Ever watch a sci-fi movie and wonder how they filmed it? Are there secret movie studios on the Moon? Mars? Westeros? Unfortunately not, the answer is far less gratifying. Instead of Mars, it was probably filmed in a warehouse. However, luckily for us, chroma keying is cheaper and a lot more practical than a trip to the Moon. So cheap you might be able to use it on your next shoot! But what is a green screen, how do they work, and what are the various ways they can be used? Let’s get into it.
First, let’s define green screen -
Special effects and computer graphics (CGI) are added to countless Hollywood films each year.
A green screen is a neon-green screen placed in the background of a shot. Like so here at the Gorilla Street studio in Paralimni
As we’ll explain later, the screen doesn’t have to be green (and it hasn’t always been). Don’t be fooled by its simplicity, this little screen packs a big punch.
What is a green screen used for?
Green screens are most commonly associated with superhero/sci-fi movies. But the applications are truly endless. But chroma keying is not limited to the spectacular, it has much more practical uses. Newsrooms and the weatherman/weatherwoman are often filmed in front of green.
More and more productions seem to use chroma keying. Whether it be vloggers, photographers, the video game industry, or your Grandma on Zoom, everyone is learning how to use green screen. We’ve come a long way in green screen technology.