Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2009 08:13:18 -0500
From: "Hobey Ford" <hobeyone-AT-gmail.com>
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Subject: [Puptcrit] Green screen - lighting & video editing on the cheap


Ever want to get into video keying or green screening ? (like the
weatherman standing in front of the map which isn't really there)  I
have built a green screen in my shop and installed some permanent
lighting.  I cleared on wall of my rehearsal space above the shop and
covered the two windows with cheap  linoleum floor covering.  Then to
eliminate the edge between the floor and wall I created a curved
"sweep" by using linoleum again.  Instead of costly green screen paint
I bought the most luminous lime green flat paint I could find.  For
lighting I am using four flourescent double fixtures but I replaced
the ballasts inside the fixtures with electronic ballasts which cost
around $20 each.  This eliminates the 60 cycle flicker which messes up
the video.  It is also important to back light the area with
adjustable spotlights with amber gels on them to create a lit edge on
your puppets in a contrasting color from the green.  For each video
shoot I set up soft filtered overhead lighting on the puppets which
are played several feet from the green screen.  The width of the
screen is 25 feet and height is 8'  The floor is also painted green
coming out 4 feet from the wall.  For  a small green screen you can by
cheap vinyl party table clothes and tape them on the wall.

For video editing I am using final cut pro on my mac which has "color
keying" effects to process the video. If you have a Mac, Final cut
comes in a simple "express " version for around $200.  For PC use
adobe premiere which comes in a cheap ($139) version called)  Premiere
elements.  These softwares require a considerable  learning curve but
have professional quality results if you use a professional camera and
know what you are doing.  You can get great result however with your
home digital video camera, especially for promo tapes or how to videos
not for the big screen but for viewing on laptops or TV.

Your digital home video camera is fine for youtube resolution but I
hire a camera man friend with his expensive camera to do professional
quality shoots and then edit them myself.  This saves a lot of money
and pays for itself quickly.

For a green screen gloves and suit I bought double stretch lime green
velour and sewed jammies, booties and gloves.  To sew gloves (also
works for black velour) trace your hand on a poster board and then
widen and modify the lines so that  no finger or thumb is narrower
than 1 3/16" wide and ad a 1/2" around the wrist and arm on each side.
cut out this template.  lay two layers of double stretch (streches in
both directions) velour on a table with the velour sides face to face.
 trace the template on the fabric with chalk and sew the along the
lines with a zig zag stitch. A surger is better if you have one but I
dont.  now cut away the excess fabric not to close to the stitch and
turn inside out.  For a hood visor they make lime green netting. use
several layers an sew the into the face window on a velour hood.  I
also keep lime green tent fabric and extra velour on hand to mask
things.  They make lime green duct tape for rods but beware its murder
to remove.  Also keep flourescent green poster board on hand as well.
It can serve as a green screen too or as masking.

Video keying takes some experimentation and ivestment of time but you
can start making your own keyed videos likke the big boys and girls.
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