Chroma Key That Fuzzy Hair! at DVinfo.net

Kevin Wayne Jones · November 21st, 2008, 02:14 PM

Hi,
I'm trying to do some chroma key shot of a female subject with fuzzy hair using the tools available with FCP Studio 2.
Could someone give me a few tips on how to deal with the hair?
I'm pulling a good key everywhere except the curls of her hair.
Any suggestion would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Kevin Jones

Cole McDonald · November 21st, 2008, 06:56 PM

screen shot? frame grab?

Kevin Wayne Jones · November 21st, 2008, 09:57 PM

Footage of talent doing a surgical procedure in front of a green-screen.
Everything keys well except her hair. Some of the locks wiggle a bit.

kj

Cole McDonald · November 22nd, 2008, 12:12 AM

Right, a frame grab would allow us to take a stab at it and come up with a procedure :) Alot of these things are handled mostly the same way, with variations that would be more evident with an example of the specific problem :)

Aric Mannion · November 22nd, 2008, 07:34 PM

I use DV Matte in After Effects, but it's no longer available in AE. I mention this because it's available for Motion, and probably Final Cut as well. It's really great, and I would never use any keyer that could do any less.
In your case I would key the body, then cut the head off (with grabage ,matte I guess). The top layer would be a head, the bottom a decapitated body. Expand one of the mattes and feather them both so that there is no space between the two.
What you are trying to do is edit the color keys for head and body separately. Now you can play with the hair, Without messing up your bodies key.
I'm guessing that a higher edge feather key will look best on fuzzy hair. This is easy in AE, but FCP should be able to do it too.

Stick Tully · November 24th, 2008, 05:19 AM

Are you able to get access to a system with After Effects on it? Keylight does an amazing job of keying and comes with it these days.

Gareth Watkins · November 24th, 2008, 06:13 AM

Hi there

I'll second Keylight with After Effects...
there's a great tutorial on video copilot
VideoCopilot.net Video Tutorials & Post Production

Cheers
Gareth

Cole McDonald · November 24th, 2008, 04:16 PM

Here's one for shake (concept holds for other apps as well - even just within FCP) that covers using different keyers for different portions of the image:

Keying 101: Edge, Core & Garbage Mattes : Apple Shake Tutorial

November 21st, 2008, 02:14 PM	#1
Kevin Wayne Jones Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama Posts: 69	Chroma Key That Fuzzy Hair! Hi, I'm trying to do some chroma key shot of a female subject with fuzzy hair using the tools available with FCP Studio 2. Could someone give me a few tips on how to deal with the hair? I'm pulling a good key everywhere except the curls of her hair. Any suggestion would be appreciated. Thanks. Kevin Jones

November 21st, 2008, 06:56 PM	#2
Cole McDonald Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sauk Rapids, MN, USA Posts: 1,675	screen shot? frame grab? __________________ Web Youtube Facebook

November 22nd, 2008, 12:12 AM	#4
Cole McDonald Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sauk Rapids, MN, USA Posts: 1,675	Right, a frame grab would allow us to take a stab at it and come up with a procedure :) Alot of these things are handled mostly the same way, with variations that would be more evident with an example of the specific problem :) __________________ Web Youtube Facebook

November 24th, 2008, 04:16 PM	#8
Cole McDonald Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sauk Rapids, MN, USA Posts: 1,675	Here's one for shake (concept holds for other apps as well - even just within FCP) that covers using different keyers for different portions of the image: Keying 101: Edge, Core & Garbage Mattes : Apple Shake Tutorial __________________ Web Youtube Facebook

November 21st, 2008, 09:57 PM	#3
Kevin Wayne Jones Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama Posts: 69	Footage of talent doing a surgical procedure in front of a green-screen. Everything keys well except her hair. Some of the locks wiggle a bit. kj

November 22nd, 2008, 07:34 PM	#5
Aric Mannion Major Player Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 616	I use DV Matte in After Effects, but it's no longer available in AE. I mention this because it's available for Motion, and probably Final Cut as well. It's really great, and I would never use any keyer that could do any less. In your case I would key the body, then cut the head off (with grabage ,matte I guess). The top layer would be a head, the bottom a decapitated body. Expand one of the mattes and feather them both so that there is no space between the two. What you are trying to do is edit the color keys for head and body separately. Now you can play with the hair, Without messing up your bodies key. I'm guessing that a higher edge feather key will look best on fuzzy hair. This is easy in AE, but FCP should be able to do it too.

November 24th, 2008, 05:19 AM	#6
Stick Tully Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brighton Posts: 92	Are you able to get access to a system with After Effects on it? Keylight does an amazing job of keying and comes with it these days.

November 24th, 2008, 06:13 AM	#7
Gareth Watkins Major Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: France Posts: 578	Hi there I'll second Keylight with After Effects... there's a great tutorial on video copilot VideoCopilot.net Video Tutorials & Post Production Cheers Gareth