Need advice on green screen & lighiting at DVinfo.net

Shawn Whiting · October 31st, 2009, 02:39 AM

Hey Everyone,

I'm going to list my questions with numbers so i can track your responses easier.

1. So This will be my first attempt at using green screen, and i was wondering if anyone had any beginner info for me, especially related to this camera (hmc150).

2. I'll be using the green screen behind subjects that im interviewing, so i probably wont buy that large of a sheet. Any advice on what i should be looking for in purchasing a green screen? Any place more reputable for ordering one online?

3. Other thing im worried about is lighting it evenly. Only thing ive got right now is clamp lights. Any sort of low budget solution to lighting the thing evenly?

4. The room im shooting the interviews in has fluorescent lights above, and daylight from the side, but i could kill the daylight with blinds if i dont want it hitting the green screen. Is that something i should be worried about?

5. Anything else I need to know?

Thanks so much!

- Shawn

Marcello Mazzilli · October 31st, 2009, 03:36 AM

If you just need a small thing for the background I'll go with Lastolite (or similar) foldable green backgrounds. They don't have folding lines like a normal cloth.
When it comes to lights less is better. More than the "even light" problem I'll concentrate on a "no shadows " problem. Modern softwares can work quite good with a colour not so even.
Somebody uses a second light to lit the background with a green filter to colour the shades. But be careful because some green might end up on your main subject

Shawn Whiting · November 1st, 2009, 10:07 PM

Cool thanks Mazz, Anyone else care to recommend a type of light i could use to give the screen even lighting? All i have right now are some clamp lights. And of course if you could answer the other 1 - 5 questions or refer me to a good article that would be great. Thanks!

- Shawn

Steve Rusk · November 2nd, 2009, 09:34 AM

I use a couple of rifa softboxes which work fairly well for our needs...a guy I know bounces his hard lights off white walls to generate a fairly even light throw on the screen. FWIW: I saw a $50 free-standing light at an Ikea that was covered with white paper. Seems like 1 of these on either side of the screen and loaded with bright CFL bulbs would make a fairly cheap light bank.

As the other guy said, getting the subject far enough away from the screen is critical to avoiding spill, which is my biggest problem in normal sized rooms.

October 31st, 2009, 02:39 AM	#1
Shawn Whiting Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Blacksburg VA Posts: 75	Need advice on green screen & lighiting Hey Everyone, I'm going to list my questions with numbers so i can track your responses easier. 1. So This will be my first attempt at using green screen, and i was wondering if anyone had any beginner info for me, especially related to this camera (hmc150). 2. I'll be using the green screen behind subjects that im interviewing, so i probably wont buy that large of a sheet. Any advice on what i should be looking for in purchasing a green screen? Any place more reputable for ordering one online? 3. Other thing im worried about is lighting it evenly. Only thing ive got right now is clamp lights. Any sort of low budget solution to lighting the thing evenly? 4. The room im shooting the interviews in has fluorescent lights above, and daylight from the side, but i could kill the daylight with blinds if i dont want it hitting the green screen. Is that something i should be worried about? 5. Anything else I need to know? Thanks so much! - Shawn

October 31st, 2009, 03:36 AM	#2
Marcello Mazzilli Major Player Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: ITALIA Posts: 416	If you just need a small thing for the background I'll go with Lastolite (or similar) foldable green backgrounds. They don't have folding lines like a normal cloth. When it comes to lights less is better. More than the "even light" problem I'll concentrate on a "no shadows " problem. Modern softwares can work quite good with a colour not so even. Somebody uses a second light to lit the background with a green filter to colour the shades. But be careful because some green might end up on your main subject

November 1st, 2009, 10:07 PM	#3
Shawn Whiting Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Blacksburg VA Posts: 75	Cool thanks Mazz, Anyone else care to recommend a type of light i could use to give the screen even lighting? All i have right now are some clamp lights. And of course if you could answer the other 1 - 5 questions or refer me to a good article that would be great. Thanks! - Shawn

November 2nd, 2009, 09:34 AM	#4
Steve Rusk Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Stuttgart Germany Posts: 63	I use a couple of rifa softboxes which work fairly well for our needs...a guy I know bounces his hard lights off white walls to generate a fairly even light throw on the screen. FWIW: I saw a $50 free-standing light at an Ikea that was covered with white paper. Seems like 1 of these on either side of the screen and loaded with bright CFL bulbs would make a fairly cheap light bank. As the other guy said, getting the subject far enough away from the screen is critical to avoiding spill, which is my biggest problem in normal sized rooms.