Television Cameraman - HD green screen work

As an HD television cameraman, whether it be for a documentary, sitcom, dramatic, etc, occasionally you are called upon to use green screen. This is a prime example, which demonstrates the need for a television cameraman, or any cameraman for that matter, to be acutely aware of what occurs during HD post-production since they are intimately related.

This posting was created to provide an HD television cameraman with a simply overview in order to execute the best possible green screen:

• Use the best HD camera with the most resolution, best lens, and most color space.
• Make certain the depth of field allows for the edge of the subject to be in focus.
• The green screen should be lit as evenly as possible. As a television cameraman / gaffer you should always attempt to avoid shadows on the green screen.
• Keep your subject as far away from the green screen as possible. This will help for two reasons. First, it prevents a subject from casting a shadow on the green screen. Second, it minimizes the light bouncing off the green screen and landing on the subject - in effect adding green to the subject. This is referred to as "spill".
• Cut off light / bounce from the green screen by using flags or other objects to block the reflected light.
• Make certain the subject is wearing nothing, which matches or comes close to the green screen.
• Light your subject and green-screen using different light. For example, a human subject could have a key, fill, and a rim light. The green screen would be lit separately, using additional lights.

Those are simply the basics. If you're a television cameraman looking to learn more about the process of green screen work in HD post production, simply contact Saturnalia Productions. You may also wish to check-out all of our other HD post production services.