Video production - green screen technique with paper, muslin or paint?

Lighting, including backlighting is key. We use 4-5 LED's and a keylight and achieve very satisfactory results. Search Youtube for 3 piece lighting and get the basics then add additional lights for the desired effect.

Paper's isn't a good idea, Cloths are better for videos , Though I am not much expert in videos, shooting or editing.

Use a steam iron to get the wrinkles out. And as blackhatting said, get lots more light. You may want to try backlighting the green screen cloth.

I use muslin cloth and get great results. If you want to get the wrinkles out fully, you need to get the backdrop stand and the tension clips and they will pull it so taut you won't have any wrinkles.

Also, if you don't want to invest in the stand, you can tack it to the wall and pull it as tight as you can and then set your iron to the lowest setting. Do not make direct contact with the cloth, but hold your iron roughly a half inch away from the cloth and just let the steam run over the cloth. If you put the iron directly on the cloth you will definitely melt it, especially if you have the crepe paper like background cloth behind the muslin cloth.

Also, you will need more than 2 soft box lights to get an even key. Chances are it looks even to the naked eye but you most likely have hot spots if all you are using is 2 soft boxes.

I use 2 soft boxes and then two utility lights I bought at Home Dept that I rigged on the ceiling about 4 feet in front of the middle of the screen. This way the soft box lights will light the two outer sides of the screen and the above lighting help evenly light the middle of the screen. I use 2 additional soft boxes to light myself and place them at a 45 degree angle on my left and right side about 4 feet in front of me.

Also, you will want to stand at least 8-10 feet (3 meters) in front of your screen. This will help to negate any shadowing, which can cause you major headaches when you go to edit.

Getting an even key is almost impossible using the naked eye. They have some great smartphone apps that can help point out hot spots and allow you to evenly light your green screen. Good even lighting of your screen and eliminating shadows are probably the two most important things you can do if you don't want to have a nightmare editing session.

I don't even use anything as sophisticated as Sony Vegas and I get pretty good green screen videos. The editing software has to work well, but most important are your lighting and camera.

Look for Warrior Forum member aseltz (Andrew Seltz). He's pretty good at the green screen and video stuff. He has a free guide in the War Room if you're a member. If he sees your post here, I'm sure he will reply with some ideas/tips.

everyone seems to be saying its all about the lighting (on this thread and on google)

here is a guide that I think will definitely help you out:

How-to Set Up a Professional Green Screen: 7 Top Tips


have a good one,
-Ike Paz

Hi Mike,

I got obsessed with green screen when I started out.

Spent months getting the lighting perfect, tried all the different backgrounds.

Then realised....there's nothing in internet marketing that has any great benefit by using green screen.

I was just doing it because I wanted to know and because i could.
Never used it in anger [to make money] to this day.

it's great fun but, unless your on a big film set, not too useful

How'ya keeping anyway?

Backlighting the screen was my first thought.

Second was making sure you backlight with flood bulbs rather than spotlight bulbs.

Now this is the right way to revive an old thread! Thanks.

Thanks again. I was basing my answer on a visit to a TV studio and getting a look at their weather set up. They actually used a blue screen stretched over a frame and positioned in front of a smooth white wall. The floods were pointed at the wall, using it as a reflector rather than at the screen itself. The lighting in front of the screen was many times brighter than the backlights. The result, to my eye, was a very flat blue surface.

However, I defer to your expertise.

What if all you're wanting to do is drop in images into the background, which are obviously not for the purpose of trying to make it seem like your in a different location?

Also, in this case, can you use a white background instead of green?