Tracking & matchmove · Working
Object tracking
ELI5
Calculating the movement of an object or surface within photographed footage.
Used in conversation
“Let’s test object tracking before the team starts final VFX work.”
Pitch context
You may encounter “Object tracking” in vfx, virtual production & animation conversations or materials.
Why it matters: Explains image creation that extends beyond straightforward live-action photography.
Connected terms
- Camera trackingCamera tracking solves camera movement through the scene; object tracking follows movement of a specific object within the image.
- MatchmoveComputed from definition language and shared taxonomy. This indicates proximity, not synonymy.
Sources & evidence · 6
Supporting source families. This entry is an editorial synthesis rather than a quotation from one canonical glossary.
- Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences / ACES — ACES Glossary and User GuidesSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-14
- Pixar Animation Studios — Universal Scene Description DocumentationSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-14
- Pixar Animation Studios — RenderMan DocumentationSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-14
- Epic Games — In-Camera VFX OverviewSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-14
- Epic Games — In-Camera VFX Best PracticesSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-14
- ScreenSkills — Online Learning Glossary and Job ProfilesSupporting source family · institutional · checked 2026-08-14