" Pirates of the Caribbean : The Curse of the Black Pearl " is afantasy - dangerous undertaking moviewith an all - star cast thatgrossedmore than $ 46 million in its 2003 opening weekend .
Tommy Wiseau ’s " The Room " is an independent photographic film about criminal conversation and framed spoonful . Nicknamed"the ' Citizen Kane ' of bad movies , " it ’s get a craze following now , but this eccentric little drama only made$1,900during its original theatrical run .
Oddly enough , these two projects have a few things in common . They both came out in 2003 — and they both used unripened screens . So do all kinds of different movies , from " Avengers : Endgame " to " The Wolf of Wall Street . "
Green screens let creators mix parts of two separate images or videos . Want to watchGandalf the Greywax philosophic on a mountaintop ? You could film that on fix , certain . Or you could put actor Ian McKellen in front of a rampart - sized immature CRT screen and then add the furrowed backdrop afterward .
Thismagic trickis nothing new ; 1940 ’s " The Thief of Baghdad " relied on the same canonical technique . But have you ever enquire how it works ?
How to Use a Green Screen
greenish screens are part of aspecial effectsprocess that ’s variously called " chroma key compositing , " " chroma keying " and " people of color keying . " But we ’d say the most descriptive name is the one the British Broadcasting Corporation ( or BBC ) favor : " color breakup overlay . "
In today ’s Hollywood , the method ispretty aboveboard . First the studio apartment sets up a flat , smooth surface — like a literal screen , a flat solid of fabric or a painted rampart . Whatever it is , the thing has to be undifferentiated in color .
Next , the performer act out their conniption with the monochrome surface right behind them . The effects artists use information processing system software specifically project for this job to filter out everything in the shot that matches a pre - choose color .
So if , say , the backdrop is a vibrant green — and you ’ve told the software to digitally hit that color — then the background surface will become transparent . It can then be interchange with a still image or a unlike telecasting feed .
Just like that , the actors are as if by magic transported from a green - lined set to some far-off planet . Or maybe adinosaur paddocklike the ones in " Jurassic Park . " The possibilities are host .
Blue Screen vs Green Screen
Usually , the screens and backcloth used in these visual effects shots come in one of two colors : Green or downhearted .
Why is that ? allow ’s suppose you ’ve got something in the foreground ( like a costume piece or green filmdom lawsuit ) that ’s the same colour as your backcloth . The software might fail to see the difference and then erase the aim mechanically .
Granted , this could work in your favor — but only if it ’s designed .
So when choose a backcloth color , anything that resembles human hide tones is probably a non - starter . Ca n’t have the leading gentlewoman ’s hands and face disappear without warning . ( Not unless she ’s playingSue Stormanyway . )
Bright fleeceable and regal spicy look nothing like human skin . And they ’re rarely used in costumes . For these reasons , they ’ve become the two most popular backcloth color choices in scene that bet on chroma keying tech .
Because modernistic cameras have an light metre single gullible out , you ’re more potential to see green covert than dispirited single on today ’s movie hardening . Also , it ’s severe toget the inflammation rightwith low screens .
Do n’t get us incorrect , though . There ’s mass of elbow room for both . In " Spider - Man " ( 2002 ) , the title case swings around New York City in his trademark dreary and red tights . Whereas his archnemesis the Green Goblin wears … well , he wears fleeceable . ( Duh . )
For theflying scene , the crowd had to put Spider - Man in front of a green screenland and the Goblin in front of abluescreen . That way , both characters bear out against their various backdrops .
Common Green Screen Mistakes
Besides accidentally wearing things that equalise the background color , there are a few other mistakes you ’ll want to forfend while playing around with the chroma keying process .
Green Screen Lighting
seek to light the actual " screen " ( or wall or what - have - you ) as evenly as potential . That ’ll make it much easy to edit out of the crack .
Also , since you ’re combining two separate figure of speech , definitely see if you’re able to get the lighting to synchronise up . If the thespian on cover throw off a phantom in one direction , but the shadows in the background movie point the other way , your interview willspot the mismatch .
Green Screen Wrinkles
immature cover should be kept wrinkle - spare , or you ’ll run away into that odd kindling issue again . Keep the screen taut while you take — and considerironing or steam - cleaning itas needed .
Green Screen Shadows
Properly staging the actor(s ) is of import , too . check that none of the people or aim in the foreground are casting shadow now onto the screen . For best resolution , put some space between them and the backdrop .
DIY Green Screens
We live on at a time when chroma keying is n’t just for the major connection and studios any longer . Vloggers and YouTubers can now take full vantage of this engineering . Zoom even has avirtual screen background featurewhich have participant pose themselves in front of sandy beach , city landmarks or whatever else tickle their fantasy .
According to the caller ’s website , this feature " works best with a physical greenish sieve and uniform light to allow Zoom to discover the difference between you and your background . "
fortunately , a household light-green concealment may be purchase forunder $ 50 . Some model even issue forth with their ownediting software . So go forth and make cool visuals !
