Recommendations for chroma-key software/plugins
 

Not interested in which one is the cheapest (I can't stand that type of thinking), I just want to know which one/s work the best.

Curious to your thoughts as I'm planning on shooting against a green screen as part of an upcoming project. Will be producing a broadcast quality end-product from a Sony PMW-300, per the InstaBackgrounds Chroma Key interviews thing. (All hail the mighty Doug, for he is experienced and knows what he is doing.)

Shooting against a green screen gives us the opportunity to sort out a background at a later date. All interviews are being done in the same hotel room during a conference when people from all around the world just happen to be available in the one convenient place.

Andrew

Re: Recommendations for chroma-key software/plugins
 

Hi Andrew,

So what NLE do you work with? I've had excellent results using the Ultra Key effect included with Premiere CC.

I believe that more important than the keyer, is to properly shoot the video. Do you have previous experience working with green screen? Lighting is key (pun intended). The best keyer software in the world may not be able to fix green screen video that was improperly lit to start with. In other words, I'd get better results using "cheap" keying software with great footage, than using an expensive keyer with bad footage.

Thanks

Re: Recommendations for chroma-key software/plugins
 

Hey there Jeff ol' buddy,

I'm using Adobe CS6 software on Windows 7, complete with a Matrox MX02 (with Max) of course.

I haven't done green screen work before, but intend to do Doug Jensen's training course on that, as well as lighting interviews. And also a practice run beforehand. Definitely aware of the need to light the thing properly.

Andrew

Re: Recommendations for chroma-key software/plugins
 

Hi Andrew,

In that case, the Matrox keyer plug-in works very well! I don't recall if Ultra Key was included with CS6 or if that came later with Premiere CC. I would just start with Matrox and I think you will get good results with good footage. I find the Matrox keying controls more intuitive, plus the cropping is included without needing to add as a separate effect.

A mistake I made early on when I started with green screen was over-lighting the background. The green screen does not have to be "bright", just lit fairly evenly. Throw too much light at it and it bounces green onto the talent! Talent and background will be lit separately.

Keep the talent several feet from the background if possible, and it also helps to put a small light above/behind talent to light the head/shoulders to provide separation from the background or the talent can blend into the background where the edges turn to shadow.

My cameras are all 1080i (HDV), but I'm told that shooting progressive provides best results without interlacing. Your PVM-300 offers an "HD422" mode and I'd definitely use that, as I believe the other modes are 4:2:0 meaning less color information. The more color data in the signal, the better the key obviously, smoother edges.

Thanks

Re: Recommendations for chroma-key software/plugins
 

(slaps self on forehead)

How embarrassment - I forgot completely about the Matrox tools for that. Thanks for the reminder.

I've been shooting everything at the 4:2:2 50Mbit XDCAM format. I seem to have become addicted to it by default. :-)

Thanks for your extra tips, too.

Andrew

Re: Recommendations for chroma-key software/plugins
 

Ultra Key was indeed included with PP CS6, and it works quite well.

Re: Recommendations for chroma-key software/plugins
 

Just did a Google search for chroma key software on DVinfo and came across my very own thread. #irony

That Ultra Key plugin (included with CS6) really does work amazingly well. Just saying.

Andrew

Re: Recommendations for chroma-key software/plugins
 

Hey Andrew, One big red flag here. I don't know how many people your shooting but a random sample of people from around the world creates a high probability of a possible green attire conflict. The common green screen color is used because it is not a common fabric color but it is out there and greens close to it are problematic. For example, floral prints on women can be devastating. Every leaf can turn into a blazing hole in their body! Also, watch out for small things like stripes in ties and bobbles women wear. Small things you miss on set will be glaring mistakes in post.

I would be examining every subject very carefully before hitting record and have a back up plan in place. Ask Doug, he will have an answer.

Kind Regards,

Steve

Re: Recommendations for chroma-key software/plugins
 

Actually, the green screen gear was hired in advance but wasn't used on the day of the conference as the hotel venue changed rooms on us with zero notice. Ended up using their restaurant area instead of the boardroom. Honestly, I have no idea why I bother going and scouting a venue prior to an event.

The current chroma work is from a recent shoot in a studio in Melbourne which had an in-built cyclorama thing.

Andrew