Watch: Tutorial on What It Takes to Pull Off Great Chroma Keying

When I first heard about chroma keying, I had 2 thoughts in my head: "Chroma keying is as easy as getting some bright green fabric at a fabric shop," and  "This process is so complicated I never want to try it." Well, I've learned that it's not difficult enough to shy completely away from, but it's not as simple as I first thought. Either way, once again, Filmmaker IQ lends us a very generous hand and walks us through 5 elements of chroma keying through a helpful tutorial video -- shedding light on things we should consider before we put our subjects in front of that big green (or blue) screen. Check it out after the jump.

As usual, John Hess of Filmmaker IQ hosts this great video tutorial, this time on chroma key. The lesson is broken up into 5 elements: space, the screen, lighting, the camera, and post production.

By considering your working space, using a quality screen, lighting it evenly, using a camera with as little compression as you can get, and finally using a good software keyer, you should be able to pull off a great key. Good chroma keying is a skill, and it will take a little practice, but the reward for your patience and experimentation can be quite liberating. – Another tool for you use in your quest to make something great.

Check out the tutorial below to find out how to make a great chroma key:

Of the 5 elements they cover, here are a couple integral ones to keep in mind. Evaluating the space you have to work with will directly determine the kind of chroma key you can produce. The more space you have, the greater distance you have to pull your subject away from the green screen, eliminating shadows. With less space, talking heads and still shot are possible.

The screen you use, whether it's blue or green, has an effect on your image as well -- for instance, green screens require less light than blue screens. Filmmaker IQ says:

-- many digital cameras use a Bayer pattern of Red Green Blue photosites where there are twice as many green photosites as there are red and blue. This makes digital cameras much more sensitive to green coloring.

To find out what else Filmmaker IQ had to say about chroma keying, in terms of lighting, cameras, and post production, go here.

Have you ever tried chroma key? What worked for you? Let us know in the comments below.

Links: 5 Elements of a Great Chroma Key -- Filmmaker IQ