Description
In this video I'll show you how to blur a face or object in a Shotcut video. This is handy for hiding someone's face, a license plate, or personal information that shows up on screen.
Timestamps:
Introduction: 0:00
Blur a Face or Object in Shotcut: 0:15
Track a Moving Face in Shotcut: 1:49
Conclusion: 2:26
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Video Transcript:
Step 1. Open your project in Shotcut, and then click the clip in the timeline that has the face or object you want to blur.
Step 2. Click "Filters" in the toolbar at the top of the screen, click the "+" icon, type mask into the search field, and then click "Mask: Simple Shape." A small box with handles appears in the player.
Step 3. Click the "Shape" drop-down menu, and then click "Ellipse" for a face or "Rectangle" for something like a sign or screen. Drag the shape in the player so it covers the face or object, and drag its handles to resize it, or type exact numbers into the "Position" and "Size" fields. You can raise the "Softness" slider so the edge of the blur blends in more naturally.
Step 4. Click the "+" icon again, search for blur, and then click "Blur: Gaussian." Raise the "Amount" slider until the area is blurred as much as you want. For now the whole picture is blurred, and that gets fixed in the next step.
Step 5. Click the "+" icon one more time, search for mask, and then click "Mask: Apply." The rest of the video comes back, and only the area inside your shape stays blurred. The order matters here, so Mask: Simple Shape should be at the top of the filter list, the blur in the middle, and Mask: Apply at the bottom.
If the face moves around, add the "Motion Tracker" filter to the same clip, draw its box around the face in the player, and then click "Analyze." When it says "Analysis complete," go back to the Mask: Simple Shape filter and click "Load Keyframes from Motion Tracker." Choose your tracker, set "Adjust" to "Relative Position," and click "Apply." The blurred shape now follows the face. When you're done, uncheck the Motion Tracker filter instead of removing it, because the mask still needs that tracking data.