Motion 5 - Finding a Good Reference Pattern

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Finding a Good Reference Pattern

The first step in selecting a good reference pattern is to play the footage several times.
As you review the clip, try to locate a reference pattern that follows as many of the
following rules as possible:

• It contains perpendicular edges, such as dots, intersections, and corners. Lines and

straight boundaries should be avoided as tracking reference patterns.

• It is a high-contrast pattern.

• It contains even changes in brightness or color. An example of an uneven color or

brightness change is a sharp-edged shadow that passes over your reference pattern.

• It appears in every frame of the clip (does not move offscreen or become obscured by

other objects).

• It is distinct from other patterns in the same neighborhood in the clip.