I have been trying to take my green screen game to the next level for a while and last night I found the ultimate guide so I thought I would share it. If you are having issues getting good effects with your green screen, take a look at this video (it is not mine). If you think your green screen is really good, I'm sure there's a tip for you in here too! This is the best video I have seen on this subject and I have looked at a lot of them! https://youtu.be/OH8TWTt51W8
Here are some takeaways:
- Most green screen issues are because of lighting, namely "hot spots" (too much light in one location. Think about green screen lighting separately from the subject (you) lighting. Light up your green screen with bank lights (tall vertical lights) and not spotlights. Here's a video from the same author showing you how to make bank lights for cheap. I will be making those in the next few days and report: https://youtu.be/BpOakYp-gJ4
- Use an app (iPad, $10) to determine if your screen is evenly lit. Naked eye doesn't cut it.
- Stay away from the screen so you don't cast a shadow (6-9 feet).
- Smooth out your green screen (by stretching it or steaming it)
- Use a backlight (hair light) to pull your subject from the screen (so it doesn't look "flat").
- Light your subject a little brighter than your screen (see video for details).
- Don't wear green clothes or clothes with green in it.
- Blur your background (low f/stop on your camera if you can control that, around f/5.6).
- Remove motion blur (slightly higher shutter speed, see video for details).
- Frame your shot correctly so the green screen covers all your movements.
- Be careful if you have a monitor in front of you connected to your camera as it will reflect green light on you. The trick is to change your saturation to zero to make the screen black and white (love this tip!).
- Get good lighting for your subject (after lighting your green screen).
Later this week I will be shuffling my studio to apply some of those tips and will keep you posted on the results. I hope this helps someone! Share your green screen tips if you have any that are not on the list.
