Free Chroma Keying – How To Go About It?
What is Chroma Keying?
Chroma keying as defined by Wikipedia is a technique for mixing two images together, in which a color (or a small color range) from one image is removed (or made transparent), revealing another image behind it.

How Chroma Keying Works
Chroma Keying is based on a process called luminance keying. During luminance keying, everything in the image over or under a set brightness level is keyed out and replaced by another image or color. To perform the Chroma keying process, you need 3 basic things. A foreground footage (subject – this may be a person or object), color screen either blue or green and background footage (the scenery that’s replacing the color screen).

The backscreen needs to be evenly lit so that it is the exact color all the way across. Shadows caused by poor lighting can wreak havoc on the Chroma Key process. Also, be aware of your foreground subject lighting. It is important to have two separate sets of lights, and to have the subject far enough away from the screen that the foreground lighting will not interfere with the screen lighting in the back. Once the subject has been properly lit and the background color successfully keyed, it is time to add the new background scene.

Uses of Chroma Keying
The applications of this unique process are limited only to the thinking of its user. Do you remember seeing any invisible cloaks in the Harry Potter movie series? What of a movie where someone miraculously lost a part of his limbs? Did you see Frodo Baggins of Lord of the Rings climb up Mount Doom and think he really did it? Or think of the more recent 10,000B.C film, am sure you didn’t expect the actors to have filmed in all those amazing locations as used in the film.

The great thing about this technique is that it can be applied to both picture and video. By making use of Chroma Keying, you can tell your friends you’ve been to the Eiffel towel when you’ve never entered France (it’s a use quite all right – not that we support it).
Performing your own Chroma keying at home
Anyone can perform chroma keying in the comfort of his home but don’t expect your first few shots to be perfect. Performing your own chroma key in a home studio is something you can learn with the right resources and enough practice.

As a newbie, it’s perfectly normal for there to be anomalies here and there. This is why it is important for you to get your first chroma keying as close to perfect as possible. Once you are through with your first, you can always look at it and learn from your previous mistakes.

How to get started with free chroma keying Chroma keying can be divided into two parts. The first part is where you get to take all the shots, use lightning, gels, and whatever necessary to take a perfect shot. The second aspect of chroma keying is where you get to use Chroma Keying software to complete your initial works.

The good part of chroma keying is that much of the equipment needed can be bought for reasonably cheap prices on eBay . You should be able to find a free chroma keying software by Google searching. Anyone can get started with chroma keying provided they have the dedication to not give up too early on in the process.

For you to appreciate the concept of free and home-made chroma keying, you’ll need a home studio to start with. Any Free room should do for a Home Studio. To prevent problems when you begin the process, its advisable you blind out all windows or sources of natural light. Doing this gives you total control on lightening which is necessary in order to achieve desirable results. Once you get your home studio, you can now go shopping for equipment and other essentials, probably on eBay because you can get them there for bargain prices:
Frame and Support
3/4"x10' Sch. 40 PVC Pipe - 4 (at least)
1 1/4"x10' Sch. 40 PVC Pipe - 1 (or more, for more background fabrics) 3/4" Sch. 40 PVC Elbow - 2
3/4" Sch. 40 PVC T-Connector - 2
3/4" Sch. 40 PVC Cap - 8
3/4" Sch. 40 PVC Coupling - 2 (at least)
3/4" Sch. 40 PVC Cross Connector - 2
Backscreen
You can choose to go with either a Bluescreen or Greenscreen. Bluescreening is less prone to reflect its colors off its subject so you want to go with it for now. Fabrics you may use for the backscreen include Muslin, Rayon, Polyester and Cotton. There are other fabrics used depending on your budget and what the kind of background you desire.

Cameras and Lighting
Double 250 watt halogen lights for lightening up the backscreen (to be placed on either side of the screen). Smaller lights should be used to lighten the subject.

Bounce cards should be used to eliminate any hotspots on the backscreen.

* Balancing lightening on both subject and backscreen can be difficult. It is important you eliminate all shadows before taking your shots. You can achieve this by distancing the subject from the backscreen until any shadows whiten out. Experimentation is vital. You should try out different approaches as long as it achieves the aim of wiping out any existing shadows.

Professional photographers and videographers usually make use of expensive camera equipment. As a beginner, stick with your traditional camera unless you can handle something more complicated.
Tools Needed
Scissors - to cut fabric
Hacksaw - to cut PVC pipes
Adhesive Tape - to fasten fabric to frame
Software
It’s always advisable to make use of professional chroma keying software like Ultra Key or Green Screen wizard during this process but when you cannot get a hold on professional software, you can make use of free software. The internet provides you with so many resources so why not make use of it.

