Digital Breakdown in Blacks when doing a key.

[Hugh Noonan]

Hi Dave

Thanks for adding to this thread.

This link should show you want I was up againest : 11882_denoisetest1.mp4.zip

The above link is the first export of the video and is stored here on CreativeCow. Hopefully it should provide you with an idea of what I was talking about.

Still curios to know your thoughts on it.

UPDATE:
I think I discovered that I didn’t light my background/ subject properly. As his black suit was picking up flecks of green that were being keyed out. Hence some pixels were becoming transparent and “jumpy” when played in final render.

I used a series of techniques from Video co-pilot and manged to lower the intensity of the key, got some more detail back in the suit. The background is now a gray and still has some “digital jumpyness” in it but it is not that huge a problem.

Is there something else that I am missing?

Thanks

H

[Doyle Lewis]

So yes, It definitely was in the way it was shot. Not only was the lighting probably not right, looking at it, it looked like you probably had him standing too close to the green screen. The closer someone stands to a green screen the more green spill that is cast on them. To that point the further you can put them from the green screen the better, this means you actually usually need 2 light set ups. When I set a green, I use 2 to 4 lights (and softboxes) to create a even wash across the screen. Then put my subject no less then 7 to 10 feet from the green screen. I use one hard light behind the screen to shoot the back of his head as a rim light and usually a single softbox as a key. If able I also use different temps for my subject and screen lights. My wash lights I generally do daylight balance to sort of push the screen to cooler colors and I use tungsten balanced for my subjects light so that the reds in his skin separate better from the now cool bluish green screen. Just gives a bit more distinction for your key to use.

My last piece of advice is probably the easiest but makes THE MOST DIFFERENCE and is probably the #1 mistake new shooters make in this sort of talk to camera video. If your plan is to have someone talk with the infinite white background… then shoot it on a white background. Shooting a white background is just as simple as shooting a green and then you don’t have to do any keying at all. What you capture on camera is what you get.

Here is a white backdrop for $12. Just drape it over whatever you have your green screen draped over. I promise you no green screen infinite white shot by anyone has ever looked as good as white screen infinite white.

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Collapsible-Background-Photography-Television/dp/B00SR28X9S/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1511361052&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=white+paper+backdrop&psc=1

Doyle Lewis,
Location Assistant
ABC Studios

[Hugh Noonan]

Hi Dave & Doyle

Very sage and practical advice. Many thanks for it.

Doyle, you’re advice is very useful and is what I will do now going forward.

Thanks

H