Green screen works on a simple principle: in post, everything green in the picture is made transparent and replaced with another background. So the shoot has one job: make the screen an even green, with no green on the person, and the key will be clean. Miss that, and no amount of skill in post avoids fringing.
Seven shooting rules
- Keep the screen flat: wrinkles create light and dark greens, which leave patches in the key. Iron or stretch a fabric screen; paper or board screens wrinkle less.
- Light the screen evenly: light the screen on its own, one light each side, so the whole green is the same brightness. Bright here and dark there is two greens.
- Stand well away from the screen: at least one to two metres. Too close and your shadow falls on the screen, and green light bounces onto you (hair edges and shoulders turn green).
- Light the person separately: separate lights for the person and the screen. Basics in how to light a video at home.
- No green clothing, nothing reflective: green clothes vanish with the background. Glasses, metal jewellery and shiny fabrics reflect green.
- Fix the camera, lock the settings: use a tripod and lock focus, exposure and white balance. Any change in the picture means re-tuning the key.
- Shoot at the highest quality: 4K, high bitrate. Compressed video has soft edges, and hair edges become very hard to key.
The hardest things to key
- Fine hair, fur, sheer fabric: semi-transparent edges.
- Fast-moving hands: motion blur mixes the edges with the green.
- Glass and transparent objects: you see green through them.
Not impossible, but more time, and with limits. Avoid them at the shoot, or accept slightly imperfect edges.
No green screen?
Many editing tools now have AI background removal that separates a person without a green screen; a plain wall is enough. The hair edges aren't as clean as a proper key, but for social videos and simple explainers it's usually fine. For demanding content (ads, formal brand films) we still recommend a green screen.
Choosing the replacement background
The light direction in the background must match the person. If the person is lit from the left, the background must be too, or it reads as composited at a glance. Keep the background colours subdued; the person is the subject. If you have no background footage, AI-generated scenes can be considered; see the mixing approach in can AI videos show real products and logos.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a blue screen?
Yes, the principle is the same. Use blue when someone wears green or the subject contains green.
Can a phone shoot green screen?
Yes. Lighting and distance matter, not the camera. Shoot 4K with exposure and white balance locked and the results are good.
What should I send if I want you to key it and replace the background?
The original video files, the background you want (an image, video or description), your logo and brand colours. We check the keying conditions before assessing.
