How to Add Green Screen to a Video: Guide by StreamingVideoProvider

1
How to Use Green Screen Backgrounds in Your
Videos (for Beginners)
The audience isnt satisfied with fundamental
realities anymore. They want to see the unseen,
explore the unexplored, and quench their thirst
for bigger and better action.
The filmmakers creative mind was always up to
the task. But what was missing was the technology
and equipment to bring the vision on
screen. Times have changed. Nowadays, thanks to
the green screen, almost all videos use VFX. The
use of green screen background and VFX isnt
limited to movies alone. TV shows, personal
videos, brand videos, product videos, and other
marketing videos use a green (sometimes black or
blue) screen at some point. Are you new to
filmmaking, planning to use a green screen
background for the first time, or want to use a
green screen like a pro? This article has
something to offer to everyone. So without
further ado lets get started.
How to Use Green Screen Backgrounds in Your
Videos (for Beginners) Page 1
2
Whats a Green Screen Background?
Every movie buff today knows about the green
screen. For example, you can show people you
have been to places without actually traveling.
Film yourself in front of a green screen, pick a
travel scene from the numerous Premiere Pro
templates and merge the two. Voila! Youre
magically transported to the location. You can
even use a green screen office background or any
other free green screen backgrounds to add a bit
of professionalism to an otherwise ordinary Zoom
meeting.
How to Use Green Screen Backgrounds in Your
Videos (for Beginners)
Most people would be surprised to learn that
filmmakers were using green screens as early as
the 1900s. In those days, due to the high
prevalence of celluloid cameras, blue and not
green screen was considered a better option.
Anyways, in our current digital era, its the
green screen thats widely used by
filmmakers. Why do filmmakers use green screen
virtual backgrounds? Why should you use it? A
green screen or any other monochromatic color
background is vital to add graphics and visual
effects to a scene. In the VFX technique, green
screen background allows filmmakers to merge two
video streams into one high quality composite
layer or scene, also known as a chroma key
background.
How to Use Green Screen Backgrounds in Your
Videos (for Beginners) Page 2
3
How to Use Green Screen Backgrounds in Your
Videos (for Beginners)
First, a scene is recorded with a monochromatic
background. Later, during the post- production
stage, the green background is removed and
replaced with a different background scene,
graphics, or special effects. In plain words,
editors place green screen background images on
top of each other so that the result is a single
realistic scene. Marketers can use creative
videos shot with green screens to engage more
people to boost their marketing, more
particularly social media marketing. How to Set
Up for a Green Screen Shoot Step-by-Step
Process The green screen background isnt the
sole right of big production houses that invest
millions of dollars into VFX. Since everything is
done online nowadays, the green screen background
videos will come in handy to attract more
people. For example, you can create a free
digital selling course and other study materials
with a limited budget using the green screen
background technique. With a little bit of
planning and a thorough understanding of how
green screen works and how to set up even
beginners can pull off stunning effects. Here is
how you go about it.
How to Use Green Screen Backgrounds in Your
Videos (for Beginners) Page 3
4
How to Use Green Screen Backgrounds in Your
Videos (for Beginners)
The Equipment You Need
Any content creator can employ the green screen
in video production. From making personal videos
to marketing content to creating customer support
videos and even utilizing funny green screen
backgrounds for comedic videos, the green screen
can be used to make the content more dynamic and
engaging. Apart from a few meters of green
fabric, youll also need a camera (even a
smartphone will do), some lights, and decent
video editing software. A readymade green screen
setup is available for just a few hundred
dollars. This will save you time and effort.
Alternatively, you could create your background
from scratch for even less. Set up the
Backdrop While you can use any color, the most
widely used nowadays is bright green. Select
either digi screen or chroma key green as your
background color.
How to Use Green Screen Backgrounds in Your
Videos (for Beginners) Page 4
5
How to Use Green Screen Backgrounds in Your
Videos (for Beginners)
Further, depending on the shooting location, you
can choose a collapsible green screen panel or
cloth. If youre going with the green cloth, make
sure the fabric is wrinkle resistant or free
from tears. The cloth could be ironed to remove
the wrinkles. Sometimes, the easier option would
be to buy a green screen kit. Avoid Sharp Edges
by Setting up a Covered Screen
Any mistakes at this stage could cost you time,
effort, and money at the editing stage. Hence,
ensure the back screen covers the actor or object
of the shoot from head to toe (or from top to
bottom if its an object). In case you want to
replace the whole scene except the actor, make
sure the green background not just covers the
wall, but continues till it covers the area under
the actors feet.
How to Use Green Screen Backgrounds in Your
Videos (for Beginners) Page 5
6
How to Use Green Screen Backgrounds in Your
Videos (for Beginners)
You wont need a large green screen backdrop if
youre making the video for a webinar that has
the subject sitting the whole time. When the
green screen covers the background wall and the
floor, there is a chance of sharp edges on the
screen where the wall meets the floor. Sharp
edges, hard lines, or even wrinkles could change
the color gradient. Hence, to keep the color
uniform, use curved corners. screen must be big
enough to accommodate the movement.If the video
shoot requires the actor to move around, then
the size and spread of the green. Lighting up
the Filming Area The lighting requirement for the
green screen is quite different from that of
conventional film shooting. Here, you need to use
separate lights for the background and the
foreground.
How to Use Green Screen Backgrounds in Your
Videos (for Beginners) Page 6
7
How to Use Green Screen Backgrounds in Your
Videos (for Beginners)
Also, bear in mind that the lights used on the
subject/actor in the green screen setting must
match the environment of the final scene after
the editing. To ensure there are no green spills
or hot spots and to give an even spread of light
on the subject and background, use large soft
lights. Video production teams working on a
limited budget, or those wanting to cut down
product costs, can mount whiteboards on C-stands
in front of the light source. Positioning the
Actors and Using the Camera One of the reasons to
use separate lights for the actor and background
is to avoid shadows on the screen thereby
ruining the very purpose of using the green
screen.
Alternatively, leave a sufficient gap between the
screen and the actor. The depth will ensure
there is no unwanted shadow.
How to Use Green Screen Backgrounds in Your
Videos (for Beginners) Page 7
8
How to Use Green Screen Backgrounds in Your
Videos (for Beginners)
You could also minimize spill by placing the
camera a few feet from the actor. Some experts
recommend a distance of 6 feet between the two so
that the camera can cover the actor from head to
foot. Regardless of the type of camera being
used, find ways to keep the camera steady. Even
a slight vibration of the camera could ruin the
shoot. The actor would appear vibrating or you
may see blurry images in the recorded footage.
Use a camera stand, turn on the image stabilizer,
or increase the shutter speed. Choosing the
Editing Software for Green Screen Background
Shoot Specialized software to edit green screen
videos is quite easy to find. There are both
free options and premium editing tools with
advanced virtual background features. For
beginners, who are new at trying green screen
background filming, and for simple shots (like
videos for YouTube marketing), the editor wont
be using sophisticated effects, which means free
tools such as HitFilm Express and DaVinci Resolve
would be a great choice. Your choice of
software also depends on other factors such as
user experience, budget, type of shots required,
etc. Some premium green screen tools can help
editors pull off some amazing effects in their
films.
How to Use Green Screen Backgrounds in Your
Videos (for Beginners) Page 8
9
How to Use Green Screen Backgrounds in Your
Videos (for Beginners)

