Blue Screen vs. Green Screen at DVinfo.net

Scott Burbank · January 13th, 2003, 12:46 AM

Which is better to use Blue or green screen when shooting DV?
Question for those in B.C. Where is a place to rent one?

thanks
Scott

Dylan Couper · January 13th, 2003, 01:31 AM

Everyone I see nowadays is green.

Try renting from Lorne Lapham. Their website is www.llsr.com
If you can't get one from them, e-mail me, I might be able to find you one.

Robert Knecht Schmidt · January 13th, 2003, 06:03 AM

Green, because the DV format allots more bits for the green channel than the others--a design decision in harmony with the human visual system. (Humans are naturally more sensitive to green than red or blue.)

K. Forman · January 13th, 2003, 07:52 AM

I believe that I read somewhere, that if you are shooting a light-haired, light- skinned subject, use a green screen. The most important thing to remember either way, is to keep the subject about four to five feet from the screen, keep it VERY SMOOTH, and evenly light the scene.
And if push comes to shove, you can buy the muslin from a fabric store fairly cheap, and mix your own dye with Ritz dye. The color is fairly easy to achieve.
Good luck,
Keith

Llewellyn Thomas · January 18th, 2003, 02:00 PM

Hi

Could anyone please give me some atvice on filming blue screen work with DV PAL.

Shooting with a Canon XL1s, post with premiere and aftter Effects.

Any comments will be greatly appreciated.

Llewellyn

Dylan Couper · January 18th, 2003, 02:07 PM

Make sure you light the screen evenly, very important.

Get your subjects as far forward from the screen as possible. This will cut down on any blue coming from the screen being reflected on them. If you are still getting some blue on them, light them from behind with a kicker to help cut it down.

And obviously, make sure your subjects aren't wearing blue.... :)

Steve Leone · January 18th, 2003, 04:51 PM

I usually use some straw or 1/4 CTO on the back lights

Joe Carney · January 18th, 2003, 09:18 PM

I've always heard Green was a better choice for dv25.
I guess it depends on what you are shooting.

K. Forman · January 19th, 2003, 05:40 AM

I have heard, that if the subjects are fair haired and light skinned, green is better. Either way, be sure that the screen is very smooth, no wrinkles or sags. Even Premiere should be able to easily key out the solid color. Or, as you would say it, colour :)
Keith

Steve Leone · January 19th, 2003, 11:36 AM

yeah, I always use green in fact....havent used blue in probably 15 years.....Ultimattes always seem to use "Ultimatte Green"....Roscoe sells the paint.....

Dylan Couper · January 19th, 2003, 02:23 PM

Green is better, but if you already have blue, what can ya do?

Ron Johnson · January 19th, 2003, 11:15 PM

Rosco's website lists these matte finish paints in 1 gallon units:

Rosco # Name Phase Angle Luminance
#05710 Chroma Key Blue 342° 52
#05711 Chroma Key Green 242° 57

Does anyone know the Pantone # equivalent of these colors?

Ron Johnson
Portland, OR

Steve Leone · January 20th, 2003, 09:07 AM

Hey ron, I lived in Portland for 11 years untill a few months ago......things still tough out there?? was no work when I left.....I used to live over by Mt Tabor.......

Ron Johnson · March 25th, 2003, 11:31 AM

I recently found a short tutorial on Chromakey with the following claims for Pantone color equivalents (so one can purchase ordinary paints rahter than the very expensive ones).

http://members.spinn.net/~medendog/effects.html

Chromakey BLUE: Pantone 2735

Chromakey GREEN: Pantone 354

Both should be FLAT finish

RJ

John Lee · May 28th, 2003, 12:10 AM

I can say that my experience with green screens has not been good in the past, but I've read a bunch of literature recently that suggests green is the way to go with DV.

I tried using green a couple years ago, back then I was using premiere 5.5 I think, and a hi-8 sony camcorder. I could never get it to work exactly right, I had a backdrop that I was able to salvage, but despite hours of tinkering with the lights the results were unacceptable. I went to wal-mart, I bought about 15 bright blue posterboards, assembled them on the wall, got the lighting even, and the results were terrific.

However, that was on a hi-8 camera, which if memory serves me correctly, had less than 70,000 pixels. Consequently, any problems with the detail in the picture were probably blurred. I imagine that dv is much more sensitive, and that a green screen properly put to use would probably work. I'll be trying it out very soon, I hope it's as easy to use as the blue screen I used to have.

