To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org>
Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2009 08:37:25 -0500
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Green screen - lighting & video editing on the cheap



Great post Hobey!
I was inspired to make a new mail folder for "Puppetry tutorials" just to save this.

B. Shur




> Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2009 08:13:18 -0500
> From: 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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