Blue Screen, Green Screen.

Bill Pryor · February 10th, 2003, 08:58 AM

Very good point...I forgot about the green light coming up through the floor to the people. And your point about long shots being difficult to key is well taken. Unless you're using at least a DV50 format, it's not going to be great. We do fairly wide shots, usually one or two people on camera, and I can get from just below the knees up and still get a good key; but the longer the shot the more difficult the key.

Michael Wisniewski · March 8th, 2003, 04:24 PM

Hi,

What do I need to start compositing with a green screen? Where can I buy the green screen material in New York City?

Notes:
I have VV3, Studio 7, Photoshop and an assortment of MiniDV cameras.

Thank you.
Michael Wisniewski

Jeff Donald · March 8th, 2003, 11:50 PM

Here is a link to a tutorial on green screen lighting. The author makes reference to material he used in the tutorial. I hope it helps. Software questions on programs for PC can be posted in the PC editing forum.

Don Donatello · March 10th, 2003, 06:01 PM

Vegas 3 does good keying and you can make adjustments to fine tune it ... you must shoot a good green screen .. use the BEST camera you have - 3 chip is better then 1 chip ... if you didn't shoot a good green screen then you can use photoshop BUT it is tidious work (frame by frame )

Mike Rinkunas · March 23rd, 2003, 08:58 PM

Hey all,

I've been presented with an offer to possibly film/edit/produce a pilot tv show, given its nature, we're not really planning upon using a set studio location, so i'm looking to purchase a portable chroma screen for a reasonable price

Does anyone know of a source/dealer from which to purchase a complete kit (screen and stands) from? So far, i haven't seen much out there, save for some generic low-cost photo stores on ebay, and i'm looking for something of quality manufacture.

i know...i know...you do get what you pay for....
~Mike

K. Forman · March 24th, 2003, 06:11 AM

Mike- Try www.backdropoutlet.com , or call them at 1-800-466-1755. Not exactly cheap, but I have seen worse.

Marcus Farrar · March 25th, 2003, 07:45 AM

Greetings

I have found a very resonalble priced portable system at Elite Video. They are pretty well known in this community. Check out there web-site at http://www.elitevideo.com

A friend of mine has this portable system which is blue on one side and green on the other. Reel handy idea. I have there cromakey background which is 20 by 13. I plan to make my own portable kit because I was to cheep to get the one they have even though I think it is a good price.

Marcus

Michael Wisniewski · April 21st, 2003, 02:02 PM

Thank you both! Especially the tutorial, that was great. Just what I was looking for.

Robert Poulton · April 21st, 2003, 03:02 PM

also look at dvgarage's site. They have several tutorials about greenscreen and also have a plugin for AE that does a great job for keying.

Rob:D

PS- is there a reason why I dont have all the options to post links and pictures? where did it go.

Garret Ambrosio · May 6th, 2003, 01:28 PM

Can I take a sheet of chroma green that I overpaid for and takeit to a hardware store (Home Depot, Lowes, etc.) and have them color match it? Would this work as well as the $65 a gallon for chroma green?

Garret Ambrosio · May 6th, 2003, 05:22 PM

Maybe I need to clarify, if I color match the Chroma green for keying, would this be possible or is there a certain way the "TV" paints are composed that prevents color matching?

Jon Eriksson · May 7th, 2003, 05:03 AM

You should be able to do that - if you add the key in an NLE, the colour itself does not matter much, as long as it is evenly lit and will be easy to pick out.

Green and Blue are the traditional colours to use because of the component signal (RGB), where before computer technology took over, you would just remover either the g or b cable and insert the composite background. Red is obviously not a good colour to use since it is too close to some skin tones.

There are threads you can search for about chromas and how to light them properly.

Hope this helps.

John Lee · May 28th, 2003, 09:32 PM

I would probably tape it up on a wall in my garage or basement. I need a cheap solution, I was wondering if this was the right color. It says sage, but tech green.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bh2.sph/...ID=F5A91D00850

Brad Doan · May 29th, 2003, 03:27 PM

If you have no budget but plenty of time, you can find a solution that won't brake you. The best reason to use green or blue is that most compositing software is designed to see it and extract it easily and will also provide you with tools to do some spill supression, etc. There is always a brute-force solution, though.
If you are on a shoe-string budget you can use anything as long as there is enough contrast between foreground and background (luma or chroma) and you have decent compositing software. If you can afford to buy something like a green screen, go for it, but if your budget is tiny try shooting some tests and see if it is really necessary. Hope this helps and good luck!

~Brad

John Lee · May 29th, 2003, 09:18 PM

Thanks for the advice Brad. I went ahead and tested my old blue posterboard bluescreen that I used with a Hi-8 camera before. The results were subpar, so I bought some green paint and hit it with 1000W worklights. It looked pretty good for a $20 solution. I think that the paper would have been too much of a hassle to keep wrinkle-free. I'm planning on getting some kind of smooth paneling, maybe particle board, and painting myself a bigger screen.

