How to Make a Homemade Green Screen
by Brittanie in Video Production and Publishing / 04.29.08
So, you wanna add some special effects to your awesome instructional video on how to fly like superman? You could go all out and create your own self-standing back drop with PVC piping and muslin fabric that will set you back fifty bucks, still a far-cry from the industry standard. But in this article, we are doing it up college-style, a.k.a. with a budget under five dollars, and the only materials we need are green poster board, duct tape, and a light source, all found in your local drug store.
BACKDROP SETUP
1. First, how big is your subject’s action? Are you walking, standing or sitting? Is it a full-body action or just a shot from the waist up? Once you know your subject’s actions you can fill the background with the necessary amount of green poster to match.
2. Set up your poster board against a wall. Place duct tape behind the poster to keep it in place.
3. Light the background evenly. To do this you need several light sources. Avoid glares in the poster. Glares are harder to key out in post.
4. Finally, light your subject. Use three-point lighting to avoid shadows. Keep the background lit as evenly as possible. After your subject is lit, you might need to re-adjust your back lights.
GREEN SCREEN VIDEO FILTER SETTINGS
Once your footage is captured you will need to use an editing program, like Final Cut Pro, to key out the green. Here are the settings I used in FCP:
*TIP: If one filter does not completely key out the green add a second layer of the same filter and set your settings to remove the remaining green.
FINISHED PRODUCT
My celebrity friend, Angel Schatz, compiled the green screen footage into a side project she did for a local band called The Morakestra. It turned out really well and is a good example of what not to do if you want to be a VJ :p
Think you can do it? Show us with your own MindBite.
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