Common Problems
One problem you are likely to face is that of lightning. Feeding your background with too much light and your subject too little can result have serious repercussions on the final outcome. The key here is to ensure you get the right mix of lightning. Articles amongst other informational resources are available on the subject of lightning in Chroma Keying.

Getting a professional to perform chroma keying on your pictures or video can cost you much more than when you do it yourself. Though the quality of your first few works may not depict the quality a professional should bring out, experience is vital in chroma keying and with a few tries; your knowledge builds you up in this regard. The most important thing for anyone trying out this process is to remember your first shot will most likely turn out not as expected. Perfect shots are mostly taken with experience and persistence.

: Please note this article is not a complete guide on Chroma Keying or Free Chroma Keying. Chroma Keying is a bulky technique with many processes. We advise you get as much information on the individual processes before starting. This is to ensure you know what you are up against.

Claymation Studio 3.0 Deluxe

With Claymation Studio 3.0 Deluxe you can easily create stop-motion video. Capture images of clay action figures still photos and drawings to create your own stop-motion movie. USB PC Camera included!HD Support Resolution up to 1920 x 1080.Storyboard View the frames in sequence for easy editing. Import your photos from digital camera or PC.Display Screen Capture images using webcam camcorder and more. Onionskin and rotoscope features help shaping or positioning a figure with ease. Adjustable frame rate allows you to control the speed of your voice. Preview your work before creating output.Capture Tools Auto capture makes capturing images easier and faster than ever. Control brightness and other camera settings. Flip your image vertically or horizontally (mirror image). Grid and key drawing features help you adjust your subject more accurately.Audio Recording Add your own sound effects voice and background music to your stop-motion video.Chroma Key Using a blue/green screen you can easily change the background to create the best setting for your subject.YouTube/Facebook Upload your movie directly from the software with the One-Click option.iPhone/iPad Convert created video into MPEG4/AVC format to watch on your portable device.USB PC Camera VGA built-in microphone and adjustable focus lens.System Requirements: WIN 7/VISTA/XP. Pentium IV 1.8 GHZ or equivalent processor. 128 MB RAM. 50 MB free disk space. USB 2.0 host controller/port. Format: WIN XPVISTAWIN 7 Genre: PRODUCTIVITY Age: 882960200641 UPC: 882960200641 Manufacturer No: CSD3M


Pinnacle Studio 9 Plus - Video Editing Software [OLD VERSION]

Pinnacle Studio Plus 9 is an advanced video editing and disc authoring tool, for those who take pride in their digital video. With its intuitive interface and seamless workflow, users will access and operate hundreds of professional-quality tools. It also features noise reduction, imgae stabilizing and new picture-in-picture and chroma key features. You'll produce high-quality video production effortlessly, from start to finish. Integrated CD & DVD creation tools for convenient burning Add the feel of home theatre to your creations, with support for 4 - 3 and 16 - 9 Widescreen The expandable software architecture accepts a wide variety of audio/video plug-ins to create a library of effects & filters


Pinnacle Studio Plus 700 USB Version 10.0

When it's time to edit your great home videos, you'll want the most complete, powerful and easy-to-use home video editing software you can find. Pinnacle Studio 10.0 Plus (with 700-USB) is exactly that. Not only will Studio 10.0 Plus let you add titles, transitions, music and special effects quickly and easily, it also allows you to combine your photos with your video for that extra professional touch. This software is even designed to capture, import, and create top-of-the-line HD video and high-resolution picture DVDs, making Studio 10.0 Plus a great companion for your HDV camcorders.

Pinnacle Studio 10.0 Plus is powerful, easy-to-use home video editing software with a 700-USB adapter.
An intuitive user interface makes learning Studio Plus a breeze. View larger.
Keyframeable effects powered by the Pinnacle Liquid Edition engine. View larger.
Position your video's star anywhere in the world with Chroma Key. View larger.
Add surround sound to your video. View larger. Pinnacle makes data transfer to-and-from your PC a breeze with the included 700-USB adapter. This handy external device features plenty of inputs and outputs to meet your multimedia needs. The 700-USB includes the following inputs: composite video input (RCA connector); S-Video input (mini-DIN connector); stereo audio input (two RCA connectors); and IEEE 1394 I/O connector input (six-pin type). And it is equipped with the following outputs: composite video output (RCA connector); S-Video output (mini-DIN connector); stereo audio output (two RCA connectors; and IEEE 1394 I/O connector output (six-pin type).

