Timestamps:
0:28 – What is Chroma Key?
1:30 – Reason why I am not a huge fan of Green Screen
2:44 – What I recommend
Transcript
Hey, everybody it’s Craig with Clipscribe. So, I want to talk to you about “Green Screens” and the case for not using green screen or chroma key to create your content. It’s obviously become more of a popular thing now with software like zoom, where you can just click it and it kind of does this automatic chroma key where it removes the background from your video.
Chroma Key
What is chroma key? What is key mean when you say key? You’re talking about removing something from your video and that key is usually a color. It used to be back in the day it was a blue screen, then they switched to green screen. It can be used interchangeably and it’s essentially a color that when you flip a switch, you run it through software. The software is going to go through and find every instance of that color and just remove it. and that’s how it works basically and I i think probably those specific colors are used because they’re not that kind of pure shade of green or that royal blue, they’re not common and you just tell people if they’re going to show up to a set, you say, don’t wear this, don’t wear green, don’t wear blue, you’re going to be good to go.
Add a layer of complexity
So, the reason that I’m not a huge fan of using green screen, blue screen, whatever, because it’s just going to add an extra layer of complexity to shooting your video content. So, that’s number one, it’s going to add a layer of complexity. Okay? If you’re trying to create a lot of video content, the simpler it’s going to be the better, and if you have to worry about your green screen every time and making sure your key works all right. Even when you’re using software, that doesn’t really well, it still doesn’t do it really well, you can always tell when somebody is doing a green screen simply because of the lighting it’s very difficult to get the lighting the match.
Green Screen is just an authenticity factor
So, if you’re trying to make it look like you’re on a beach, well, if you’re lighting in your office, your room doesn’t match sunlight, the color temperature of the sunlight, then it’s not going to look like you’re really at the beach. It’s going to look fake. That’s the second reason I’m not a big fan of green screens it’s just an authenticity factor. I would recommend setting up space where you can create your video content that is real. It’s your space, it’s your office it could be your office, it could be a room in your house, it could be whatever, but it’s an authentic space. It’s really you and obviously, you can decorate it. You do whatever you want to make it look, more you, but it just adds to the authenticity when you’re not using a green screen in the fake background. And again, I’m not anyway criticizing anybody who uses a green screen and I know it’s fun, it’s a very popular thing right now, so, no criticism at all this is just my opinion and it’s what I like to do and this is why I like to do it.
Right Lighting
The other thing is and this goes along with adding complexity and it goes along with lighting, is that in order to a green screen right? You have to have the right lighting, okay? You really need to have studio lights and not only do you have to like yourself, but you have to light your green screen and that’s part of why you’re adding that complexity. Not only are you going to have to set up a green screen ideally? And of course, you can use the one where it just figures it out and removes your background and guesses at it, but again, it’s going to look really all that, you’re going to have the artifacts around the edges of your head or your body. If you want it to look really clean and really legit, you’re going to have to light yourself and then you’re going to have to light the screen, because the point and the reason that in studios they have a backlight which shines a light on the back of your head is to separate you from that background, to separate you from that green screen.
And so, unless you’re going to have that studio set up with the studio lighting that’s going to stay there all the time, or you’re going to have to tear it down and put it back up again. Well, again, that adds to the complexity factor of it all, and if you’re trying to create consistent content regularly, it’s just going to add to it. So I recommend, pass on the green screen. Again, just my opinion, you do you, you do what you’re comfortable with, but don’t feel bad, don’t feel pressured. Like I’m more professional if I use a green screen because not everybody would agree with that. I don’t really agree with it. So don’t feel bad if you want to go organic and you want to go authentic, I do recommend having space and making your space interesting and decorating it, and using some lighting in the background.
Just make it interesting, but that doesn’t mean that you definitely have to use a green screen. You don’t think of the comments. Are you a fan? Do you like using green screen, blue screen? Have you tried it? Did it frustrate you? Do you love it? Whatever you be the judge, let me know what you think and I’d love to hear about it.
This is Craig Lillard with Clipscribe. So, let me know what you and I look forward to seeing you on another video with extremely common colors.
