Chroma key (for fun)

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

Now that I've decided to get a digital camcorder, I'm jazzed up about
doing fun things with it. You know, for the kids.

Have any of you done chroma key things, and if so, do you have any
samples to share?

How come sometimes it's bluescreen and sometimes it's green?
Is the material expensive?

Thanks!

 

[Ed]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

You can get supplies at www.filmtools.com, www.studiodepot.com, and of
course various other places. That's a start to check prices. You can get
cloth, paper or paint. For fun, cloth is probably easiest. Paper isn't very
durable and for paint you need a wall someplace that becomes permanent.

I suggest doing a google search for chroma key. I've seen some pretty good
articles explaining "how to". Of course there are various opinions on the
best approach. I think you will find a consensus that lighting is important.
You generally need to light the green screen very evenly and independently
from the subject. Lights need to be at angles that won't produce shadows,
etc. Personally, I've tried both blue and green and had better luck with
green.

Ed

--

Remove the capital ST spam trap
when replying directly to me.


<Mitch@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:8eb6d01t7kka92mcpvp07iuk2l02f8n507@4ax.com...
> Now that I've decided to get a digital camcorder, I'm jazzed up about
> doing fun things with it. You know, for the kids.
>
> Have any of you done chroma key things, and if so, do you have any
> samples to share?
>
> How come sometimes it's bluescreen and sometimes it's green?
> Is the material expensive?
>
> Thanks!

 

[Jim]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

Whichever color you use, you will want your back lighting to be of the
opposite color.
If you use a green scree, use amber for your back lighting.
And lots of it. You want to see a good amber outline on the shoulders and
heads of your talent.

Keep talent as far from screen as you can,.

One thing to keep in mind, a compressed digital format is not the best
format at all for keying. The compressed signal makes it very difficult
especially for live keying. Sometimes even impossible to get a decent key.
If your camera has an svideo out, try that, not your firewire if going live.
Some camcorders svideo out is before the compression circuitry which will
make for a much finer key.

Ultimatte, Ultra Key, PriMatte are some good keying/composting apps.




"Ed" <estroudST@bak.rr.com> wrote in message
news:2jgsrrF11i6ngU1@uni-berlin.de...
> You can get supplies at www.filmtools.com, www.studiodepot.com, and of
> course various other places. That's a start to check prices. You can get
> cloth, paper or paint. For fun, cloth is probably easiest. Paper isn't
very
> durable and for paint you need a wall someplace that becomes permanent.
>
> I suggest doing a google search for chroma key. I've seen some pretty good
> articles explaining "how to". Of course there are various opinions on the
> best approach. I think you will find a consensus that lighting is
important.
> You generally need to light the green screen very evenly and independently
> from the subject. Lights need to be at angles that won't produce shadows,
> etc. Personally, I've tried both blue and green and had better luck with
> green.
>
> Ed
>
> --
>
> Remove the capital ST spam trap
> when replying directly to me.
>
>
> <Mitch@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:8eb6d01t7kka92mcpvp07iuk2l02f8n507@4ax.com...
> > Now that I've decided to get a digital camcorder, I'm jazzed up about
> > doing fun things with it. You know, for the kids.
> >
> > Have any of you done chroma key things, and if so, do you have any
> > samples to share?
> >
> > How come sometimes it's bluescreen and sometimes it's green?
> > Is the material expensive?
> >
> > Thanks!
>
>

 

[terry]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

I've gotten good results using large sheets of green construction paper I
found at a bargain store. They need lots of light, filming outside on a
sunny day will work.

<Mitch@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:8eb6d01t7kka92mcpvp07iuk2l02f8n507@4ax.com...
> Now that I've decided to get a digital camcorder, I'm jazzed up about
> doing fun things with it. You know, for the kids.
>
> Have any of you done chroma key things, and if so, do you have any
> samples to share?
>
> How come sometimes it's bluescreen and sometimes it's green?
> Is the material expensive?
>
> Thanks!

 

[Jd]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

>I've gotten good results using large sheets of green construction paper I
>found at a bargain store.

That's in line with my budget.
Thanks,
Mitch

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

JD@hotmail.com wrote:

:>I've gotten good results using large sheets of green construction paper I
:>found at a bargain store.

: That's in line with my budget.
: Thanks,
: Mitch

Do you intend to do this "live" or in post production?

Some editing software will let you do this and you can choose any color.
Green and Blue are used because they are the least likely to be on a
person's skin and clothing .. but you *can* use any color ... if you
really want to have fun you can choose a color of a shirt or dress your
subject is wearing and the chroma key effect will make it dissapear;-)

Richard in Boston, MA, USA

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

>
>Do you intend to do this "live" or in post production?


I was hoping to videotape my kids in front of a screen for any goofy
reason, and replace the background. You know, silly cliche Superman
stuff.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

Used sheets of bright green card from a local stationers - cost only a
couple of pound, stuck up on walls & windows with blu-tak.

Works perfectly well - although obviously make sure the subject(s)
don't wear any green or light blue clothing - use plenty of light
(sunlight works better).

Also you can try Lumakey - place the subject(s) against a white wall
(again plenty of light) and substitute the alpha channel for the
background image/footage. Never had a great deal of success when using
a black background and trying that alpha channel....

Blue screen can work as well as Green screen - just be carefull if
your subject(s) have blue eyes tho' - you may end up with an unwanted
effect....


Have fun trying !

j'arrow

On Tue, 22 Jun 2004 01:35:36 GMT, Mitch@hotmail.com wrote:

>
>>
>>Do you intend to do this "live" or in post production?
>
>
>I was hoping to videotape my kids in front of a screen for any goofy
>reason, and replace the background. You know, silly cliche Superman
>stuff.