Need assistance with Green/Blue Screen in Film

[LightUrple]

I guess I should use this as an opportunity to introduce myself since I'm new to the boards. I'm actually also new to LA, and I'm in the process of working on a short that I would love to submit to various film festivals, as well as use the footage for a production demo reel. I don't, however, have any experience with green screens and was hoping someone on this board would be able to offer their assistance. I have one shot (tentatively more) where one character has to appear in multiple locations. Think Multiplicity, but not nearly as complicated. I don't know how to go about shooting this, nor do I have a green screen of my own. I hope this is not against the rules of the forum to be posting like this (you know how forums sometimes have stipulations and such), but I am hoping to get some advice, input, or even someone interested in collaborating who has experience and/or equipment. Payment is negotiable.

Thank you very much and good luck on everyone's individual projects.

 

[EvsFX08]

There's a couple different ways to do this. Green screens are relatively cheap and you can build your own like I have. Simply go to a fabric store and buy the most outlandish bright green cloth you can. Explain to the store employees what you are trying to do and they will assist you. The problem I found with these however is that you have to find a way to keep the cloth tight and wrinkel free. Fold lines and wrinkles cause problems when trying to key out the green screen. Another way is to purchase a plastic or vinyl green screen but lighting becomes an issue because it reflects brighter in some spots which means you have to pay attention more to even lighting and diffusing the light. Professional green screens range from $150- $500 depending on the size and material it's made from-which is why I opted to make my own for about $40.
The other method is much more tedious and requires someone with a little experience in rotoscoping. Rotoscoping means tracing a figure or object out of a scene. So, in other words, you can shoot somebody in a scene and remove him from the scene by rotoscoping, but again, you'll most likely have to pay someone to rotoscope. I have done rotoscoping and dno't mind it, but given a choice, I'll go with the green screen. Hope this helps.

 

[Will Vincent]

You could always do it much like they did with all those old films (Multiplicity, Parent Trap, etc) and shoot it with the actor in each different location. When done on film this was usually accomplished by masking off half the frame, rewinding the film, and shooting the other half of the frame.

Obviously that won't work exactly the same with digital, but you can still shoot it using the same method, and then combine the two shots in post. Often times a hard edge is used to distinguish the two different parts of the frame, but modern audiences are generally hip to that hard edge trick.

If the actor isn't overlapping their double, then no rotoscoping would be necessary, only a garbage mask or two. If they are going to overlap, walk in front of one another, etc then either rotoscoping or greenscreen is your answer.

Hope that helps you a little, and don't hesitate to ask for more info... that's what we're all here for.

 

[EvsFX08]

Will-
Multiplicity- now that was a classic! I think the hard edge you are referring to can be seen in TimeCop with Jean-claude VanDamme, at the time it was pretty cool, now days, they'd never get away with it. Hey also, how are the fxphd classes going?

 

[Will Vincent]

Will-
Multiplicity- now that was a classic! I think the hard edge you are referring to can be seen in TimeCop with Jean-claude VanDamme, at the time it was pretty cool, now days, they'd never get away with it. Hey also, how are the fxphd classes going?

They're really good.. you should sign up and use me as your reference.

 

[EvsFX08]

Cool, and I will when I sign up.

 

[FilmmakingDepot]

I guess I should use this as an opportunity to introduce myself since I'm new to the boards. I'm actually also new to LA, and I'm in the process of working on a short that I would love to submit to various film festivals, as well as use the footage for a production demo reel. I don't, however, have any experience with green screens and was hoping someone on this board would be able to offer their assistance. I have one shot (tentatively more) where one character has to appear in multiple locations. Think Multiplicity, but not nearly as complicated. I don't know how to go about shooting this, nor do I have a green screen of my own. I hope this is not against the rules of the forum to be posting like this (you know how forums sometimes have stipulations and such), but I am hoping to get some advice, input, or even someone interested in collaborating who has experience and/or equipment. Payment is negotiable.

Thank you very much and good luck on everyone's individual projects.

You could purchase a portable green screen here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Portable-Green-...ryZ79005QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[LightUrple]

Thanks! I have thought about shooting it without a green screen. I am just concerned because the shot is an outside shot, and the elements would be a problem when shooting it like the old days and masking it. I would prefer to do it this way though, if I could. I'm not familiar with "rotoscoping". Is this something done in post? I have no real editing experience, so that would explain it. But I am curious... could someone explain this to me? Thank you!

 

[EvsFX08]

Yes, rotoscoping is done in post. You simply (well, simple but tedious) trace the character frame by frame. There are some good tutorials on this at www.creativecow.net. Here's a link to a free tutorial http://library.creativecow.net/articles/oconnell_pete/roto.php. You're going to need a compositing program like Motion or Adobe After Effects, you can't do this in a simple editing program like Vegas or Premiere. There's also a tutorial DVD you can buy from the same website by the same guy who does this for a living. It's a little boring to watch at first if you've never done rotoscoping before, but he has some good tips.