Green screen test

You may as well also create output with an alpha channel since you are going to these extremes.. This will allow a mask to be created instantly of the subject and then the special effects world will love you even more. Oh, and the sell price can be lifted by doing that as well. Render out in 32 bit with alpha channel. (use the png codec or the animation codec.)

Mark,
That took it out like you said. Thanks.

Vader,
Ok, I think I've opened a can of worms. I selected "lossless with alpha" is that correct?
Also I selected png codec. The video is rendering now but it's taking 20 minutes, is that correct? Usually the videos render in about 3 or 4 minutes on my pc.
Jake

Yes, that is correct... it will take longer to render as it is rendering 4 channels, not three as usual.. red, blue, green, and alpha.. the file size will also be much larger as well. - but it's worth it if you can announce 32 bit with alpha. All those $299.00 clips that sold over the last few weeks were all that. :)

Vader,
When you do that, is the file still a .mov, or is it now a .mov with another file with it? I have never messed with alpha channels yet, but I want to start doing green screen.

If you do not add the alpha channel is it challenging for the editor to use the isolated video ontop of another video?

Yes the file is still a .mov, just with a different codec. Remember quicktime is a wrapper not a codec. The codecs get wrapped by quicktime to make ,mov's. In essence you could in theory wrap any codec with quicktime provided apple would deliver the "hooks" for the codec. (or a third party writes the hooks according to the quicktime API.. blah blah blah.... :) Now for the quick anser about the alpha channel... just think of a transparent background that just works... or you can invert and do some funky stuff with it. I know that sounds simple, but that is really what it is... I did a lot of research on this and am still experimenting around to see what else I can come up with. I am sure I know enough to just get dangerous :)

Cool! glad I could help Jake!. Now it should be nearly impossible to tell that it was greenscreen (unless you examine the edges really close)

I know a guy who used spandex cloth from jo-ann fabrics to make a greenscreen, we joke about how he used the extra cloth from his superhero costume to make it. Did you get official greenscreen material or did you use something esle?

I bought a 10X20 chroma green cloth from a company on Ebay. It's thicker then some of the other cloth backgrounds I've bought so I think it will hold up well.
Hell, I never thought about going to a fabric store. I don't think they have fabric 10 feet wide and I don't sew. I guess that wouldn't have worked anyway.

Funny about the spandex. I did see a green screen suit on Ebay. That would be hilarious to use.

Jake

I bought green and black felt at a fabric store in bulk (a bolt as they call it) right at the beginning of the school year - it was dirt cheap and on sale to boot. 6 feet wide by about 40 ft long. I just hung it on a wall and went for it. The reflective qualities aren't (or are) that great. What I mean is, it absorbs the light as opposed to reflecting it, but sometimes that is actually good.. I have worked on a real infinity green screen set painted with the real luminescent paint - now that is sweet to work with. I suppose using the "proper materials" makes the lighting job a lot easier.

The great thing about the spandex is that when it stretches between two pvc poles it doesn't show any wrinkles or shadowy areas. It is completely flat and it has a very uniform color. All I have is a green cardboard presentation board :(
like this one: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://desktopschoolsupplies.com/store/media/ss_size2/zavier.jpg&imgrefurl=http://desktopschoolsupplies.com/store/projectboards.html&usg=__VSX9fbqdRJh4igrNZ3jjhthrLkA=&h=240&w=320&sz=19&hl=en&start=2&sig2=m0IBp7hcmldNX7K5E8QJZg&um=1&tbnid=phI7knWQF3T-ZM:&tbnh=89&tbnw=118&ei=ZPYhSY-RFY2I8gSghYUT&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcardboard%2Bpresentation%2Bboard%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN

The cost was like 5 dollars at wallmart.

You could just paint a wall any shade of green or blue and get a descent effect as well. Actually your el cheapo greenscreen is not that bad. I have used lime neon green poster board myself. Here is an example of one of the shots done with a neon green poster board:
https://www.pond5.com/es/stock-footage/270513