If the scene's setting is indoors, overhead white lighting is more appropriate. Remember to position your lighting to line up realistically with your background footage. For example, if your actor is supposed to be on the beach at sunset, use an orange or yellow, front facing light pointed at the subject from the side to create a more true-to-life sunlit effect. Remember to match the lighting on your subject with the lighting in the scene. Make sure they're not wearing anything close to bright green or they'll disappear into the background! Alternatively, if using a blue cloth, tick that hue off of your color options for your outfit that day. This stops a green edge caused by the actor's shadows, an unintended effect commonly referred to as 'color spill'. Separate your subject from the background, giving them a distance of a few feet. Reduce shadows cast by actors by using overhead lighting or have them stand a distance from the screen if you need to use standing lights. If using a DIY cloth, aim to get your surface as smooth as possible using as many clips and fasteners as necessary. Green screens made with stretch fabric are taut and don't have wrinkles that can cause shadows. Use illumination from the sides and top where they'll be out of the shot. Creating a consistent shade of green is important because it will make processing chroma key effects much easier. When using a green screen, it's important to use strong lighting to create a solid color on the backdrop. This is almost never offered for free, so consider filming your own background footage if you're on a tight budget. If you need a background setting, you can find entire catalogs of proprietary footage from services like Shutterstock, Video Blocks, and Envato Market. This will keep the green screen in the perfect position that you can base the rest of your equipment on. Consider using weights or sandbags to the feet of the frame or on the sides of your green cloth. A drape that matches the color of the screen is enough for an easy chroma-key process.

If shooting the actor down to their feet, consider using green flooring for full coverage. Place your chroma key fixture on a flat, stable surface to prevent it from falling over while filming. Green screens made with stretch fabric are ideal for shooting in all environments due to a taut surface that will stay smooth, even in windy conditions. Make sure there's room for film equipment like cameras and lights as well.

Find a large space that will fit your backdrop like a studio, garage, or even outdoors. Setting and Set UpĬhoosing the location to place your green screen is important. These colors are used most often because they don’t resemble natural skin tone or hair color, meaning no part of an actor will be edited out. While “green screen,” “blue screen,” and “chroma key” are synonymous, any color will work. Your browser does not support the video tag.

Can you edit green screen in imovie