How to Set Up a Greenscreen on a Budget

[Karlston]

All it takes is a few lights and some fabric to transport yourself anywhere on camera.

 

The greenscreen is the perfect filmmaking tool. Overlaying one image on top of another is a technique that's simple enough to have been used for around 100 years, and you can build your own with fabric from a crafting store. In recent years, it may have developed a bad reputation, but it's still one of the best tools you can add to your kit. And it's never been cheaper to do at home.

 

While we're going to refer to “greenscreens” throughout this article, it's worth pointing out that these screens don't have to be green. In fact, the term for the process used with greenscreens is called chroma keying. This process takes a single color of a shot—often green or blue—and removes it, leaving just the subject on a transparent background, which can then be added to any other background. It's incredibly useful if you want to improve your Twitch cam setup, talk to yourself in a boundless void, or sneak into the Vatican. Here's what you'll need.

 

Updated October 2022: We've added more LED panel recommendations and info on using grids to direct lighting.

Start With a Good Screen

Due to the way chroma keying works, almost any surface that's a single, flat color that contrasts with your subject can work. Dune, for example, famously used brown “sandscreens." Green and blue screens are typically used because human skin tones contrast against them well, but technically any solid color can do the job (depending on your shot).

 

However, getting that solid color can be more of a challenge than it seems. Wrinkles in fabric and uneven lighting can disrupt your key. This is also a problem if you're using painted walls in your home, which often have textures or can be partially reflected. With that in mind, what you want to look for in a greenscreen goes beyond just the color. Here are a few criteria to consider:

 

Size of the screen. If you only need to shoot a single person standing still, you can get away with a pop-up backdrop. I've liked and used this one from Neewer ($86). For larger scenes with multiple people, you'll need a bigger screen. Keep in mind that you need to keep a little distance between your subject and the screen to avoid casting shadows.

 

Type of material. Most greenscreens are made with some type of fabric, but that's not your only option. Foam or spandex options will be more wrinkle-resistant than some fabrics. With a bit of work, you can also paint rigid backdrops like cardboard or wood. You may also want a thick material to prevent light bleeding through from the back if you plan to shoot on location or anyplace where the screen won't be against a wall.

 

Non-reflective material. It's critically important to light your screen evenly, but that can be hard if your greenscreen is too reflective. This can be especially noticeable on glossy material like a painted wall, but any bright spots on your screen will be a problem later. Make your lighting job easier by getting materials that have a more matte surface.

 

You can build your own screen out of materials from craft or hardware stores. You can also find relatively inexpensive kits that come with everything you need, including stands, a fabric backdrop, and clamps. I've used this one from Emart ($80) for quite a while, and it's done the job perfectly well.

Have Some Stands Handy

It's almost impossible to have too many stands. Whether you need them to hang a fabric screen or to set up lights, they're always useful. There are also quite a few kinds of stands you can keep around. Picking the right ones will depend on how heavy the gear you're using is, how much space you have, and your budget. 

 

Some of the most common (and cheapest) are photography tripod stands. These have 1/4-inch screw tips that you can use to mount lights, clamps, or hold up backdrops. For your camera, however, you're better off paying a little more for a more sturdy tripod like this one ($76). It's still lightweight and can be knocked over, so don't put anything too expensive and heavy on it.

 

For larger screens, backdrop stands like this one ($46) can be more helpful. (This bundle we linked earlier includes a backdrop stand and the greenscreen.) These are very similar to the photography stands but come in pairs, have longer screw tips, and have a telescoping crossbar you can hang fabric screens from. These still aren't super stable, but as long as you're not throwing your subject against the screen, they should work well.

 

A more heavy-duty option is C-stands. These are expensive ($165) (and I haven't tried this one yet). If you're trying to stick to a budget, you might only want one for your heaviest equipment. These have three independent legs that can each rotate up to 120 degrees, which helps stabilize the stand. It's also sturdy enough to support a telescoping arm on its own. These can be really helpful for supporting heavy lights you need to light your greenscreen without being visible in the camera.

Light Your Greenscreen Properly

There are countless ways to light both your subject and your screen, and there are few wrong answers when choosing the gear you're going to use. No matter what kind of lights you use, your goals are going to be the same: light your screen evenly, avoid casting any shadows, and light it separately from the lighting on your subject as much as possible.

 

This can be a challenge, but more often than not, you'll at least need a couple of large, bright light sources. Smaller lights, especially when positioned close to the screen, will create hot spots where the parts of the screen near the light are much brighter than the parts further away. To solve this, you have two options: Get some big lights or diffuse smaller ones.

 

This is where softbox photography lights come in handy. This one from Emart ($72) has served me well for years. It has a few light bulbs inside. The softbox spreads the light more evenly and cuts down on harsh shadows. It's handy to have for lighting your subject, but also useful to light your greenscreen for a more consistent key.

 

You can get a more powerful light like this one ($139), which we recommend in our home video gear guide, but you'll need your own softbox. You might also consider LED panels ($200). These are increasingly popular, as many of them allow you to adjust the color temperature (or even the RGB color) of the light, which can be handy and save you some postproduction work later. Some of them can even be fairly cheap.

 

In recent months, I've been switching to using this pack of Neewer 660 Pro LED panels ($326). They work best with these collapsible softbox diffusers ($49). Best of all, the softboxes come with their own grids. Grids help you direct light in specific directions, rather than blasting it out everywhere. This can be extremely handy when you want to light your green screen and your subject separately.

 

The software to key out greenscreens is cheaper and easier to use than ever—the free video editor DaVinci Resolve has multiple chroma key tools built right in—but they're not miracles. The best way to save yourself time and energy, and make your shots look the best they can be, is to set up and light your greenscreen properly the first time.

 

 

How to Set Up a Greenscreen on a Budget

 

(May require free registration to view)