Locked on Stabilization: Horizontal to Vertical in Final Cut -

In Final Cut Pro, if you’ve used Locked-On Stabilization and need to convert a horizontally shot video (landscape) to vertical format (portrait) — like for Instagram Reels, TikTok, or YouTube Shorts — you’ll need to follow a few key steps to preserve the stabilization and reframe the shot properly.

Here’s how to convert a stabilized horizontal video to vertical:

🔧 Step-by-Step Guide

1. Start With Locked-On Stabilization

If you haven’t stabilized yet:

Select the clip in the timeline.
Go to the Inspector > Stabilization section.
Check Stabilization, then select “Tripod Mode” (for locked-on look).

If already stabilized, proceed to cropping and resizing.

2. Change Project Settings to Vertical

Go to your Project in the Browser, right-click > Modify.
Change the video format to Custom.
Set Resolution to 1080×1920 (for vertical video).
Set the frame rate to match your source footage (e.g., 24, 30, or 60 fps).

3. Reframe Your Clip

Your original horizontal video will now be too wide.

Select the clip in the timeline.
In the Inspector > Transform, adjust:
- Scale (usually around 180–200% to fill the vertical frame).
- Position X to pan left/right and choose your subject’s position in frame.

You may also use keyframes to reposition during the clip if needed.

4. Preserve Locked-On Look

The stabilization is applied at the clip level, so reframing vertically will not remove stabilization. Just make sure you’re not applying additional Transform effects that may override it.

⚠️ Avoid nesting the clip or using compound clips before stabilization if you want to maintain the original Locked-On effect.

✅ Optional Tips

Duplicate the project before converting, so you can keep the horizontal version.
Use Smart Conform (if on macOS Monterey or later) to auto-reframe for social — but this removes manual control and may not preserve Locked-On behavior as well.

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