[Bob Woodhead]

First off, do some Googling, and you should be able to find some images of lighting plots for chromakeying. A picture’s worth…. you know. Anyway, since you’ve not shot greenscreen before, I’d suggest if at all possible to NOT attempt shooting your talent head to foot. The transition zone at the feet, and shadows along with them, is by far the most challenging aspect of pulling a good looking greenscreen. If you can avoid using a full length shot, your life will be much easier.
Here’s my checklist for greenscreens (or blue):
– separate talent from screen by 3 to 6 feet (removes problems of chroma spill from screen onto talent)
– pull camera back as far as possible from talent & zoom in to frame shot (especially on 2/3″ chip cameras, but even on small cameras, this creates the out-of-focus background effect, which on a greenscreen, helps smooth out any imperfections in either screen or lighting)
– light talent first. don’t light “for greenscreen”, just light the talent the way that’ll best match the background you’re going to key in
– light the screen. EVEN LIGHTING. Make the lighting as even and smooth as you can. (Did I say EVEN LIGHTING yet?) I love using Lowel Tota lights for this. Usually 2 500W or 1K Totas, 1 on the ground pointing up and 1 on a boom arm or somesuch aiming down. Sometimes I fill in any gaps with a couple of 300W fresnels. Put diffusion on everything. This could be a good place to use “alternative” lights; work lights from Home Depot, etc. Just use the SAME color temperature lights on the screen. For the screen itself, there are some on eBay that are 10×16′, green on canvas backing for about $80 or so. Not true “chromakey green”, but with good lighting it keys great. DON’T “blow out” (overexpose) the screen – you don’t want to wash out the color information.
– you can create a great looking light plot with a single flourescent box, a reflector, a 300W fresnel & a 150w kicker fresnel. Total maybe $650 (w/o stands, arms, etc). I’ve used KinoFlo Divas, I’ve used a box I made myself, and there’s not really much difference (other than the obvious durability, flexibility & looks). There’s a vendor making 4 lamp Diva-knockoffs for about $300… I’d look at those if you’re on a budget. Get one of those big ovoid reflectors that have gold, silver, white, black and translucent sides for about $50. Get a 150w Lowel ProLight as a kicker on the talent and a 300w fresnel (Arri, LTM, Mole) for bouncing off the reflector onto the talent for fill. You might be able to get away with just the reflector bouncing the softlight back as fill, but not always. Total budget should come in around $1K.
– if you have to shoot talent as a WS, more lights, more controls, and better software for keying will be required

Good luck & have fun! Do some tests before the “real deal”.

“Constituo, ergo sum”

Bob Woodhead / Atlanta
http://www.CoolNewMedia.net
Quantel-Avid-FCP-3D-Crayola

[Bob Woodhead]

Studio magazine just reviewed Glidecam, Steadicam & Artemis DV Pro. Good article. Last month’s. They leaned towards Artemis as best bang for the buck.

“Constituo, ergo sum”

Bob Woodhead / Atlanta
http://www.CoolNewMedia.net
Quantel-Avid-FCP-3D-Crayola

[Bob Woodhead]

AJA & HUGE (aka Ciprico) – another EXTREMELY satisfied customer… It can be worth almost as much as the unit you’re trying to fix to have it working NOW.

“Constituo, ergo sum”

Bob Woodhead / Atlanta
http://www.CoolNewMedia.net
Quantel-Avid-FCP-3D-Crayola

[Bob Woodhead]

[pasted from my answer to a similiar question on FCP forum]

Here’s my folder templates (these are below the “main” folder for each project). Each time I start a new project, these are copied & pasted:

3D
AFX
Art
Audio
client review
Consolidated Project
Do Not Archive
DVD
encodes
FCP project
Motion
QT refs
Reference
renders
SFX
Shake
Stills
Stock
TEMP
Text

All media is initially captured on my RAID. DV media may be transferred to external FW drives as needed to free space on the RAID. Media at rates higher than DV stays on the RAID. All project files are on the RAID. IMPORTANT – the RAID is Mode 3, so any single drive can fail without losing data. Just replace failed drive & the RAID goes back to full speed. Thus I’ve no need for “intermediate” backups; the critical project data is secured by the RAID. My next step will be to add a SATA RAID 0 (no safety net) on which to place higher resolution media requiring faster than FW throughput. The critical aspect is that all project data is on a safe RAID 3 box, while easily re-digz’d media files on are on “non-protected” drives.

After the project is done, I archive project data in the above folder structure to data DVDs. If multiple dvds are needed for 1 project, the top-level project folder name is used across the dvds, but with data subsets. These are then databased via Disktracker software. It never takes me more than a few seconds to locate anything from a past project.

(In case you’re wondering, “Do Not Archive” folder is for data coming in via CD/DVD, so not needing redundant backup/archiving).

“Constituo, ergo sum”

Bob Woodhead / Atlanta
http://www.CoolNewMedia.net
Quantel-Avid-FCP-3D-Crayola

[Bob Woodhead]

I’d like the workaround that lets you sit on a beach in Cancun while someone else sells, shoots & edits….

[Bob Woodhead]

I find sometimes the pretty blue lights wake me up when I fall asleep on the sofa, though….. but, yeah, it just works.

“Constituo, ergo sum”

Bob Woodhead / Atlanta
http://www.CoolNewMedia.net
Quantel-Avid-FCP-3D-Crayola

[Bob Woodhead]

Here’s my folder templates (these are below the “main” folder for each project). Each time I start a new project, these are copied & pasted:

3D
AFX
Art
Audio
client review
Consolidated Project
Do Not Archive
DVD
encodes
FCP project
Motion
QT refs
Reference
renders
SFX
Shake
Stills
Stock
TEMP
Text

All media is initially captured on my RAID. DV media may be transferred to external FW drives as needed to free space on the RAID. Media at rates higher than DV stays on the RAID. All project files are on the RAID. IMPORTANT – the RAID is Mode 3, so any single drive can fail without losing data. Just replace failed drive & the RAID goes back to full speed. Thus I’ve no need for “intermediate” backups; the critical project data is secured by the RAID. My next step will be to add a SATA RAID 0 (no safety net) on which to place higher resolution media requiring faster than FW throughput. The critical aspect is that all project data is on a safe RAID 3 box, while easily re-digz’d media files on are on “non-protected” drives.

After the project is done, I archive project data in the above folder structure to data DVDs. These are then databased via Disktracker software. It never takes me more than a few seconds to locate anything from a past project.

(In case you’re wondering, “Do Not Archive” folder is for data coming in via CD/DVD, so not needing redundant backup/archiving).

“Constituo, ergo sum”

Bob Woodhead / Atlanta
http://www.CoolNewMedia.net
Quantel-Avid-FCP-3D-Crayola

[Bob Woodhead]

In case anyone brings this thread up in a search, just used it, and it WAS AWESOME! Loved it.

[Bob Woodhead]

How about audio? If you decide you need an audio patchbay, I **strongly** recommend a punch-block design with remote terminals. Search on ADC BJF303-4MKII for an example. You’ll need a punchtool (about $80 used), but you’ll be GLAD you did! Sorry, but with all the A/V wiring, you’ll need a small rack for it all.

[Bob Woodhead]

… now spit….
I’d think it’d be much easier to get better angles and stay out of the way with a jib w/ remotes.