This was done entirely against green screen in 1080p30. Rough cut for timing in FCP and composited with After Effects using Keylight.

Final version:
http://imaginationhawaii.com/videos/noa_noa_pvo.mov

Original rough cut with demo audio; green screen:
http://imaginationhawaii.com/videos/noa_noa_green.mov

Very nice work Dean. Vibrant red's, blue's and purple's, etc. so I'm sure the store is happy with the way you were able to convey the fabric's tones and beauty.

noa noa!!!!

Very nice work Dean. Vibrant red's, blue's and purple's, etc. so I'm sure the store is happy with the way you were able to convey the fabric's tones and beauty.

Thanks, Derek!

At first was a little tough to get some of the approvals from the shop owner. She gave us a hard time about some of the things we were planning to do. That first shot of the tapa was one of them -- until she saw it. After that, she trusted our judgement and was quite upbeat about what we were doing in the studio.

We also got some nice help, too. We couldn't find the right tapa pattern. But a well-known local tapa designer very generously created a custom one for us. That opening shot, by the way, was done on her coffee table and was lit only by the soft light coming through her living room window.

Nice keys, Dean. Even though the hair, no green spill, nothing. Good werk.

Great job, Dean. Did you have any trouble with Keylight using DVCProHD? I had trouble pulling a key (spikey haired person) with 720p. Do you have any Keylight advice?

Great job, Dean. Did you have any trouble with Keylight using DVCProHD? I had trouble pulling a key (spikey haired person) with 720p. Do you have any Keylight advice?

Thanks, James.

No problem at all doing the keying. In fact the keying was about 90 percent done on the first click. Just a couple minor adjustments in the white and black levels of the key, then a few adjustments to soften and slightly choke the matte was all it took.

It even keyed the flying hair, which impressed the heck out of me.

I had Primatte as a backup, in case Keylight wasn't able to handle it. But I used only Keylight and it did a wonderful job.

What probably attributed to the ease of keying was getting the right green backdrop and ensuring that it was precisely lit to the proper level (60 IRE). I made sure I got a white balance off the white side of a WarmCard.

so what was "the right green backdrop" for you? i'm shopping...

looks very nice.

so what was "the right green backdrop" for you? i'm shopping...

looks very nice.

Thanks, Meryem.

The backdrop is from eefx.com. I got the green one but they also provide blue.

The front surface has a slightly fuzzy texture, akin to an extremely fine carpet. You can feel it more than see it. So it lights up very evenly. The back has a nylon fiber backing which makes the material very resistant to tearing.

And the core consists of a thin open-cell foam. The result is a very wrinkle-resistant, lightweight fabric that flattens out nicely and illuminates evenly. If you get something wider than 5 feet you'll end up with a seam in the center. But even that keys out easily. It wasn't an issue at all in the shots we were doing.

Dean,

This is to officially inform you that the EVPH demands that you cease production of anti-substandard video productions. The Envious Video Producers of Hawaii can not allow quality work to break into a market accustomed to mediocre local video services. This could cause a dangerous shift in customer perceptions which could have devastating effects in the marketplace.

Just put down the camera and go fishing and let everything get back to normal.

Sincerely,

Nomo Hana Esq.
EVPH Spokesperson

Marcus...

That had me laughing... a lot! Thanks!

I am particularly pleased with the "Nomo Hana" monicker. I felt very clever coming up with that. I just hope I didn't accidentally plagiarize some local comedian!

One thing people might want to know is that the budget for local commercials here in Honolulu is often pathetically low. Dean would be lucky to get $5000 for that piece, including the budget to hire on-screen talent. I hope I am wrong, but I wanted to put into perspective the quality of work now possible with a low budget if one has skills with what would be considered a cheap camera by most standards. It's mostly the people involved, but the cameras are finally making all the hard work of video production look as good as they should instead of being pale by comparison to film production.

Dean, I would love to see the HVX200 in action. After I move (landlords moving back in), I may be in the market for an HD camera. I know your time is precious, but perhaps I could be a free grip for a day in exchange for a look at the workflow with the new cam?