec (DNxHD 36), but the way that the media is wrapped and used in the comp. I originally imported the media via AAF, so the comp contains a QT reference movie linked to an MXF file. If I use a stand-alone QT, it works perfectly, regardless of codec.

Thanks again!

[Roei Tzoref]

thanks for sharing, this also happens with some mp4 containers as well. lossless seems to solve this issue.

[Roei Tzoref · Accepted solution]

checking back on this thread. I just discovered that this is not a codec issue but a duration issue. if you trim the comp to the duration of the footage and precomp it, this is supposed to work. credit goes to Иван Тифанов  here: When I attempt to copy and paste Warp Stabilizer to the pre-comp, it says, "F...

please check if that fixes the issue with your compositions

[michaelf62410779]

Funny. I tried this several times, but never with the "Adjust composition duration to the time span of the selected layers" box checked. It works if you do, and doesn't if you don't. The explanation you linked to seems to be correct—that is, only when Warp Stabilizer sees the two durations as identical does the technique work. Thanks for sharing.

[Roei Tzoref]

I tried this several times, but never with the "Adjust composition duration to the time span of the selected layers" box checked. It works if you do, and doesn't if you don't.

this makes sense because the whole purpose is to create a duration that perfectly matches the in-out points of the layer. no matter how you do it, it has to be a trimmed duration for the layer.