3 replies to this topic

[spenayoung]

Hola All,

 

So I finally created my first MS video with a full green screen kit: http://www.moviestor...w&vid_id=111104

 

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I thought I would share a few tips that I learned, and maybe we can chat about some more ideas. You can also use these same ideas to Green Screen with MS puppets.

 

1) If you can, get a full green screen kit and lighting kit

Seriously will make a big BIG difference if you can work with a professional kit. Mine came with three pro quality camera lights, tripods, huge room-sized green screen, extra green screen, and cables. This will be necessary if you are shooting people into a scene. You can use blue, but green works much better. 

 

2) If you can't, a large bright green sheet and bright lighting will do

This is good for just shooting a miniature scene (ex. you make a weird monster in claymation and then add it in post). Lighting needs to be stellar, like super amazing, otherwise you will end up with artifacts in your shot (look at my legs in the video, lots of artifacts because I didn't have the right lighting on my legs)

 

IMPORTANT: Make sure that nothing in your shot is green, greenish, green-like, or it will DISAPPEAR in post. If that doesn't work, opt for BLUE screen, shooting against black (And applying a matte in post instead of chroma key), or finding another workaround (cover the green).

 

3) Eliminate shadows! 

Once again, everything needs to be uniform. I messed up when shooting and didn't light my legs and skirt the same as my upper body, so it ended up with a weird cloud like thing when I composited. You might notice the first time, but now that I point it out..its obvious, right?

 

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4) Choose an external editor

I've been using Final Cut for years and years, but you can pretty much use any type of editor that does chroma key

 

5) Chroma Key/green/blue screen

This function essentially allows you to decide which colors to eliminate in a shot. For example, you might have an actor against a black background. You can eliminate the darkness and composite the actor into another scene. You can select the green screen option and usually the green will DISAPPEAR. Whoohoo! You might want to sharpen the edges or soften them. There are also options to cover the "bleed" (that annoying green line that shows on your actor and any old 80s music videos). 

 

6) Composite

If you are happy with your shot, you can now composite your actor onto your scene. Be sure to watch for consistency in lighting, size, angle, proportions. Watch for weird things like your character unnaturally standing on or near an object or passing over an object that is unnatural. 

 

REGARDING MULTIPLE TAKES

 

Ok, so I am the queen of multiple takes, and often only use the first three. But if you are shooting, always get pick-up shots, multiple angles, random shots of seemingly unimportant objects, close-ups, extreme close-ups, extreme wide angles, etc. Even abstract shots that make you scratch your head or shots with different lighting. The more options you have the better chance you have of making a good shot (And hiding mistakes...because to be honest, when you are director/DP/actor/composer, there is a lot, like a LOT, of room for error!)

 

Ok, hope this was helpful!

[tree]

Thanks for the Tips,

 

Scale on each angle seems tricky. 

45 degrees to camera being the hardest to adjust in the composite.

Is there some reference character onset in one of your Moviestorm shots to better adjust the dimensions of the singer on the shot?

 

 

[hiwayjohnny2]

since it doesn't tell me where I can ask a question. I'll ask here and hopefully get a response. I used M@ 5 years ago and I was able to make videos play on objects such as tvs billboards walls screens. But now all I get is change image and nothing happens. I have even created videos while playing in the objects. Now when I add it shows a black screen and nothing happens. green screen same result. Any Ideas? and how to you reach MS customer support. Their link must be hidden. I can't find it.

Thanks HWY

 

[spenayoung]

For most of this I eyeballed the dimensions. Sometimes it worked out, and sometimes not. I tried placing the character in reference to the objects and characters and had her move around the set a little. It's a first try, I hope to do more of this eventually and get better at it. 

 

I've also done a lot of greenscreen within MS, like a lot. For example, compositing a moving scene outside a window with the action in the interior. The video playback was a bit buggy, so I found greenscreening was a lot more reliable, using Final Cut. 

 

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RE: Support...find the right thread for your question under "HELP!" in the Official Forums and someone will write back to you.