Search:

Home | Entertainment


Video Production- Chroma Key Lighting

By: Pat Bedall

Lighting a large chroma key drop is not very difficult with a little attention to detail and a few studio multi-source instruments. Chroma keying requires a lot of work and practice to achieve believable results, but the effort is rewarding. With a fundamental chroma key technique and proper lighting, you will stand a much better chance of getting the shot you want.

Lighting the Background

Successful chroma keying requires a lot of light for an even glow the blue screen with absolutely no shadows. Start with two large lights, such as 650 ARRI'S. Set them up high enough on either side of the screen so they cannot interfere too much with the subject.

This setup can remain fairly constant from shoot to shoot; you can find a set up you like and use it every time you have a chroma key shoot. Factors such as interference from foreground lights can cause problems with this lighting, but these adjustments can be fixed easily.

When setting up lights, also consider the reflection of your blue screen. Too much light can cause color bleeding, which occurs when the blue background reflects onto the subject. The easiest way to reduce the reflective properties of the blue screen is by diffusing lights with amber gels.

Lighting the Foreground

Lighting the subject properly can make the difference between a seemingly natural or artificial shot. Once your subject is positioned, place the key light. Know what your planned background will be, including the direction of the principal light. The shadows in the background image and the key light on the subject must correspond.

Also, maintain the separation of the subject lighting and background lighting. Just as key light cannot interfere with blue screen lighting, backdrop lighting cannot interfere with the foreground shot. This can be accomplished by first moving the subject away from the background. Start at least three feet away, and try to create as much distance as possible between the background and blue screen.

Now incorporate the most crucial elements: a back light and a kicker. As they would in a normal shot, these help separate the subject from the background and bring out the detail that may be lost otherwise. They also serve the additional function of minimizing spill.

The most effective way to learn about chroma key is through experimentation. After finding your ideal setup, begin rearranging and readjusting. Try different lights, bounce cards and gels. Play with the key light and background light to come up with new or interesting combinations. Above all, develop a foundation of patience and preciseness.

Article Source: http://www.newagelivingarticles.com

Metro Productions is a full-service video and multimedia production company headquartered in Virginia. Metro Productions provides clients with the ability to realize the benefits of high-end visual media products for the purpose of sales, marketing, recruitment and training. Delivery mediums for these productions include DVD, streaming media and broadcast quality High Definition applications.

Please Rate this Article

 

Not yet Rated

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Entertainment Articles Via RSS!
Additional Articles From - Home | Entertainment

 Free Traffic


banner











Sign Up for a free account or learn more.
Article Directory Software
Click here to download the exact software that powers this directory for FREE. Start your own article directory today!
Google
Top Authors
Submit Articles
Member Login
Most Popular Articles
Submission Guidelines
Ezine Notifications
Article RSS Feeds
Little Book Of Becoming
Masters of the Secret
The Singularity Is Near
Distribute Your Articles to 1000's!
Wildwind Enterprises
Bookstore
About Us
Link to Us
Contact Us
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service
Links
All Links Directory All Links Directory is 100% SEO friendly Directory and Human Edited.

Accurate Online Psychic Readings Lilly provides a unique personal empowerment, spiritual approach to intuitive readings, as well as a vast array of other resources for the spiritual seeker. Access your Spiritual Guidance and turn negative karma into spiritual gold!

Psychic Sights An extensive portal of Psychic links, Metaphysical and New Age links and resources focused on quality.

Earth Spirits.org

Gaiam.com, Inc
Spiritual Cinema Circle
Visit the metaphysical directory for a complete list of metaphysics related websites.
Royalty Free Images
NewAgeLivingArticles.com » Copyright © 2007 WildWind Enterprises
Terms of Service | Submission Guidelines | Contact Us | Link to Us| Privacy Policy | About Us | Article Submissions With A Click 100's of Sites!

Powered by Article Dashboard