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Posted by: Gitarrero Oct 13 2011, 07:03 PM

Hi guys!

I just bought a few meters of green sheet which can be used for green screen recording. I think I will just hang it on a wall with nails or something. Now, do you guys know any good and preferably free software so I can insert cool backgrounds into my videos...like...let's say...ducks?

I know Ben and Adrian use this technique often.

Thanks!

Christian

Posted by: Sinisa Cekic Oct 13 2011, 09:18 PM

Check out on YouTube tuts _ Greenscreen and Windows Movie Maker ! However, for serious work you'll need more powerful program, which unfortunately isn't free. Sony Vegas,Adobe Premiere,Avid,Final Cut...

Posted by: Gitarrero Oct 13 2011, 09:39 PM

Cool, I didn't know Movie Maker could do that! That'll do for a start. I will also experiment with better lighting to get better videos before investing in new software, but the deal was too good not to buy the green sheet
Thanks Sinisa!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Oct 13 2011, 09:40 PM

I do my Chroma keys with Vegas. It works good. After Effects is much better.

Posted by: Gitarrero Oct 13 2011, 09:58 PM

Just checked the prizes...the full version of After effects is ridiculously expensive, I could get a great guitar for that kind of money! Sony Vegas Version 10 has a reasonable prize, I think I'll check out some demos.
Thanks for the advice Gabriel!

Posted by: Sinisa Cekic Oct 13 2011, 10:13 PM

True, the lighting is a key detail in the whole process.

Posted by: Adrian Figallo Oct 14 2011, 04:25 PM

i used to use vegas, it's pretty cool, and you can do it perfectly, one advice, try to color correct the greens and make them shinny and even before applying the chroma key, that will help you a TON.

now i work with final cut pro, LOVELY.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Oct 14 2011, 04:57 PM

yeah, if you have a good lightening Vegas will work great.

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Oct 16 2011, 10:33 AM

I agree with the guys, if you have good lightning, and can make the whole background in somewhat uniform brightness and color, it will be alright. Chroma will pick up the uniformity.

Vegas Movie Studio Platinum has the same chroma key plugin as Vegas Pro, so that might be a good solution. However, After Effects has very powerful chroma key plugin, you can do wonders with it, and it offers masking of videos which I miss a lot in Vegas

Here are some other tips as well:

- don't wear anything of the similar color when recording
- don't cast any shadows on the background (as they will confuse the chroma key filter)
- use HD cam for better edge tracing of the object
- record in bright conditions when doing indoor recording, the more light the better. Try to use neon, CFL or LED lamp arrays to create uniformity, as they are not so expensive, waste little power and don't get temperature so high.

Posted by: Daniel Realpe Oct 19 2011, 10:39 PM

those are great tips guys, thanks!

Posted by: Adrian Figallo Oct 20 2011, 01:02 AM

also, if you are using a photographic lens camera, i recommend you get your aperture kinda low, that you can create a shallow depth of field and "separate" yourself from the background

Posted by: snackajacks Dec 13 2012, 05:12 PM

Oh cool , since I got Adobe master suite from school , Christian, Do you still have that link where you bought your greenscreen, you shared it a long time ago but I lost it.

ty

Posted by: Todd Simpson Dec 14 2012, 01:54 AM

You can get one from most photography supply places on the web. Might want to PM Christian in case he misses your post!

Todd

Posted by: Gitarrero Dec 14 2012, 08:11 AM

Hi Marc,

I bought it at a webshop called www.pearl.de

It was pretty cheap but gets the job done

Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Dec 18 2012, 01:51 AM

Search for muslin video (or photo) backgrounds. In general - any uni color cloth will do, preferable green or blue. It can be done with any color actually - its just that it needs to be as far away from colors you have on the subject in order for it to work.

One thing important with green screen is lighting. You need to light it as strong as possible and even - or the results might not be that good.

BTW - its amazing what in today's film industry can be done using this and similar technology