FX-1 Chroma Key GREAT RESULTS at DVinfo.net

Eric James · April 12th, 2005, 02:46 AM

Hey Everyone,
I have some very good news. Let me first just say I have no experience with chroma keying. I've never done it before in my life. I read a webpage about HDV keying that was put up by Fredrick (Lumiere HD). He basically says it sucks and it may just be worse than DV. This inspired me to try it out for myself. Here was my process

1) I headed out to office depot and bought a bright green poster board.
2) Hung it off a mic stand and lit with 2 1k's from home depot, 1 300watt for hair light.
3) Filmed myself wiggling around....:)
4) Brought the footage in and converted to 10bit uncompressed.
5) Got an image from the internet of a highway by the beach.
6) Pulled the key using primatte. (Never used before in my life)

For my test I chose to show a moving frame because I've heard that the interlacing makes it harder on the keyer...a better test.

Here are my results:
Starting Image:
http://www.expertmagic.com/dvinfo/keytests/raw.jpg

Key:
http://www.expertmagic.com/dvinfo/keytests/alpha.jpg

Final Comp:
http://www.expertmagic.com/dvinfo/keytests/comp.jpg

Video Crop of key 720x480(not scaled but CROPPED, still full res):
http://www.expertmagic.com/dvinfo/keytests/keyvideo.mov

Now is it just me or is that a great key?
Again I've never done this before but I couldn't be happier with the results.

Final Note: This isn't even using a smoothing filter such as Gnicer, just the raw 4:2:0

Let me know what you all think.
Thanks,
Eric James

Johan Manders · April 12th, 2005, 03:09 AM

Really well done! Great key indeed!
I have to try this also.
What program did you use?

Bryan McCullough · April 12th, 2005, 09:19 AM

Good gravey!

Whatever you did, you did it right!

(Bryan plans a trip to Office Depot for green poster board...)

George Griswold · April 12th, 2005, 01:49 PM

You're hired... looks good to me......

Steven Gotz · April 12th, 2005, 02:11 PM

In order to find the best color to key, I suggest that you take your camera into the fabric store and hardware store and shoot a bunch of material. Take it home and see which keys out the easiest and buy that.

Dominic Jones · April 12th, 2005, 02:36 PM

That's great news - I was worried about having to hire a 750WS every time i needed to key... Perhaps that's not going to be the case!

BTW, great work for a first key - congratulations!!

Eric James · April 13th, 2005, 02:09 AM

Hey Guys,
Thanks for the kind words. I think the secret is in the primatte keyer.

MORE NEWS:
I ordered a 9x20 chroma cloth so in the next week or so I'll be putting my findings to the real test. Anyone have any ideas for what to shoot? Sci-fi? Action scene? I would love any ideas.

Thanks,
Eric James

Daniel Broadway · April 14th, 2005, 09:14 AM

Hey guys. Here are a couple of examples I tried with FX-1 footage. You can get awesome results by downrezzing to SD and then keying....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...reencomp01.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...reencomp02.jpg

Steven White · April 14th, 2005, 11:08 AM

Holycrap I'm on Couruscant!

Nice work there Daniel.

-Steve

Eric James · April 14th, 2005, 12:58 PM

Gotta love this stuff!
Great keys Daniel.

-Eric

Bryan McCullough · April 14th, 2005, 01:06 PM

Daniel,

What did you use to key?

Brandon Greenlee · April 14th, 2005, 01:35 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Eric James : Hey Guys,
Thanks for the kind words. I think the secret is in the primatte keyer.-->>

First off that looks incredible!

Secondly, I have no experience at all keying... What is primatte and what exactly does it do?

Thanks alot!

Daniel Broadway · April 14th, 2005, 01:50 PM

Thanks for the responce guys. I'm using Primatte for keying. I've had LOTS of practice keying because I am studying to be a feature film compositor in college.

Bryan McCullough · April 14th, 2005, 01:54 PM

I need someone to get great keying results with something that doesn't cost $500.

:p

Greg Harris · April 14th, 2005, 02:07 PM

how did you do that, and what program did you use?

