The value of a video is undeniable, whether it is for personal or commercial use. Although the video making process is inspiring, it often intimidates the producers and they may be left clueless about the entire process. However, the green screen or chroma key technology can create the difference in the video making process. All you need is to follow the right tips and tricks when making the video against a green screen.
Why Green Screen Background?
If you are using a green screen, it will be more for ease of editing. Since green is the most common color of the chroma key effect, your background can easily be replaced or removed in post-production stage. You need not worry about Photoshop skills because all that you have to do is upload the video onto the editor and start doing the modifications.
Therefore, all you have to do is follow these simple tips and tricks when shooting against a green screen background.
1 Factor the Proper Lighting of Green Screen Background
You will need to take into consideration all the lighting factors before starting the video recording. Ensure that your key light comes from three-quarters of the left and the background light comes from three-quarters of the right. This angle ensures that your subject gets a bright and transparent green screen even if there are shadows on the face or body.
2 Keep the Green Screen Background Plain and Uncluttered
The plainer and uncluttered your green screen background is, the easier it is to remove it and replace with another one. You can make your video more interesting by using a plainer background, but ensure that there are no objects in the foreground which can affect the removal process.
3 Keep It Plain and Simple
Although you may get inspired when shooting against green screen backgrounds, keep it simple to avoid clutter. When shooting the video, avoid anything that is unnecessary because it will only make your post-production process harder.
4 Make Sure the Green Screen Is Masked Properly
If the green screen is not masked properly, there are chances of spilling and pooling. Spilling and pooling result in a transparent spill around the edges which should not be there. You can fix this by either adjusting the masking tool in the editing software or masking it manually.
Instead of going through all these troubles, you can use a dedicated green screen which makes your life easier and reflects better on the final product.
5 Use A Dedicated Green Screen
You can avoid all other problems by using a dedicated green screen. This way you can avoid all the hassle involved in masking the green screen yourself, especially if it is not sufficient or of high quality.
6 Keep the Camera Tracking Steady
A steady shot is always better than a shaky one. When you shoot against green screen, keep the camera steady and ensure that it does not move. For example, if you shoot a video of your child playing and you need to film on a tripod, place the camera slightly above the eye level so as to avoid filming the legs and face.
7 Use an External Monitor
Use an external monitor to see how your green screen background is looking after recording so you can make the necessary adjustments. This way, you will save a lot of time by not having to rerecord or do some other modifications on your video footage before uploading it onto the editor.
8 Use A Head Mounted Display
When shooting against green screen, use a head mounted display so you see the playback on the recorder’s LCD monitor. That way, you can adjust accordingly without having to look away from your handy cam which increases the risk of an accident or footage loss.
9 Get an External Recorder
Although the video footage may look good on the camera, it will be more for ease of editing. Since green is the most common color of the chroma key effect, your background can easily be replaced or removed in post-production stage. You need not worry about Photoshop skills because all that you have to do is upload the video onto the editor and the software will do the rest of the task for you.
The latest technology has developed some amazing editors which are not only user-friendly but also provide an array of features. Therefore, one can easily make a deadline without any hiccups along the way.
Know the green screen technology:
Contrary to what you think, you need not be a professional video maker to use the green screen. With the green screen technology, you can create the desired background with ease. However, you need to get on with green screen technology.
- The green screen technology is an integral part of various film and video production as part of the special effects.
- The screen creates refers to visual effects that allow two images or video streams to stay layered to create a seamless experience for a fantastic viewing.
Green screen functioning:
The green screen combines two images and videos together. Typically, the color elements green but you can remove or replace it with different images. For instance, the news channels use green screens when delivering live weather forecasts and alerts. Whether it is the creation of an official backdrop against an unsightly backdrop or creating a visually-attractive background for delivering the lesions, the green screen offers the most affordable solutions.
Things to follow when making videos:
When making videos using the green screen background, you need to keep the following tricks in mind.
- The green screen effect works with different colors, so you can include the color you choose, so eliminate the idea that the green screen looks necessarily clean.
- You can use a wide range of customized and animated title, screen overlays, or transitions to create a perfect video using a couple of clicks.
- With the green screen technology, you can insert or add images or videos on the top of the click.
Setting up the green screen:
One of the key aspects of the video is creating a smoothness and consistency in the background. Therefore, when setting up the screen, you must ensure that there is no debris or wrinkle in the background. When wrinkles appear on the green screen, it may mar the effect of the video to a great extent.
- For a green screen that comes with clips and stand, you need to stretch the fabric flat to ensure that it is free from wrinkles.
- If needed, using a steamer to remove the wrinkles so that the editing process runs smoothly.
- Even if you do not have a stand with the screen, using a flat wall may meet your needs appropriately.
Using correct amount of light:
A video stays incomplete without using proper light. Therefore, you need to know how to insert the light appropriately in the background and the subject. When using lights against the green screen, the smoothness of the screen ensures that the distribution of light is even. However, you must not use too many lights as two or three of them on either side of the screen should work fine to make the video perfect.
Setting the correct color range:
The green screen has an advantage over its red version due to its ability to change colors. However, for many people it is challenging to choose the right color when using the green screen because of their inexperience.
- You need to set up your camera correctly before filming the video. Insert the white balance menu so that the camera does not capture green or blue colors.
- If you are using a specific software, ensure that it suits the color of your choice to get an outstanding end product. If needed, adjust the settings for getting the desired effect.
Getting enough light:
Lighting is one of the most significant aspects of making videos. It can turn out to be a significant factor for its success or failure.
- If you want to use the green screen, ensure that there is enough light on your background and subject; otherwise, it will affect the consistency of the video.
- The light should not be too harsh or bright. If it is, then your subject might just disappear into the background.
- The light should have good distribution so that both the back and forward subjects are visible.
Moving monitor with green screen effect:
If you need to move the monitor, ensure that there is enough lighting around it and the subject. You need to ensure that both behind and forward subjects are visible.
Staying consistent:
You need to stay consistent when using green screen.
- If you want your video to show a shift in time, then use a different background as well as clothing for each shift. This will help in keeping the video consistent.
- If you need to use different background for different times, ensure that you capture them at the same angle so that it does not look strange in the final video.
Using green screen perfect:
You can use this tool to create cutting-edge videos without spending hours on editing. However, you must ensure that you do not use it in a carelessly manner.
- Use the green screen for getting an outstanding video, which will be loved by everyone.
The technique for achieving this is known as chroma keying or green screening, and is becoming more popular with the availability of low cost chroma keyers. Chroma keying uses software to automatically detect a person’s silhouette by looking at differences in the pixels between it and the background, then replaces that difference with different imagery.
Conclusion:
You must be aware of how to make the best use of green screen in order to get perfect results. However, if you are not careful enough, then it can have several disadvantages that need to be taken into consideration here.