Versatile lighting kit - no idea where to start

[puredrifting]

Going with a printed background in your situation is smart. The thing you HAVE TO HAVE for good green screen is SPACE(read: separation between subject and green screen). Talent only 3-4 feet off of the bg will be trouble. For a standard interview type green screen shoot(which would be similar to what you are wanting to do) I usually tell people we need at least 7-10 feet separation or forget about it.

100% agreed, green screen in small room is a compositing nightmare. Spill everywhere, almost impossible to keep spill off of talent. If my clients can't give me a location with at least 10' from talent to BG and another 8-10' from talent to lens, I don't shoot green screen, I just tell them let's find another way.

 

[seanadl]

My suggestion for a backdrop would be a duratran.

Mount inexpensive Fluorescent lights on the back wall to backlight the duratran.
Then mount the duratran in front of the lights. This will take up about a foot of depth.
Have the duratran printed slightly out of focus. this will give the illusion of more shallow depth of field, and more depth on set.
This means you can also concentrate on lighting the talent, since the background will already be lit.

I have employed this technique on numerous news sets over the years.

Best!

Dave

Thanks Dave, that is very helpful!

If the design on the duratran is fairly dark, with areas that need to be almost black, do those areas remain fairly opaque when the surrounding areas are backlit? I want the design to be a world map of some sorts, very dark background, with various shades of dark blue illuminated.

 

[seanadl]

Im not seeing your logic. Or maybe that is your question.
To me the light is in no way justified in terms of power or quality.

To make a mini studio around your budget I would be looking at..
A powerful Apture (300?) Or two iff possible bounced off a board or shot through a scrim to create a wash over the whole scene
2-3 small (Apture 20?) hard lights to backlight your talent(s)
2 or more cheap (newwer?) panels to wash your background.

Would both 300's be shot through the same scrim? or one as a key and another as fill?