April 12th, 2005, 02:46 AM	#1
Eric James Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 126	FX-1 Chroma Key GREAT RESULTS Hey Everyone, I have some very good news. Let me first just say I have no experience with chroma keying. I've never done it before in my life. I read a webpage about HDV keying that was put up by Fredrick (Lumiere HD). He basically says it sucks and it may just be worse than DV. This inspired me to try it out for myself. Here was my process 1) I headed out to office depot and bought a bright green poster board. 2) Hung it off a mic stand and lit with 2 1k's from home depot, 1 300watt for hair light. 3) Filmed myself wiggling around....:) 4) Brought the footage in and converted to 10bit uncompressed. 5) Got an image from the internet of a highway by the beach. 6) Pulled the key using primatte. (Never used before in my life) For my test I chose to show a moving frame because I've heard that the interlacing makes it harder on the keyer...a better test. Here are my results: Starting Image: http://www.expertmagic.com/dvinfo/keytests/raw.jpg Key: http://www.expertmagic.com/dvinfo/keytests/alpha.jpg Final Comp: http://www.expertmagic.com/dvinfo/keytests/comp.jpg Video Crop of key 720x480(not scaled but CROPPED, still full res): http://www.expertmagic.com/dvinfo/keytests/keyvideo.mov Now is it just me or is that a great key? Again I've never done this before but I couldn't be happier with the results. Final Note: This isn't even using a smoothing filter such as Gnicer, just the raw 4:2:0 Let me know what you all think. Thanks, Eric James

April 12th, 2005, 01:49 PM	#4
George Griswold Major Player Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: New Orleans, LA Posts: 218	You're hired... looks good to me...... __________________ George T. Griswold, Jr. www.videonow.info New Orleans

April 12th, 2005, 02:11 PM	#5
Steven Gotz Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Clermont, FL Posts: 1,520	In order to find the best color to key, I suggest that you take your camera into the fabric store and hardware store and shoot a bunch of material. Take it home and see which keys out the easiest and buy that. __________________ Steven Gotz http://www.stevengotz.com

April 14th, 2005, 01:35 PM	#12
Brandon Greenlee Major Player Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: North Alabama Posts: 242	<<<-- Originally posted by Eric James : Hey Guys, Thanks for the kind words. I think the secret is in the primatte keyer.-->> First off that looks incredible! Secondly, I have no experience at all keying... What is primatte and what exactly does it do? Thanks alot! __________________ Brandon Greenlee

April 12th, 2005, 03:09 AM	#2
Johan Manders Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 50	Really well done! Great key indeed! I have to try this also. What program did you use?

April 12th, 2005, 09:19 AM	#3
Bryan McCullough Major Player Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Richardson, TX Posts: 842	Good gravey! Whatever you did, you did it right! (Bryan plans a trip to Office Depot for green poster board...)

April 12th, 2005, 02:36 PM	#6
Dominic Jones Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Brighton, England Posts: 225	That's great news - I was worried about having to hire a 750WS every time i needed to key... Perhaps that's not going to be the case! BTW, great work for a first key - congratulations!!

April 13th, 2005, 02:09 AM	#7
Eric James Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 126	Hey Guys, Thanks for the kind words. I think the secret is in the primatte keyer. MORE NEWS: I ordered a 9x20 chroma cloth so in the next week or so I'll be putting my findings to the real test. Anyone have any ideas for what to shoot? Sci-fi? Action scene? I would love any ideas. Thanks, Eric James

April 14th, 2005, 09:14 AM	#8
Daniel Broadway Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Alabama Posts: 165	Hey guys. Here are a couple of examples I tried with FX-1 footage. You can get awesome results by downrezzing to SD and then keying.... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...reencomp01.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...reencomp02.jpg

April 14th, 2005, 11:08 AM	#9
Steven White Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 547	Holycrap I'm on Couruscant! Nice work there Daniel. -Steve

April 14th, 2005, 12:58 PM	#10
Eric James Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 126	Gotta love this stuff! Great keys Daniel. -Eric

April 14th, 2005, 01:06 PM	#11
Bryan McCullough Major Player Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Richardson, TX Posts: 842	Daniel, What did you use to key?

April 14th, 2005, 01:50 PM	#13
Daniel Broadway Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Alabama Posts: 165	Thanks for the responce guys. I'm using Primatte for keying. I've had LOTS of practice keying because I am studying to be a feature film compositor in college.

April 14th, 2005, 01:54 PM	#14
Bryan McCullough Major Player Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Richardson, TX Posts: 842	I need someone to get great keying results with something that doesn't cost $500. :p

April 14th, 2005, 02:07 PM	#15
Greg Harris Major Player Join Date: May 2004 Location: Fairfax, VA Posts: 356	how did you do that, and what program did you use?