Green Screen Production Techniques

Video Production Oakville – The Captain’s Blog

Green Screen Production Techniques

Hello everyone … Captain John Secondi here with some information on how to use green screens in your video production.

Most everyone has seen a film or video done using green screen technology. Hollywood blockbusters from Marvel Comics all the way down to some fun late night TV shows use green screens to “add in” various moving backgrounds behind the talent. As a point of interest, did you know that the Yankee Stadium background behind George Constanza’s office in the Seinfeld TV series was done using a green screen?

What Is A Green Screen

It is usually a large piece of special fabric or a studio space that has been painted with a homogeneous colour, usually green or blue. By having this consistent background behind the talent, the background can be swapped out in post production for static or live video backgrounds. This process is known as chroma keying the scene.

Why Do We Use Green?

Most video camera sensors are more sensitive to the green or blue spectrum which means it produces less noise to help you create the cleanest possible masking result.

Some Green Screen Tips and Tricks

• Ensure your screen is as taught as possible (using bungee cords is a great solution)
• Evenly light your screen so that the colour is consistent (use a wide LED light rack on the bottom and top of the background green screen)
• Match your lighting to the lighting environment that the subject will be keyed into (i.e. – “follow the sun, map the shadows”)
• Avoid using green or blue coloured props and costumes (unless you ARE trying to shoot “The Invisible Man”)

What Software Is Useful For Post Production?

• Final Cut Pro from Adobe
• Premiere Pro from Adobe
• Photoshop from Adobe
• iMove from Apple (for lower quality output)
• Colourista 2 (for fixing many green screens problems)

When you need a helping hand with your video production and editing here in Oakville, give Groovy Concepts a call. We have the experience to do it right.

We. Are. Video Production. Oakville.

#groovyconcepts #videoproductionoakville