January 13th, 2003, 12:46 AM	#1
Scott Burbank Regular Crew Join Date: May 2002 Location: Burnaby, B.C. Canada Posts: 50	Blue or Green Which is better to use Blue or green screen when shooting DV? Question for those in B.C. Where is a place to rent one? thanks Scott

January 13th, 2003, 06:03 AM	#3
Robert Knecht Schmidt Wrangler Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 1,933	Yeah, green Green, because the DV format allots more bits for the green channel than the others--a design decision in harmony with the human visual system. (Humans are naturally more sensitive to green than red or blue.) __________________ All the best, Robert K S Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| The best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

January 18th, 2003, 02:00 PM	#5
Llewellyn Thomas New Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 21	Blue screen Hi Could anyone please give me some atvice on filming blue screen work with DV PAL. Shooting with a Canon XL1s, post with premiere and aftter Effects. Any comments will be greatly appreciated. Llewellyn

January 18th, 2003, 04:51 PM	#7
Steve Leone Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 116	blue screen I usually use some straw or 1/4 CTO on the back lights __________________ Omens carry only as much weight as we choose to assign them.

January 19th, 2003, 11:36 AM	#10
Steve Leone Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 116	key yeah, I always use green in fact....havent used blue in probably 15 years.....Ultimattes always seem to use "Ultimatte Green"....Roscoe sells the paint..... __________________ Omens carry only as much weight as we choose to assign them.

January 13th, 2003, 01:31 AM	#2
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	Everyone I see nowadays is green. Try renting from Lorne Lapham. Their website is www.llsr.com If you can't get one from them, e-mail me, I might be able to find you one.

January 13th, 2003, 07:52 AM	#4
K. Forman Capt. Quirk Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Middle of the woods in Georgia Posts: 3,596	I believe that I read somewhere, that if you are shooting a light-haired, light- skinned subject, use a green screen. The most important thing to remember either way, is to keep the subject about four to five feet from the screen, keep it VERY SMOOTH, and evenly light the scene. And if push comes to shove, you can buy the muslin from a fabric store fairly cheap, and mix your own dye with Ritz dye. The color is fairly easy to achieve. Good luck, Keith

January 18th, 2003, 02:07 PM	#6
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	Make sure you light the screen evenly, very important. Get your subjects as far forward from the screen as possible. This will cut down on any blue coming from the screen being reflected on them. If you are still getting some blue on them, light them from behind with a kicker to help cut it down. And obviously, make sure your subjects aren't wearing blue.... :)

January 18th, 2003, 09:18 PM	#8
Joe Carney Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Centreville Va Posts: 1,828	I've always heard Green was a better choice for dv25. I guess it depends on what you are shooting.

January 19th, 2003, 05:40 AM	#9
K. Forman Capt. Quirk Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Middle of the woods in Georgia Posts: 3,596	I have heard, that if the subjects are fair haired and light skinned, green is better. Either way, be sure that the screen is very smooth, no wrinkles or sags. Even Premiere should be able to easily key out the solid color. Or, as you would say it, colour :) Keith

January 19th, 2003, 02:23 PM	#11
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	Green is better, but if you already have blue, what can ya do?

January 19th, 2003, 11:15 PM	#12
Ron Johnson Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 103	Rosco's website lists these matte finish paints in 1 gallon units: Rosco # Name Phase Angle Luminance #05710 Chroma Key Blue 342° 52 #05711 Chroma Key Green 242° 57 Does anyone know the Pantone # equivalent of these colors? Ron Johnson Portland, OR __________________ Ron Johnson Portland, OR

January 20th, 2003, 09:07 AM	#13
Steve Leone Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 116	Ultimatte Hey ron, I lived in Portland for 11 years untill a few months ago......things still tough out there?? was no work when I left.....I used to live over by Mt Tabor....... __________________ Omens carry only as much weight as we choose to assign them.

March 25th, 2003, 11:31 AM	#14
Ron Johnson Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 103	I recently found a short tutorial on Chromakey with the following claims for Pantone color equivalents (so one can purchase ordinary paints rahter than the very expensive ones). http://members.spinn.net/~medendog/effects.html Chromakey BLUE: Pantone 2735 Chromakey GREEN: Pantone 354 Both should be FLAT finish RJ __________________ Ron Johnson Portland, OR

May 28th, 2003, 12:10 AM	#15
John Lee Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Silver Spring, MD Posts: 152	I can say that my experience with green screens has not been good in the past, but I've read a bunch of literature recently that suggests green is the way to go with DV. I tried using green a couple years ago, back then I was using premiere 5.5 I think, and a hi-8 sony camcorder. I could never get it to work exactly right, I had a backdrop that I was able to salvage, but despite hours of tinkering with the lights the results were unacceptable. I went to wal-mart, I bought about 15 bright blue posterboards, assembled them on the wall, got the lighting even, and the results were terrific. However, that was on a hi-8 camera, which if memory serves me correctly, had less than 70,000 pixels. Consequently, any problems with the detail in the picture were probably blurred. I imagine that dv is much more sensitive, and that a green screen properly put to use would probably work. I'll be trying it out very soon, I hope it's as easy to use as the blue screen I used to have. __________________ John Lee Levelse7en@gmail.com