• Tips for Green Screen Shooting
• For the best results, we have compiled some green
  screen tricks. These tips will help you avoid
  mistakes so that you can focus on creativity and
  special effects and create the best green screen
  backgrounds.
• Background screen color Although you could
  choose a black, orange, rainbow or even a white
  background as your backdrop, green is the
  preferred choice because its quite different and
  distinct from any attire that people normally
  wear. Choose blue screen or any other color if
  your main character itself is green (like Kermit
  the frog) or dressed in green colors. Bear in
  mind that wearing green attire or patches of
  green in the clothes will make the area
  transparent.
• Avoid reflective surfaces The same advice also
  applies to reflective surfaces, large jewelry,
  and shiny objects. These objects will absorb
  some of the green from the screen and turn
  slightly translucent on the footage.
• Apply makeup Actors with white skin will appear
  pale when the backdrop is green. Hence, consider
  applying some makeup so the actors dont look
  sickly on the video. Good makeup is so crucial
  when youre staging virtual events so be sure to
  always have your makeup carrying bag on set.
• Shooting action or fast-moving scenes If youre
  using a green screen background, then combining
  fast- moving actors with a low shutter speed
  camera is a recipe for disaster. Moving quickly
  in front of the green screen can give the scene
  an unrealistic, blurry look. To be on the safe
  side use cameras with high shutter speed.
• Lighting tips We talked about separate lights
  for the background and the actor. Experts
  recommend the use of 1000-watt lights and
  softboxes to illuminate the green screen. To
  light the actor/subject, either 500 or 650-watt
  light along with the softboxes can be used.
• Reduce the aperture Lowering the aperture will
  bring the subject into sharp focus thereby
  leaving the green backdrop to appear softer.
  With this setting, the green screen will appear
  softer and smoother with the color evenly spread
  out with no gradient changes.

How to Use Green Screen Backgrounds in Your
Videos (for Beginners) Page 9
10

Thats all there is to it. Now you know enough to
get started. Plus, with proper planning,
regardless of the budget or project size, you can
use cool green screen backgrounds to add special
effects to your creations.
How to Use Green Screen Backgrounds in Your
Videos (for Beginners)
If you have already used a green screen
background, then this article has enough tips to
make you a green background pro. Now you know
that using a green screen background is not
complicated. Green screen backgrounds open up
unlimited possibilities for filmmakers to bring
to screen all their creative and imaginative
worlds to enthrall the audience.
How to Use Green Screen Backgrounds in Your
Videos (for Beginners) Page 10