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Green Screen:

What are Green Screens:

A green screen allows editors to replace the green back ground (monochrome backdrop) with a different image or video for photography or video editing. In modern music video production, they play an integral part in special effects.

It works by chroma keying where a specific colour is chosen and then replaced by a different background. Green is commonly chosen as it is quite luminance and green clothing is worn less. Not only this but green is the furthest away from the skin tone.

The Three Things that Need to be Considered When Using a Green Screen:

Spill
Creases
Shadows

How to use a Green screen:

To start you need to set up your green screen and remove any wrinkles and smooth out any edges. You then need to ensure that the lighting is correct, from corner to corner. There can be no shadows or no wrinkles. This is because any of these can create an uneven chromakey and make it even more difficult to edit and have a nice finished product.
Following on from this, you should already have a shot-list and know what needs to be filmed. This is so you are prepared on the day of filming and you're not trying to figure out what you need to shoot on the day.
Now you are ready to begin filming. Place your subject six feet from the green screen as it will help prevent help any spill (spill is where the green screen reflects on to areas of your subjects). Once again, if they are too close to the screen it can create an uneven chromakey.
Once you have completed all of these steps, you are ready to film. A tripod will always help ensure you have a clean shot. You need to make sure you white balance your shot and the lighting of your subject matches the lighting of the background you will be adding in.

Three Examples of Music Videos that use Green Screen:

The Steps I Used for Editing:

I started by uploading my footage onto premier pro and creating bins. Then using layers, I made the bottom layer the replacement background and the layer above the green screen layer. I then dragged my green screen footage over. After I had done this I found the ultra key effect and dragged it on to my green screen footage. I then used the effects control and used the colour selection tool to choose the green screen layer.
Once I completed this step I then had to mess around and fix the imperfections of the footage. The tools I used were: the matte generation tab - allowed me too see how much of my green screen needed to be fixed, move transparency - allowed me to remove and adjust highlights and shadows, tolerance - allowed me to adjust edges, and pedestal - allowed me to add and remove obstructions.
After I had completed these steps, I started to clean up my edit. The tools I used were: the matte clean up section - allowed me to clean up where the subject stops and the chroma key begins, choke - allowed me to sharpen the subjects edges, soften - allowed me to soften the sharp edges that choke created, and spill suppression - allowed me to fix any spill.
I then needed to add the final touches and I did this using colour grade and resizing the video to my liking.

My Green Screen Video's:

Evaluation:

Personally, I feel like my piece went fine but could have been better. If I had more time I would have played around with the editing tools more and even taken better shots. However, I feel like my edits are to a decent standard and it has given me a better understanding on green screens how to use/create. I now know when it comes to my music video and if I decide to use it I will be able to complete this task to a higher quality. Overall, this task has been quite useful and I am somewhat proud of what I was able to create in such a short time.

Editing techniques:

Organization:

Having a lot of footage to play round with can be messy and difficult to find a lot of clips. To help with this use bis to organise everything as soon as you import footage over. (master audio, audio, footage)

Montage:

It is where a series of separate images moving or still are put together yo create a continuous sequence. it has to render as many images as possible to ensure multiple viewings.

Cutting to a beat:

An 8 count is a rhythmic grouping of 8 beats and most of the music you hear today uses this rule. If you can count the eight count then you have found the beat. It is best to mark the beat because it will help you when you need to cut and result in a smoother edit.

Split screen:

It is where the screen is split into two or more sections and each section is showing a different thing.

Chroma Key:

Using the layers, the new background footage will stay on the bottom layer. The
green screen footage will be placed above. Use the ultra effect and drag it on to the Green Screen clip. Select your eyedropper tool and select an area. Using the Matte Clean up, spill suppression to fix any imperfections.

Superimposition:

It can be used to tell two side of a story (live footage vs story line).

This can be completed by placing your shots on top of each other and select effects. The effect control window should then open. Select the top clip and change the opacity, so you can see the bottom clip underneath. Once you have done this it should open an opacity menu where you can choose what percent you want the bottom clip showing.

Slow shutter:

To get the show shutter effect you need to start by dragging the clip into the sequence. From here you need to choose effect and from there Poterzied time. Once you have dragged this onto your clip you then need to open up effect controls and change frame rate to 8. Then open new effect and select echo and drag this onto your clip. Adjust the echo settings: time to -0.1, Number of echos to 4, and decay to 0.6.

Monochrome to colour:

Colour in music videos can be used for many different reasons. It can help the viewers see beyond on the lyrics and the action taking place on the screen as colour is known to elicit emotions. This can be achieved in premier pro by using the lumetri colour section.

Modify the speed of clips:

To complete this, start by selecting the clip that you want to change the speed of and right click on it. From there you need to click on speed/duration from the drop down menu. Adjust the percentage in the box. (For slow motion, lower the percentage and for speeding up, raise the percentage. to put the clip into reverse you simply select the reverse speed option.

Title and graphics:

Music videos may include credits and titles. (Credits- A list of people who worked on the video and what they did. Titles- Can be a part of story telling and define location, year or character). To complete this task select graphics and then select my templates. Then choose what template fits your style better and drop into the timeline. Double click on the text box itself to edit and make adjustments.

Cinematic opening:

To start this you need to select video transitions and then wipe. Following this you need to choose barn doors. Drag this on to your clip and then choose effects control and pick duration of transitions. Finally, if desired change from horizontal to vertical.

Techniques and conventions:

Cutting to a beat - Edits are made on the beats of the song. It reinforces the rhythm.
Lip-sync -The artist/band sings along to the song. This may happen constantly, or intermittently if some lyrics are needing to be reinforced.
Chroma Key - Use of green screen.
Split screen - Multiple images on the screen at the same time.
Camera angles & movement - Use of technical codes to create meaning.
Special effects - Use of practical effects that are applied on set; mechanicalise props camera work, makeup, etc.
Extending (beyond the lyrics) or consolidating song’s meaning. The video is used to reinforce what the lyrics mean, and perhaps give more information and understanding.
In-Concert/Live Footage - The video features footage from the artist/band’s tour or live performance.

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