Keying in FCP – Want White BG - Help

Shiloh Arts

Shiloh Arts

Well-known member
I'm using FCP and have footage of subject standing infront of a Reflecmedia Blue Screen. After I've importated the P2 footage, I want to create a white background behind the subject. Is there anyway that I can use the FCP plug-ins to extract the blue and replace it with white instead, or do I have to purchase yet another plug-in for FCP to do this?

Please advise, :dankk2:
 
There are a few keying plugins right in FCP... once you've got it keyed then you can add any background just by adding a color to it.

Look at the manual for Keying and you'll get the help you need.

CaptM
 
Thanks for your feedback. So there is in fact a way that I can extract the subject from the blue screen using the current plug-ins in FCP. I guess that leads to the more specific question, out of the many plug-in features, which would you suggest works the best, or is it primarly based on final result your looking to accomplish?
 
Here is how it works:
-Place your blue screened clip onto V2.
-Goto 'Generators' on viewer(A with film strips around), click and select the 'MATTE'---->COLOR
-You'll see a grey matte in your viewer.Click on the 'control' tab. You should se a grey square in color box. Click on it, a color wheel will be opened. Slide it towards up, to the white, select ok.Now your matte is white.
-Click on the video tab, and drag this white matte right under your clip(to V1), extend it to the exact duration with your clip.
Now you can start working keying the blue out:
-Select your clip on timeline.
-Goto EFFECTS--->VIDEO FILTERS--->KEY-->Blue and Green Screen
-Double click on the clip, open it in Viewer...
-Klick on filters, you'll see the Blue &green Screen filter there...
-Select the "Final" on view
-Select the "Blue" on Key Mode...
-Slide Color Level to around 25-35, you should see your white background replacing blue roughly..
-From now on experiment with the values of this filter until you totaly loose the blue. This is where good lighting work essential to successfully key out the blue...
There is more, but start with this first...
 
Great! Thanks volcano. I think your right...the lighting is the most important piece. I'm also using the Ultimatte DV to key out the blue, but the only problem is that I think I'm missing a breakout box, or some sort of video converter to capture the Key via s-video into my FCP production. Therefore, I'm finding that I have to actually do the key manually untill I get the this converter, now unless I can use a DV-I port on my Power Mac to capture the video using an s-video converter.
 
Excellent article, Thanks Vol...I guess I could consider logging and capturing via firewire. However, as you can see, the Ultimatte doesn't capture audio, therefore, it's completely up to you to sync the two together some how. This is why I would use the breakout box.
 
You can capture the audio seperate and sync it, just takes some patience i guess ;)
Good luck..
 
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