Would you love to be able to do green-screen video productions? I would like to share some useful techniques that could get you started.

I will already assume that you do have the lights, a camera and a green screen. The guide below is about on how to put them in order.

First thing, chroma green is a specific color that is working well with cameras. Do you already know about the color space of 4:2:2? Also RGB? This is what it really means, most color information is stored in the Green space of the color channel (G) on your digital camera. So the color that should be used is the green-screen.

1. Lights

Lights is the key aspect of having superb separation of your object from the green-screen – and ultimately – a good key. And when I say key, I mean when you bring the recorded material into your video editing software, your object separates well from the background.

This is what separates the pros from the amateur.

All of this boils down in to one thing, that if you have not successfully created this separation, you cannot achieve realness of the outcome with the green edges coming out on the video.

Moving on.

2. Back Light

The back light is the one that illuminates the back of you subject. Sometimes this light is higher in the air, sometimes lower (I recommend about 20% higher than your subject) but it is ALWAYS pointing at the back of your subject (in between your subject and the green-screen). The angle of the light should be 45 degrees with one light per side with the same angle. This is the ideal one.

The effect? It produces a white "halo" surrounding the edges of your subject. Like a small white or illuminated edge, it will give a superb effect with the quality of your key.

3. Light the Green-screen

There should be an even covering of light into the green screen. Ideally, there should be no brighter parts, no wrinkles, no shadows, even and green.

4. Choosing the lights

Ways of lighting that green-screen? A light on either side. Overheads and floor lights. It creates a Cyc lighting that casts an even light from the floor going up. If you don't have the necessary lights, you can rent these up at your local gear rental shop.

Personally, I use a 4-bank KinoFlo on either side of the screen. It actually depends on how much you expect the object to move.