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  • Green Screen Question / Advice

    Posted by Philip Davies on December 22, 2011 at 3:48 pm

    Apologies as this is probably not the best forum for this question, but I couldn’t find a general videography forum and FCPX is what use.

    I’m considering buying a green screen (never used one before) for a backdrop similar to the image below:

    I’d like the option of changing the colour of the back wall without having to re-paint it.

    I don’t want it to look like a green screen, so my first question is whether this is achievable – is it possible to preserve the shadows made by the shelving unit and easel for example?

    Taking it a stage further, would it be possible to cover both walls in the image below with green screens and still have it look like there are 2 walls at an angle to one another? Again, I’d want it to look like to plain-coloured, plastered walls, and I’d like to keep the picture on the wall.

    Many thanks,

    Phil.

    Philip Davies replied 14 years, 4 months ago 3 Members · 3 Replies
  • 3 Replies
  • Brian Mulligan

    December 22, 2011 at 4:01 pm

    My first response for both would be “Yes, it’s possible, but it might look like crap.”

    I have no experience with FCPX as a keyer. In example #1, It would be difficult to maintain the shadows, and you would have difficultly with other fine detail and any other green objects in your scene.

    In Example 2. You would have to build a graphic that looked like 2 walls meeting. Again, you might have issues with fine detail on the item to the left on the shelf. Also, any camera movements, would look odd as your background would not be matching the move.

    If you are going to use green screen, you might wan tot go for more of an abstract set design. Not animated backgrounds but something simple.

    Compression of your video source like h.264 or HDV will also cause you great difficulties.

    Here is a link to some free green screen shots that you can test out.
    https://www.hollywoodcamerawork.us/greenscreenplates.html

    Brian Mulligan
    Senior Editor – Autodesk Smoke
    WTHR-TV Indianapolis,IN, USA
    Twitter: @bkmeditor

  • T. Payton

    December 22, 2011 at 10:13 pm

    Another issue you are going to have is with the nature of your subject. Since this looks like a program about art you don’t want to have to limit their pallet because of what you are trying to do in post.

    You could simply paint your walls a color like tope and then do a color replacement (which should look better than building a virtual set) but you would still have the same problem with having to limit the pallet.

    I just did a quick test to show you what is possible:

    I would try to think about your set design to make it more flexible. Perhaps rig it up to use interchangeable panels on wheels, or go with a drape instead. Maybe rethink the set all together and have a black background to highlight the artwork.

    ——
    T. Payton
    OneCreative, Albuquerque

  • Philip Davies

    December 30, 2011 at 10:26 am

    Brian / Timothy,

    Thanks both for the very informative replies – you’ve given me plenty to think about. Timothy – thanks for taking the time to create and post those graphics, they are really useful.

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