Welcome to this tutorial on how to blur a car’s number plate in a video using the powerful Planar Tracking feature in Filmora 14. This step-by-step guide will walk you through the process so you can quickly and effectively blur sensitive information on moving objects, like license plates, in your video projects.
Step 1: Setting Up for Planar Tracking
Before we start, make sure you have Filmora 14 installed. If you’re using an older version, consider upgrading to access the latest features, including the new Planar Tracking tool. Now, let’s dive in.
To begin, import your video footage into Filmora. For the purposes of this tutorial, we’ll use a short clip of a car with a visible license plate that needs blurring. Trimming your clip to a shorter duration can speed up the tracking process, as Planar Tracking can take some time to analyze longer videos.
Step 2: Enabling the Planar Tracking Feature
With your video clip loaded and ready to go, follow these steps to activate the Planar Tracking feature:
- Select the video in your timeline and open the Video Properties panel.
- Navigate to the AI Tools section and scroll down until you find Planar Tracking. This is located under the Motion Tracking feature.
- Turn on the Planar Tracking feature. You’ll see options for Auto and Advanced tracking modes:
- Auto Tracking: This mode automatically tracks the object, great for simple tasks.
- Advanced Tracking: This mode offers finer control, allowing you to manually adjust the tracking for more complex scenes.
In this tutorial, we’ll use Advanced Tracking for a more precise result.
Step 3: Positioning the Tracking Box
Once you enable Planar Tracking, a tracking box (blue or green) will appear on the screen. Here’s how to set it up:
- Drag the box over the car’s number plate. Adjust the box’s size and position using the corner handles until it tightly surrounds the area you want to blur.
- For best results, set the Accuracy level to High. This helps the tracking software closely follow the plate’s movement, even if the car changes position or speed.
Step 4: Tracking and Adjusting the Footage
Now it’s time to track the number plate across the video:
- Start tracking by clicking the Play button in the tracking options. Filmora will begin analyzing the frames, following the number plate as it moves.
- If you notice the tracking box slipping off-target, pause the tracking and reposition the box as needed. This manual adjustment is crucial to ensure that the blur effect stays accurately on the number plate.
- Resume tracking until the end of the clip, making adjustments as necessary.
Using the Advanced mode may take a bit longer but will yield a more accurate blur across your video.
Step 5: Applying the Blur Effect
Once the tracking is complete, you’re ready to add the blur effect:
- Go to the Effects panel and select Mosaic to blur the number plate.
- Link the mosaic blur effect to the tracked box to apply the blur directly over the number plate. This will ensure the blur follows the license plate throughout the entire video.
- Preview the video to confirm that the blur effect is smooth and consistent.
And there you have it! You’ve successfully blurred the number plate using Filmora 14’s Planar Tracking feature.
Final Thoughts
The Planar Tracking tool in Filmora 14 is a game-changer for those who need to blur moving objects like number plates, faces, or logos. While the Auto Tracking mode is perfect for quick fixes, the Advanced Tracking mode gives you more control over the tracking accuracy, making it ideal for complex scenes.
We hope this guide was helpful, and if you found value in this tutorial, feel free to share it with others in your video editing community. Happy editing!