green screening

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john ingham
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Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 7:29 am
Location: Exmouth

green screening

Post by john ingham »

1st attempt. used a photo ..to wet to get some video..I am no actor, but felt the need to have a go :D .https://vimeo.com/56152777
Keep trying, for one day you will get it right
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TimStannard
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Re: green screening

Post by TimStannard »

That looks to me like a really good job, John. A nice really clean key and the subject well lit. There's the merest hint of a reflection of green on the left of your face (that's you'r left = screen right) but I doubt I'd notice if I wasn't loking for it. A zillion times better than I've achieved (although "A zillion times better than Tim" is probably not the best way to market your efforts.

I thought the acting was rather good, too.
Tim
Proud to be an amateur film maker - I do it for the love of it
john ingham
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Location: Exmouth

Re: green screening

Post by john ingham »

cheers Tim..now I would not have spotted that..well done mate..i have just been back into the editing and can see where i went wrong..there is a sliding bar for tint... that gets rid of it... I'm not going to upload another one..but cheers again tim..its those comments that gets me looking

getting the distance right with the lights is key... just as a quick ref..the 2 x soft box' are not expensive ones..i paid £66 for the two on ebay and £26 for a 2mt x 3mt green screen on amazon.. i will keep playing
Keep trying, for one day you will get it right
Chrisbitz
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Re: green screening

Post by Chrisbitz »

That's a really clean key there, but the thing that I find very difficult to master, is that it still looks instantly recognisable as greenscreen.

I wonder what specific aspects make it so?

I don't think anyone can just say "lighting" - that's a weak answer - it's more like atmospherics - I think the light on you is too bright and flat, but I'm not sure about the actual colour balance - cold it be related to daylight in the BG, and tungsten in the FG? But I don't think that simply changing the lighting would make it perfect.

Also, I've found that a bit of movement can help blend the two - did you deliberately move the background around? if you did, it doesn't work :-) the FG AND the BG should be moving together, and just a tiny amount, almost imperceptibly - Unless you wanted it to look like he was on a ship, in which case it should sway more?

It's a fascinating example of greenscreen. You have all the kit, and have made an effectively perfect key, yet it wouldn't fool anyone. I wonder what the others here think could be done to make it believable?

One final thought - I've always wanted to try on-location greenscreen - where you have the green behind the actor at the same place as the background - that way you're guaranteed the correct atmospherics - would the whole shot work perfectly then?

I find it interesting how modern TV does greenscreen so perfectly and so often now, with you very rarely being able to spot it.
If you don't believe it, watch this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clnozSXyF4k and this was the state of technology nearly 4 years ago!
I like to make films, this is- my Youtube account. What's yours?

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John C
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Re: green screening

Post by John C »

http://www.videomaker.com/video/watch/t ... gn=traffic

Have you tried the Videomaker approach?

See the above link

John C
john ingham
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Re: green screening

Post by john ingham »

Hi chris....
your right of course..it still looks fake, the right lights reference was actually aimed at the green screen and not the finished product.... i tried earlier with the lights closer, but could not get rid of a hot spot, even a matt finish will produce a reflection,
I know the news and weather reports are shot in front of a green screen, and yes they do look perfect, but lets be honest... their lights alone would cost more than i earn in a year :lol:
I can also explain why the background looks dodgy... I have not got any good pics on this PC that are of enough High Res..so thats why i added a hint of earth quake.... thanks for your comments though..as i said to Tim, all these comments can make us all see and think about where we are going wrong, i also take on board the comment about me not being lit correctly..that will need another light or two, hopefully if work pics up..i will treat myself to another couple of lights in the new year :D

One point i will be doing Chris...is to take the green screen on location as i want to shoot a car knocking down a man.(Part of the film) so i will film the actor 1st in the road with GS then film the car driving past..... ile let you know how that works nearer the time :D


Hi John C
no mate..i have not tried Video maker..but i will have a look
the clip was shot 1 hour after the lights arrived.. the actual green screen arrived the day before.... this is going to be a great learning curve, as chris said, it looks very fake and i have to agree 100%..but there alone stands a challenge :lol:

the one thing i am happy about is... the lights and the screen cost less than £100 and if i am totally honest, will only ever be needed for some short scenes that will be impossible in real life to achieve.(due to budget)

once again thanks lads for the comments..please keep them coming
Keep trying, for one day you will get it right
John C
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Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2009 3:48 pm

Re: green screening

Post by John C »

Where did you get your Lights for 100. I've been looking but using cheap security lights and bouncing them off the ceiling.

I have found that If I scale my greenscreen carefully it blends a bit better,
Using animation for things like Santa in a car going over Mountains works better. The grandchildren type Audience is more apprecitive of content than technology !!!!

Still Boys toys!!!! Enjoy the gagets, may Santa be kind to you,

Happy Christmas,

John C
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TimStannard
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Re: green screening

Post by TimStannard »

john ingham wrote: I know the news and weather reports are shot in front of a green screen, and yes they do look perfect,
Actually for months I've been getting annoyed that there is a visible cross (floor to ceiling line and mid point horizontal, presumably where four green panels meet) on the BBC weather (possibly just BBC London local weather). Whilst it doesn't really matter, there's also no excuse.
Tim
Proud to be an amateur film maker - I do it for the love of it
john ingham
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Location: Exmouth

Re: green screening

Post by john ingham »

John C wrote:Where did you get your Lights for 100. I've been looking but using cheap security lights and bouncing them off the ceiling.

I have found that If I scale my greenscreen carefully it blends a bit better,
Using animation for things like Santa in a car going over Mountains works better. The grandchildren type Audience is more apprecitive of content than technology !!!!

Still Boys toys!!!! Enjoy the gagets, may Santa be kind to you,

Happy Christmas,

John C
Hi John..here is a link to the one's i have purchased, now i am not claiming they are fantastic or to professional standard, as i wouldn't know the difference..but as you can see they do achieve to the level in the vid

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170840878590? ... 1497.l2648

I have nothing to do with the seller..i just found them whilst searching..the service was very quick
Keep trying, for one day you will get it right
John C
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Re: green screening

Post by John C »

Tim, You are annoyed, What about the international Golf scores on the scoreboards. Why can they not get the shadow removed?

John C.
john ingham
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Re: green screening

Post by john ingham »

tried another with the dog, got him following a treat and added sound effects

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1qRMUJaRaA
Keep trying, for one day you will get it right
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TimStannard
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Re: green screening

Post by TimStannard »

Not as effectve, John. There must be elements of the green shade that you removed reflected in the dog's coat as he is somewhat tranparent in places.
Tim
Proud to be an amateur film maker - I do it for the love of it
john ingham
Posts: 221
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 7:29 am
Location: Exmouth

Re: green screening

Post by john ingham »

:lol: i noticed that tim.. the boy was to close to the backdrop... lesson learnt.. the one thing i am struggling with is..if the key is too sharp it makes it look false..its getting that balance right i need to work on..great fun learning though ..... as that american senator said..ile be back :lol:
Keep trying, for one day you will get it right
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