Chromakey for Youtube at DVinfo.net

Paul R Johnson · October 4th, 2023, 06:24 AM

I just finished a talking head video for a client that needed a chromakey background, and this morning I was going to put the green screen away because I don't use it for my own Youtube videos about microphones. I wondered if maybe I should keep the studio setup with the greenscreen, but a pet hate of mine is where the backgrounds don't follow the positions of multiple camera angles, which is what I do.

I started with two cameras, and one background - with chromakey done via my ATEM switcher, and then I swapped to cutting the cameras with the greenscreen, and in premiere, swapping the background images, skewing the image to match the different angles. Have a look and see what you think. It does take lots more time - so I'm not sure if it's worth doing? Even trickier, the multiview is often in the background and I noticed the images had their green removed and replacing with the background image, so I had to fix that too.

Doug Jensen · October 4th, 2023, 09:28 AM

Paul, here's some random thoughts, take them for whatever they are worth.

First, the key looks really clean. How are you keying it?

Second. I like the background image you've chosen. but the design is so random I think you could get away with all kinds of trickery to get fake angles. It would be interesting to try this experiment with a more traditional background that shows a room, walls, studio, a set, nature, or something else not so random and creative.

Third, on your close up shot the background is too sharp and ruins the illusion. Blur the background a little so your face has some DoF separation.

Fourth, another reason to blur the background a little bit is because your camera looks soft compared to the ultrasharp background. So, even if you didn't care about getting a fake shallow DoF, you still need to soften the background becuase it is simply too sharp.

I hope that helps.

Paul R Johnson · October 4th, 2023, 11:43 AM

Yes Doug, actually it does!

I'd not thought about the softness idea - that would indeed look better I think - I'll give it a shot and see how it works.

The first section was originally, just a simple test, not really even meant for youtube - and the key was done in the ATEM, but the remainder was done using the Ultra keyer in Premiere. I know a bit of history on this one. There was a company in Calfornia called Serious Magic - they had a virtual studio product - loads of background images, all computer generated and this was combined with their ultra-keyer. This was a really good product. It allowed multiple agregated key spots and all sorts of scaling and compositing options. It also was very happy with less than ideal backgrounds. If you look in my video at the mutliscreen, you can see the green background and it's lumpy and creased - not smooth and tight. In fact, I usually have a large monitor behind me, and the greenscreen is hung over it - miles from being flat. Adobe bought serious magic, scrapped the virtual studio stuff and integrated the ultra kjeyer into premiere - without the full range of features, but maybe technically they couldn't be done within the Premiere software?

A great shame the VERY expensive package was money wasted. It still worked, but on a computer upgrade I discovered the activation server had gone, and that was that! One of the keying features was keying through hair - which premiere can do.

When I get a chance, I'll see what I can do with things with maybe grid lines, or stately home style panels? I'll absolutely try the softening of the background and see what it looks like.
Cheers Doug!

Paul R Johnson · October 5th, 2023, 05:19 AM

Here's another version following the tests today - with DoF adjustments and a Star Trek style grid that lets the changes to the background plane look better. It also occured to me that the backgrounds could be made to track the foreground - with the common different green X marks on the greenscreen, but that's perhaps an experiment for another day.

It does strike me that I need more time and lots more effort to make these things 'normal' in each video. I'm thinking that going back to a black background is far easier all round?

Andrew Smith · October 5th, 2023, 05:13 PM

Do you have fluorescent lighting in the room where you are filming? Aside from a bit of chroma green spill on the right side of your face, there seems to be a slight green cast to your skin tones that could be colour corrected back out.

Andrew

Paul R Johnson · October 6th, 2023, 12:12 AM

Hi, no it’s all LED, but there is an extra soft coming in from that side. The green could pretty easily be de-spilled, and tweaked, but the time element was becoming difficult to manage, and until I devise a way to get the setup for the edit to be easier, it’s going to be awkward. The first video with keying was built a little randomly as I experimented, so the second one was built, keying and masking wise, from scratch. Between the two, I had a short paying job, so things were adjusted a little, going back to this, copying and pasting the keying setup didn’t work, so everything needed adjusting. This is what will make it difficult. The videos are made when I have some spare time, so I rush in, shoot, rush out, and then edit again when there is time. This probably means I need to dump the keying if it’s so time consuming.

