Monday, May 6, 2013

Create Your Own Blue Screen

Blue screens are used anywhere from local news stations to major motion pictures. When an actor stands in front of a blue screen the special effects artists can remove the blue later in post-production and replace it with any image or item they want. If you want to build your own blue screen, it is completely possible to do so, and inexpensively.


Instructions


1. Completely paint a wall a midtone blue color. If your wall is flat and you do not mind having a completely blue wall in your room, this is a quick solution and probably the best. Make sure the wall is completely covered and unified with the blue (you do not want any of the old color to peek through the blue paint).


2. Attach a blue sheet to your wall. If you do not want to paint the wall you can use a thick blue sheet. You do not want the sheet to be see-through--if it is, it won't work. Tape (or nail) the sheet so it is completely straight without any wrinkles. Wrinkles leave shadows, which result in darker shades of blue. Different shades of blue can result in the computer having trouble identifying the correct color and removing it.


3. Apply a unified light across the entire screen. You do not want a giant spotlight, because this leaves a large shadow when anyone stands between the blue screen and the light. Instead, you want (if possible) a light above the blue screen shining directly down on it and a light off to each side of the screen shinning across it. This gives a unified blue and removes any shadows an actor may put on it.


4. Set up your scene in front of the blue screen. You are now ready to record your content using the makeshift screen setup. Make sure nobody is wearing the same shade of blue as the wall--otherwise, when the color is removed in the computer the clothing item disappears also.

Tags: blue screen, blue screen, blue sheet, front blue, front blue screen, Make sure, paint wall