March 8th, 2003, 04:24 PM	#17
Michael Wisniewski Wrangler Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Makati, Metro Manila Posts: 2,706 Images: 32	Green screen compositing: What tools on PC? Hi, What do I need to start compositing with a green screen? Where can I buy the green screen material in New York City? Notes: I have VV3, Studio 7, Photoshop and an assortment of MiniDV cameras. Thank you. Michael Wisniewski

March 8th, 2003, 11:50 PM	#18
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	Here is a link to a tutorial on green screen lighting. The author makes reference to material he used in the tutorial. I hope it helps. Software questions on programs for PC can be posted in the PC editing forum. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

March 23rd, 2003, 08:58 PM	#20
Mike Rinkunas Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Allentown, PA Posts: 134	Chroma Screen help Hey all, I've been presented with an offer to possibly film/edit/produce a pilot tv show, given its nature, we're not really planning upon using a set studio location, so i'm looking to purchase a portable chroma screen for a reasonable price Does anyone know of a source/dealer from which to purchase a complete kit (screen and stands) from? So far, i haven't seen much out there, save for some generic low-cost photo stores on ebay, and i'm looking for something of quality manufacture. i know...i know...you do get what you pay for.... ~Mike

March 25th, 2003, 07:45 AM	#22
Marcus Farrar Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Raleigh, NC USA Posts: 110	Greetings I have found a very resonalble priced portable system at Elite Video. They are pretty well known in this community. Check out there web-site at http://www.elitevideo.com A friend of mine has this portable system which is blue on one side and green on the other. Reel handy idea. I have there cromakey background which is 20 by 13. I plan to make my own portable kit because I was to cheep to get the one they have even though I think it is a good price. Marcus __________________ Marcus Farrar Production Director Katana Productions www.katanapro.com

May 6th, 2003, 01:28 PM	#25
Garret Ambrosio Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Vallejo, CA Posts: 263	Tech Green Can I take a sheet of chroma green that I overpaid for and takeit to a hardware store (Home Depot, Lowes, etc.) and have them color match it? Would this work as well as the $65 a gallon for chroma green? __________________ "USA Today has come out with a new survey - apparently, three out of every four people make up 75% of the population." -David Letterman

February 10th, 2003, 08:58 AM	#16
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Very good point...I forgot about the green light coming up through the floor to the people. And your point about long shots being difficult to key is well taken. Unless you're using at least a DV50 format, it's not going to be great. We do fairly wide shots, usually one or two people on camera, and I can get from just below the knees up and still get a good key; but the longer the shot the more difficult the key.

March 10th, 2003, 06:01 PM	#19
Don Donatello Hawaiian Shirt Mogul Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: northern cailfornia Posts: 1,261	Vegas 3 does good keying and you can make adjustments to fine tune it ... you must shoot a good green screen .. use the BEST camera you have - 3 chip is better then 1 chip ... if you didn't shoot a good green screen then you can use photoshop BUT it is tidious work (frame by frame )

March 24th, 2003, 06:11 AM	#21
K. Forman Capt. Quirk Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Middle of the woods in Georgia Posts: 3,596	Mike- Try www.backdropoutlet.com , or call them at 1-800-466-1755. Not exactly cheap, but I have seen worse.

April 21st, 2003, 02:02 PM	#23
Michael Wisniewski Wrangler Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Makati, Metro Manila Posts: 2,706 Images: 32	Thank you both! Especially the tutorial, that was great. Just what I was looking for.

April 21st, 2003, 03:02 PM	#24
Robert Poulton Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 245	also look at dvgarage's site. They have several tutorials about greenscreen and also have a plugin for AE that does a great job for keying. Rob:D PS- is there a reason why I dont have all the options to post links and pictures? where did it go.

May 6th, 2003, 05:22 PM	#26
Garret Ambrosio Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Vallejo, CA Posts: 263	Maybe I need to clarify, if I color match the Chroma green for keying, would this be possible or is there a certain way the "TV" paints are composed that prevents color matching? __________________ "USA Today has come out with a new survey - apparently, three out of every four people make up 75% of the population." -David Letterman

May 7th, 2003, 05:03 AM	#27
Jon Eriksson Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London, UK Posts: 42	You should be able to do that - if you add the key in an NLE, the colour itself does not matter much, as long as it is evenly lit and will be easy to pick out. Green and Blue are the traditional colours to use because of the component signal (RGB), where before computer technology took over, you would just remover either the g or b cable and insert the composite background. Red is obviously not a good colour to use since it is too close to some skin tones. There are threads you can search for about chromas and how to light them properly. Hope this helps. __________________ Real Men do not Preview

May 28th, 2003, 09:32 PM	#28
John Lee Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Silver Spring, MD Posts: 152	Will this stuff work for a green screen? I would probably tape it up on a wall in my garage or basement. I need a cheap solution, I was wondering if this was the right color. It says sage, but tech green. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bh2.sph/...ID=F5A91D00850 __________________ John Lee Levelse7en@gmail.com

May 29th, 2003, 03:27 PM	#29
Brad Doan New Boot Join Date: May 2003 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 14	If you have no budget but plenty of time, you can find a solution that won't brake you. The best reason to use green or blue is that most compositing software is designed to see it and extract it easily and will also provide you with tools to do some spill supression, etc. There is always a brute-force solution, though. If you are on a shoe-string budget you can use anything as long as there is enough contrast between foreground and background (luma or chroma) and you have decent compositing software. If you can afford to buy something like a green screen, go for it, but if your budget is tiny try shooting some tests and see if it is really necessary. Hope this helps and good luck! ~Brad

May 29th, 2003, 09:18 PM	#30
John Lee Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Silver Spring, MD Posts: 152	Thanks for the advice Brad. I went ahead and tested my old blue posterboard bluescreen that I used with a Hi-8 camera before. The results were subpar, so I bought some green paint and hit it with 1000W worklights. It looked pretty good for a $20 solution. I think that the paper would have been too much of a hassle to keep wrinkle-free. I'm planning on getting some kind of smooth paneling, maybe particle board, and painting myself a bigger screen. __________________ John Lee Levelse7en@gmail.com