October 4th, 2023, 06:24 AM	#1
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,016	Chromakey for Youtube I just finished a talking head video for a client that needed a chromakey background, and this morning I was going to put the green screen away because I don't use it for my own Youtube videos about microphones. I wondered if maybe I should keep the studio setup with the greenscreen, but a pet hate of mine is where the backgrounds don't follow the positions of multiple camera angles, which is what I do. I started with two cameras, and one background - with chromakey done via my ATEM switcher, and then I swapped to cutting the cameras with the greenscreen, and in premiere, swapping the background images, skewing the image to match the different angles. Have a look and see what you think. It does take lots more time - so I'm not sure if it's worth doing? Even trickier, the multiview is often in the background and I noticed the images had their green removed and replacing with the background image, so I had to fix that too. YouTube (Short URL)

October 4th, 2023, 09:28 AM	#2
Doug Jensen Vortex Media Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 3,417	Re: Chromakey for Youtube Paul, here's some random thoughts, take them for whatever they are worth. First, the key looks really clean. How are you keying it? Second. I like the background image you've chosen. but the design is so random I think you could get away with all kinds of trickery to get fake angles. It would be interesting to try this experiment with a more traditional background that shows a room, walls, studio, a set, nature, or something else not so random and creative. Third, on your close up shot the background is too sharp and ruins the illusion. Blur the background a little so your face has some DoF separation. Fourth, another reason to blur the background a little bit is because your camera looks soft compared to the ultrasharp background. So, even if you didn't care about getting a fake shallow DoF, you still need to soften the background becuase it is simply too sharp. I hope that helps. __________________ Vortex Media http://www.vortexmedia.com/ Sony FS7, F55, and XDCAM training videos, field guides, and other production tools

October 4th, 2023, 11:43 AM	#3
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,016	Re: Chromakey for Youtube Yes Doug, actually it does! I'd not thought about the softness idea - that would indeed look better I think - I'll give it a shot and see how it works. The first section was originally, just a simple test, not really even meant for youtube - and the key was done in the ATEM, but the remainder was done using the Ultra keyer in Premiere. I know a bit of history on this one. There was a company in Calfornia called Serious Magic - they had a virtual studio product - loads of background images, all computer generated and this was combined with their ultra-keyer. This was a really good product. It allowed multiple agregated key spots and all sorts of scaling and compositing options. It also was very happy with less than ideal backgrounds. If you look in my video at the mutliscreen, you can see the green background and it's lumpy and creased - not smooth and tight. In fact, I usually have a large monitor behind me, and the greenscreen is hung over it - miles from being flat. Adobe bought serious magic, scrapped the virtual studio stuff and integrated the ultra kjeyer into premiere - without the full range of features, but maybe technically they couldn't be done within the Premiere software? A great shame the VERY expensive package was money wasted. It still worked, but on a computer upgrade I discovered the activation server had gone, and that was that! One of the keying features was keying through hair - which premiere can do. When I get a chance, I'll see what I can do with things with maybe grid lines, or stately home style panels? I'll absolutely try the softening of the background and see what it looks like. Cheers Doug!

October 5th, 2023, 05:19 AM	#4
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,016	Re: Chromakey for Youtube Here's another version following the tests today - with DoF adjustments and a Star Trek style grid that lets the changes to the background plane look better. It also occured to me that the backgrounds could be made to track the foreground - with the common different green X marks on the greenscreen, but that's perhaps an experiment for another day. It does strike me that I need more time and lots more effort to make these things 'normal' in each video. I'm thinking that going back to a black background is far easier all round? YouTube (Short URL)

October 5th, 2023, 05:13 PM	#5
Andrew Smith Equal Opportunity Offender Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 3,019	Re: Chromakey for Youtube Do you have fluorescent lighting in the room where you are filming? Aside from a bit of chroma green spill on the right side of your face, there seems to be a slight green cast to your skin tones that could be colour corrected back out. Andrew

October 6th, 2023, 12:12 AM	#6
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,016	Re: Chromakey for Youtube Hi, no it’s all LED, but there is an extra soft coming in from that side. The green could pretty easily be de-spilled, and tweaked, but the time element was becoming difficult to manage, and until I devise a way to get the setup for the edit to be easier, it’s going to be awkward. The first video with keying was built a little randomly as I experimented, so the second one was built, keying and masking wise, from scratch. Between the two, I had a short paying job, so things were adjusted a little, going back to this, copying and pasting the keying setup didn’t work, so everything needed adjusting. This is what will make it difficult. The videos are made when I have some spare time, so I rush in, shoot, rush out, and then edit again when there is time. This probably means I need to dump the keying if it’s so time consuming.