View Full Version : Filming white silhouets


Marc Colemont
April 4th, 2007, 05:11 AM
For a project I need to film white silhouets of people for a video clip.
We will rent a studio. I was thinking of setting up a green screen so I can manipulate later in NLE and convert to black and white.
How would you guys do this instead? Are there better ways?

Stephen L. Noe
April 4th, 2007, 02:36 PM
Another ways is to do a lumikey instead of chromakey. Just shoot against all black wall and create an alpha matte from the black with the lumikeyer. It's easier.

any other thoughts?

Ben Chace
April 4th, 2007, 03:23 PM
I agree with Steven. A lumikey is probably easier because you wont have to worry about lighting the background, although I also used a green screen - keyed out the background, desaturated what was left, raised the brightness as high as possible, and lowered the contrast all the way.. and that worked alright... you can see it on you tube -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwNt_LYpigI

the white silhouette is about 20 seconds into it.

Jack Walker
April 5th, 2007, 01:07 AM
How do they do it on the iPod commercials?

Marc Colemont
April 5th, 2007, 01:50 AM
Thanks guys, I will do some tests with a black background which is much easier to setup.

Robert Shaver
April 6th, 2007, 03:19 PM
We shot some folks against a black velvet background and lit the people. The problems was one had black hair which then keyed out. There was also several other places on their bodies that were dark enough to key out. I guess I could have played with it more but there was nothing to do about the hair. (We did have a hair light as well.)

Rob:-]

Justin Ferar
April 6th, 2007, 04:21 PM
How do they do it on the iPod commercials?

Rotoscoping frame by frame- I'm pretty sure.

Jack Walker
April 6th, 2007, 05:29 PM
Can't you shoot against an all white wall, with no light on the front of the subjects.

Then add a high contrast filter. Take out anything on the people that remains by hand.

Then reverse the image.

Marc Colemont
April 7th, 2007, 06:36 AM
I have only one day to setup and shoot. The white background suggestion could also work indeed. Thanks