Green screen photography is a very useful and versatile technique. Fundamentally green screen photography allows a video producer to replace the subject background with any still or moving video source of choice. Sloan Productions has employed green screen photography to create multiple award winning video solutions for our clients.
Flexibility
Sometimes a client knows ahead of time exactly what will replace the background in the final video, other times green screen is used because the background is yet to be determined. In other cases, the production location can point to a green screen solution. If a client needs their subject to appear in a kitchen for example but the only chance to photograph them is during a trade show at a hotel, we will do the shoot in one of the hotel’s conference rooms in front of the green screen backdrop and the kitchen scene will be added in post production.
Budgetary Aspects of Green Screen
Using the previous example, cost savings can be realized by not having to scout and locate the kitchen location for the interview, plus travel for the interview subject to the location and back. On the flip-side there will be a cost for using the conference room at the hotel. In our experience, the green screen solution is usually the lower cost solution. Depending on your need and the scale of the scene to be created, budgets can be optimized by employing the green screen technique.
Technical Aspects of Green Screen
Successful green screen photography on-location usually requires that we build a frame or hang a bar and stretch the proper shade of green paper or cloth across it. It is important that wrinkles are minimized and that the lighting on the screen is flat, even, and of a high enough level to create a clean key. Video levels must be carefully monitored so that the green background falls within the proper video level allowing the editor of the footage the most flexibility when it comes time to replacing the background. If the levels are off or the background is not lit evenly, problems can result. It is also important to use the most robust recording format allowable within the budget. The deeper the recording depth of the video signal, the more flexibility the editor will have as well.
Wardrobe Considerations
An important consideration when employing this technique is insuring that your subject’s wardrobe avoids the color green. This is because the green wardrobe will be eliminated from the foreground and become part of the replaced background. There are ways around the wardrobe challenge if green is a requirement. Blue screen photography can be employed or tests can be done with a different shade of green backdrops. There is definitely a “sweet spot” with regards to the green color of backdrops however.
Our History with Green Screen Photography
Sloan Productions has been capturing green screen video footage from the day we opened our doors in 1979 and have participated in a multitude of technological advances. By correctly employing current digital video technology, creating highly useful green screen original footage yields much better results than in years past.
Let us do it for you!
Green screen photography allows a limitless amount of creative and practical solutions for our video production clients. Whether you know ahead of time that you need green screen technique for your video production or wish to discuss how to solve a particular video production challenge, we invite you to call or contact us and we’ll be glad to help.
