Studio 21.1.1
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FUSION & COMPOSITING

How to track a flat surface with Planar Tracker

DaVinci Resolve Studio 21.1 · Original practical guide

Planar tracking follows a textured surface and its perspective change. It is useful for signs, screens, and patches that move as a plane.

Before you begin

Use a short test clip and open Fusion. Keep MediaOut connected to the final result.

ACTUAL RESOLVE INTERFACEView full size ↗
PlanarTracker Inspector: operation and reference-frame controls
PlanarTracker Inspector: operation and reference-frame controls Reference example from the DaVinci Resolve 21.1 manual, page 1810. Software screenshot © Blackmagic Design. The demonstration media and selected settings may differ from your project.

Step by step

  1. Add Planar Tracker after the plate and choose a reference frame where the target surface is clearly visible.
  2. Draw a tracking region over useful surface detail, avoiding moving reflections, people, and objects at a different depth.
  3. Choose a suitable motion model and track forward and backward through the used range. Stop and correct sections that drift.
  4. Create a Planar Transform from the solved track when you need to move another image with that surface. Apply it to a test grid before the final artwork.

Check your result

The test graphic stays attached to the same surface corners throughout the shot.

If it doesn’t work as expected

A tracker can finish successfully while following a reflection instead of the surface. Inspect perspective and edges frame by frame around the most difficult movement.

BUILD THE UNDERLYING SKILL

Fusion: advanced compositing

Go deeper with the course’s explanations, exercises, and knowledge checks.

Open module 10 →
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Technical reference: DaVinci Resolve 21.1 Reference Manual, Blackmagic Design, September 2026. Screenshot page numbers refer to that manual. Independently written guidance; specific controls may vary by platform and build. Authorship & image credits.