Green screen setup

Mat Thompson · June 3rd, 2009, 07:55 AM

Hi guys

I will be shooting a green screen project soon and I'm looking for any advice on shooting this with an HD110, scene files, camera settings etc !? I have a little green screen experience but this be quite extensive so I'm keen to make the keying as good as possible.

Many thanks
Mat

Tom Koveleskie · June 3rd, 2009, 12:36 PM

I'd be curious to hear some opinions also. I have done a lot of green screening in the past with other cameras. Now I also will be using the HD110 for it later this month. I hope just the general good rules of lighting a green screen would apply. I know the HD110 is 4:2:0 color space. I have been setting up and doing dry runs before I get onto the sets later this month. I suggest you do the same so you don't have any surprises.

I am using a modified True Color 3 scene setting for my HD110. I have 2 1000w soft boxes for the screen, and another light for the subject. I try to keep the subject around 3 meters in front of the green. I also have a couple good keying programs.

Ian Skurrie · June 4th, 2009, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Koveleskie

I'd be curious to hear some opinions also. I have done a lot of green screening in the past with other cameras. Now I also will be using the HD110 for it later this month. I hope just the general good rules of lighting a green screen would apply. I know the HD110 is 4:2:0 color space. I have been setting up and doing dry runs before I get onto the sets later this month. I suggest you do the same so you don't have any surprises.

I am using a modified True Color 3 scene setting for my HD110. I have 2 1000w soft boxes for the screen, and another light for the subject. I try to keep the subject around 3 meters in front of the green. I also have a couple good keying programs.

I have shot a greenscreen infomercial recently with some success.
Obviously you must shoot in the highest resolution possible in a progressive format.

You should shoot with luminance at about 70% on the faces of your subject.
The screen should be about 50-60 percent luminance relative to your subject.
set up your green screen with at least 4 lights dedicated to the screen with absolutely no spill on the subject. I would consider that 4 meters is an absolute minimum distance if you are using a 4:2:0 format and the subject has light colored head. You must back light the subject from above and behind the screen. The screen needs to have a uniform luminance value which can be judged using a waveform monitor. All foreground lighting must be isolated from the background.
If you are capturing using an external computer and in a 4:2:2 format then these rules can be relaxed a little.

Good luck

regards
Ian Skurrie

Mat Thompson · June 4th, 2009, 08:17 AM

Many thanks for this info Ian. I will try and apply as much as possible with the lights and space I have available!

Marc Colemont · June 5th, 2009, 08:35 AM

Capturing in HDV works, but you could run into some trouble in shots which are not properly exposed. This is one of the reasons why I took the HD251 to have HD-SDI uncompressed output which can be captured with an MXO2 or AJA or Blackmagic cards and other devices.

The component output will work fine too, but you will have some extra analog noise.
Watch out for walki-talkies and mobiles phones near the analog cables!
Make sure to double check your brightness/contrast and black-levels of the Component capturecards.
Preferable calibrate with a reference card like for example DSC-charts.
The hour extra spend on making the shot right, will make you smile in post...

Tom Koveleskie · June 5th, 2009, 08:46 AM

Marc, for me using a HD251 isn't an option. I will only have my HD110. Hopefully I can get some decent keying results with the HD110. We'd like to hear from anyone that did green screen using the 100 series. Thanks for your input.

Ian Skurrie · June 7th, 2009, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Koveleskie

Marc, for me using a HD251 isn't an option. I will only have my HD110. Hopefully I can get some decent keying results with the HD110. We'd like to hear from anyone that did green screen using the 100 series. Thanks for your input.

The one thing I didn't mention is that I was using the HD101 with the factory set up.

regards
Ian Skurrie

June 3rd, 2009, 07:55 AM	#1
Mat Thompson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kent UK Posts: 1,397	Green screen setup - HD110 Hi guys I will be shooting a green screen project soon and I'm looking for any advice on shooting this with an HD110, scene files, camera settings etc !? I have a little green screen experience but this be quite extensive so I'm keen to make the keying as good as possible. Many thanks Mat

June 5th, 2009, 08:35 AM	#5
Marc Colemont Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Belgium Posts: 695	Capturing in HDV works, but you could run into some trouble in shots which are not properly exposed. This is one of the reasons why I took the HD251 to have HD-SDI uncompressed output which can be captured with an MXO2 or AJA or Blackmagic cards and other devices. The component output will work fine too, but you will have some extra analog noise. Watch out for walki-talkies and mobiles phones near the analog cables! Make sure to double check your brightness/contrast and black-levels of the Component capturecards. Preferable calibrate with a reference card like for example DSC-charts. The hour extra spend on making the shot right, will make you smile in post... __________________ Marc Colemont - Belgium - http://www.mc-productions.be JVC GY-HM850's, HM890, HM600

June 3rd, 2009, 12:36 PM	#2
Tom Koveleskie Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: North Wales, Pennsylvania Posts: 76	I'd be curious to hear some opinions also. I have done a lot of green screening in the past with other cameras. Now I also will be using the HD110 for it later this month. I hope just the general good rules of lighting a green screen would apply. I know the HD110 is 4:2:0 color space. I have been setting up and doing dry runs before I get onto the sets later this month. I suggest you do the same so you don't have any surprises. I am using a modified True Color 3 scene setting for my HD110. I have 2 1000w soft boxes for the screen, and another light for the subject. I try to keep the subject around 3 meters in front of the green. I also have a couple good keying programs.

June 4th, 2009, 08:17 AM	#4
Mat Thompson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kent UK Posts: 1,397	Many thanks for this info Ian. I will try and apply as much as possible with the lights and space I have available!

June 5th, 2009, 08:46 AM	#6
Tom Koveleskie Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: North Wales, Pennsylvania Posts: 76	Marc, for me using a HD251 isn't an option. I will only have my HD110. Hopefully I can get some decent keying results with the HD110. We'd like to hear from anyone that did green screen using the 100 series. Thanks for your input.