Green Screen Help at DVinfo.net

Dan McGuckin · June 10th, 2012, 11:10 AM

Hey all, looking for a bit of advice on my green screen project.
The ongoing series is a WWF style female wrestling series that I'm doing for a customer in Chile.
Now, I have the garage halved off as a green screen, and that part is all fine.
The wrestlers wrestle on black, interlocking foam mats, and the problem I'm having is that the mats obviously don't key into the screen, and they reflect the green a little bit, so I get a little artifacts here and there on the mat.

Any clue how to key out the mat as well? I was thinking of taping over the entire mat with green duct tape, which I use on my screen as well. Yes, that's alot of tape, and my question is, will it look crazy, with people wrestling ON an actual part that is keyed out?
I know shadows mess a green screen up, but what effect will people actually rolling around on the green surface have?

Jordan Hooper · June 10th, 2012, 09:20 PM

I haven't tried what you're proposing, but my guess is that you'll have problems with replacing the mats with some other footage due to the deformation of the mats by the wrestlers. It might look like they're going below the plane of the floor.

Tape up a spare piece of mat or something, record some footage of you stepping on it, then try to key and replace it. See what happens.

Trying to key out the mats might be very difficult, especially if you use tape because it might start to get ripped up. Maybe keep the black mats and try to move your lighting and camera(s) around to avoid reflections. It also usually helps to have your green screen as far back as possible from the action. Or try to get mats that are more flat (non-relective).

I'm not sure, just throwing ideas out there. Good luck.

Jacques Mersereau · June 11th, 2012, 07:18 PM

Honestly, I would find some canvas or something that looks appropriate for the camera to cover the floor, and forget about making it green and trying to key it. That is a TON of work, which can be avoided
by using the right floor - unless you have plans for them to wrestle in some other foreign place and need to key. That would still be a lot of work as anything pressed up against green - is shaded by green and moving around is a pain.

Best.

June 10th, 2012, 11:10 AM	#1
Dan McGuckin Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 71	Green Screen Help Hey all, looking for a bit of advice on my green screen project. The ongoing series is a WWF style female wrestling series that I'm doing for a customer in Chile. Now, I have the garage halved off as a green screen, and that part is all fine. The wrestlers wrestle on black, interlocking foam mats, and the problem I'm having is that the mats obviously don't key into the screen, and they reflect the green a little bit, so I get a little artifacts here and there on the mat. Any clue how to key out the mat as well? I was thinking of taping over the entire mat with green duct tape, which I use on my screen as well. Yes, that's alot of tape, and my question is, will it look crazy, with people wrestling ON an actual part that is keyed out? I know shadows mess a green screen up, but what effect will people actually rolling around on the green surface have?

June 10th, 2012, 09:20 PM	#2
Jordan Hooper Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vernon, BC. Canada Posts: 111	Re: Green Screen Help I haven't tried what you're proposing, but my guess is that you'll have problems with replacing the mats with some other footage due to the deformation of the mats by the wrestlers. It might look like they're going below the plane of the floor. Tape up a spare piece of mat or something, record some footage of you stepping on it, then try to key and replace it. See what happens. Trying to key out the mats might be very difficult, especially if you use tape because it might start to get ripped up. Maybe keep the black mats and try to move your lighting and camera(s) around to avoid reflections. It also usually helps to have your green screen as far back as possible from the action. Or try to get mats that are more flat (non-relective). I'm not sure, just throwing ideas out there. Good luck.

June 11th, 2012, 07:18 PM	#3
Jacques Mersereau Trustee Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 1,334	Re: Green Screen Help Honestly, I would find some canvas or something that looks appropriate for the camera to cover the floor, and forget about making it green and trying to key it. That is a TON of work, which can be avoided by using the right floor - unless you have plans for them to wrestle in some other foreign place and need to key. That would still be a lot of work as anything pressed up against green - is shaded by green and moving around is a pain. Best. __________________ Jacques Mersereau University of Michigan-Video Studio Manager