Resources for Green Screen/Blue Screen projects

RudyPicardo

RudyPicardo

Member
DVX User experts

I'm working with a company here that wants to explore possibilities of creating a video production facility. Although I have some basic knowledge of questions to ask them, one thing they mentioned was exploring video projects with blue/green screen. And unfortunately I have very little knowledge of blue/green screen. One thing I know for sure is that lighting becomes even more critical to help create a defining line to key out the subject from the blue/green screen

I was wondering if anyone can point any online links or books (on this site and other useful ones) that I can read, so I can become more informed of the questions to ask them. I realize that green/blue screen is a broad subject and can use the search function on this site. In addition, I wanted to make a separate post in hopes I can get a consensus of reputable and reliable materials that I can research, so I can help make my contacts make informed decisions.

Thank you for your time.
 
While good lighting is important to getting a good key, the most important aspect is the camera you shoot with. Consumer and prosumer cameras all shoot with some kind of compression in the color channels, which makes perfect keying difficult. HDV for instance records with a 4:2:0 compression, which roughly means the luminence info is captured at full resolution, and the color at half resolution. Therefore when you go to pull a key you only have access to half the resolution and get less detail. If your final output is going to be SD, this will be acceptable, but if you're final output is HD it will not be. You can get decent keys, but not perfect. For that, you will need a camera capable of outputting an uncompressed signal, and a computer capable of capturing that. For a bit more money you can get a RED camera, which can capture uncompressed video with full resolution in the color channels. However, there is a long waiting list for that camera.
 
As you mentioned, lighting is by far the most important factor of setting up or a good key.

Another thing to keep in mind is the actual background color/paint/material.

Though you can go out and bug some cheap green fabric and get some green paint mixed up, I'd strongly recommend using professional keying paint & fabrics, like the Chroma Key products from Rosco. The added cost is well worth it in the quality of the materials and their reaction to the lighting, making it easier to pull good keys.

- Mikko
 
finds the good devices to make you smile !! there are soem options for keying in studios that are superior than usining your mac or pc if the budget is there
im looking for these cool boxes you send the video feed thru and it will key for you with out a computer! like the setups at tourist attractions live video keying!!
ill post the link to the company here so i can get one too!!!
mike d
good luck

http://www.ultimatte.com/

heres soemthing im going to look into !!!
oops prices starting at the 9,000 ++ range!!!
never mind butthere are more options with other companys!!!im interested in your thread dude!!
 
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Actually, Ultimattes start out with the "Ultimatte DV" which costs about $3k. From there on up you get into the broadcast studio Ultimattes, whcih do cost a lot.

Ultimatte also makes keying plugins for many popular NLEs - I haven't used them, but I'd expect them to work very well based on their hardware products, which are pretty much the defacto standard in broadcast TV keying.

- Mikko
 
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