#008 Disk Eight - Green screen For Idiots
Running Time: One Hour, Forty Minutes
Shot in NTSC but playable anywhere

Price $35.00 US plus shipping and handling
(NY State Residents Pay Sales Tax)

One of the most searched key-words that leads people to my web site involves some form of the word green screen. It's also one of the topics I most frequent get asked questions about. Whether you are new to it, or experienced with green screen, this disk will discuss everything there is to consider about how to light green screen. Using a real-world example, in this case an actual commercial, I answer the most common questions and debunk some of the myths that are on the web about how to light a green screen properly. Look at it as a discussion about how to do green screen, what goes into it, and what results you can get.

This project started out as a simple demonstration of how to light a green screen. Then I realized what a perfect example a real-world commercial would be.

First we start by showing my considerations in lighting this project. I demonstrate exactly what I do in lighting and what things to think about. I attempt to key things as I go to show you what the possibilities are. Then I show you behind the scenes of me shooting the actual spot. And then on top of it all, I take you into the edit room and show you how I put it together.

So basically you watch green screen demonstrated from start to finish. It should answer many questions, cause you to ask a few, and hopefully open your eyes to the fact that good green screen is about the entire process from start to finish and not just the screen you hang in front of someone and the lights you use. If you liked the articles on this site about green screen then this DVD will blow you away.

Above is a link to a sample of the video and the finished commercial that I will use on the DVD showing you how its all done with no budget and a little bit of ingenuity. And in that link is also the same commercial shown in its unprocessed form to show you a bit of the raw footage played in the same timeframe as the commercial but minus the "tricks". For the money you will not find a resource like this anywhere.

NOTE: I get numerous emails asking me if this disk covers shooting with various formats (eg: Do you cover shooting with HDV). The answer is no. Why? The essence of how to do green screen has little to do with format. I don't do green
screen work any different whether I am using DV or HDCAM. Yes some formats key slightly better than others, but lighting for green screen has universal traits. Mostly it's post production techniques that make up for lesser formats.
It starts with understanding how to light the screen, turning it off and
lighting the talent for the environment you are going to be placing hem
in, and goes to edit where, using various filters you create the key.