Simplicity and Ease-of-Use
Video editing software is only as good as it is intuitive and easy to use. Studio 10.0 Plus couldn't be any more intuitive. The software boasts an extremely user-friendly interface that guides you through your editing in three effortless steps: Capture, Edit/Enhance, and Share. It's that simple.

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Studio 10.0 Plus also includes all the tools you need to take the quality of your work to the next level. A unique video cleaning toolkit helps you to restore old damaged video tapes. An image stabilization feature gives you the tools to take care of that unfortunate shaky and jerky footage. If you have video footage that was shot under poor lighting conditions, don't despair -- Studio 10.0 features a color correction tool to help you with that as well. Eliminating extraneous and distracting sounds such as wind and rain is no problem at all with Studio 10.0 Plus' noise reduction tools.

Built-in DVD Authoring and Instant Transfer
With a fully integrated CD and DVD authoring workflow, Studio 10.0 Plus lets you easily create DVDs with menus and custom navigation on the fly. You can also create DVDs with menus without first copying your files over to your PC hard drive.

As with its other great features, Studio 10.0 Plus makes the process of working in different formats as seamless as possible. You can capture video from the latest consumer cameras and devices including DVD video cameras and even cell phones. And thanks to the power of the professional-level Pinnacle Liquid Effects Engine, you can now actually edit with keyframeable real-time effects and transitions in truly stunning high quality HD! You can even create the extraordinary real-time multi-track editing and effects that you see on TV, such as chroma key (green or blue screen) and picture-in-picture (PIP). The chroma key effect gives you the power to position the star of your video anywhere in the world and beyond, while the PIP effect lets you place one video inside another in real-time.

The software also lets you import videos from non-encrypted DVDs for added enhancement and re-mastering. Another great feature, brand new to Studio 10.0 Plus, is its unique background saving feature. With this feature, you can work uninterrupted and avoid the time-consuming steps of saving your work in the format of your choice. In other words, you can keep working on your project while you are simultaneously rendering your project to the top quality format of your choice. So, regardless of whether your final project will be for CD, DVD or the Web, all you need to do is to create amazing videos, and Studio 10.0 Plus will take care of the rest.

Digital Backdrops Cd By Backdrop Outlet Volume 3 Mac & Windows

Give your clients an endless range of background choices with Backdrop Outlet's Digital Backgrounds. Features 2 File Sizes: JPEG (72 dpi) for email, websites, and displays High Resolution TIFF (300 dpi) for photos. (40-50 MB) Use Photoshop or another image editing software to replace the background behind your client. Software works best with a chroma key backdrop, but any background that does not blend in with the subject will work. A Chroma Key Tutorial Included. CD is PC and Mac Compatible. What a great product These CDs have saved me thousands of dollars. I own a ton of muslin and canvas but I always need more. If a customer doesnt see what they like I pull up the backdrops on my CDs and let them pick. Such a great way to expand. - Saunders Photography, SD


Digital Backdrops Cd By Backdrop Outlet Volume 1 Mac & Windows

Give your clients an endless range of background choices with Backdrop Outlet's Digital Backgrounds. Features 2 File Sizes: JPEG (72 dpi) for email, websites, and displays High Resolution TIFF (300 dpi) for photos. (40-50 MB) Use Photoshop or another image editing software to replace the background behind your client. Software works best with a chroma key backdrop, but any background that does not blend in with the subject will work. A Chroma Key Tutorial Included. CD is PC and Mac Compatible. What a great product These CDs have saved me thousands of dollars. I own a ton of muslin and canvas but I always need more. If a customer doesnt see what they like I pull up the backdrops on my CDs and let them pick. Such a great way to expand. - Saunders Photography, SD


Digital Backdrops Cd By Backdrop Outlet Volume 2 Mac & Windows

Give your clients an endless range of background choices with Backdrop Outlet's Digital Backgrounds. Features 2 File Sizes: JPEG (72 dpi) for email, websites, and displays High Resolution TIFF (300 dpi) for photos. (40-50 MB) Use Photoshop or another image editing software to replace the background behind your client. Software works best with a chroma key backdrop, but any background that does not blend in with the subject will work. A Chroma Key Tutorial Included. CD is PC and Mac Compatible. What a great product These CDs have saved me thousands of dollars. I own a ton of muslin and canvas but I always need more. If a customer doesnt see what they like I pull up the backdrops on my CDs and let them pick. Such a great way to expand. - Saunders Photography, SD