Confirmation of what is needed for green screen set up

Major Eazy

Major Eazy

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Please do not suggest brand names and models, nor suggesting which website to order from. I'm not asking for recommendation on which models to think about or where to buy from. I'll look into those later on for myself. (I'm aware most newbies are saying "I want to start photography, which camera should I buy?" and many members suggest a Nikon this, Canon that, Sony this or that.)

I only wanted to double check what are the basics I need to start with, so I can buy and start, not buy and can't start because I realised I'm missing a specific item.

I'm thinking of a simple basic green screen set up. It would be used for photography, but it is really more for video filming. Mostly in post photo/video editing.

Am I correct in assuming that...

I need to buy the frames and buy the green screen, that they are separate things? That is it not a one set? It is not like, buy a green screen and it comes with the frames to hold it up?

I need two lights (again I'll worry about models later, I just need to understand what they comes with). Are they always a kit? That they always comes as a set, a light and a stand? It is not like, buy a light, and buy a stand? That it is just buy one item which is both a light and stand?

Just asking because I've never had the need for studio lighting until now. I assumed you always had to buy the stands, and then you buy the lights. I thought sometimes you may want to upgrade the lights, or replace the damaged lights, hence thinking you keep the stand, just change the lights.

Am I also correct in understanding that some shops are likely to sell one single unit (which would mean I have to order two), and some would sell two as a kit (thus only need to order one)?

So basically just need...?
  • A roll of green screen background.
  • A background frame/stand.
  • Two sets of lights (assuming if shop sells a kit including one light and one stand)
  • (Or just one set of lights, assuming if a shop does sell a kit of two lights and two stands)
Is that all I need to think about, just to start with?
 
With reference to the frames and the backdrops, or the frames and the lights, it all depends on where you buy them from. Some are sold as sets and some sold as separates.

It is impossible for anyone to say how they come without mentioning x brand or x retailer based on their buying experience.
 
Well, as you don't want us to point you to websites or to make recommendations it's kind of hard to give you helpful info.

But, in very general terms, yes you need two lights. LED will be best for this, and before you ask, they don't need to have high power. Sometimes they're sold individually, sometimes as kits of two or more, sometimes they're sold with stands and sometimes not. Your best bet will be to get lights with softboxes attached to them, for this purpose. What matters is that the background is lit evenly, and softboxes make this easier to do.

As for green screens, it depends largely on size. If you want something wide then mostly they're sold separately to the stands that support them, but some are integral and many of the smaller ones are sold with a built in spring steel frame that folds the whole thing up to a quarter of the erected size.

Anything else? Only that Chromakey backgrounds, although often green in colour, don't need to be green. They just need to be a colour that isn't shared by the subject. What is important is that they have a fairly matt surface, but as you don't want us to point you to the ones that actually do have the required matt surface we can't help you with that either.
 
With green screens the way you light is absolutely critical. Just buying 2 lights isn't really going to work.
It all depends on your environment, space and subject as it how you actually set the lighting up, and you may need different equipment and setups for different scenarios.
And you'll definitely need to tweak the setup, which means you need to know what you are doing. You can't just add a couple of lights.
 
riddell said:
With green screens the way you light is absolutely critical. Just buying 2 lights isn't really going to work.
It all depends on your environment, space and subject as it how you actually set the lighting up, and you may need different equipment and setups for different scenarios.
And you'll definitely need to tweak the setup, which means you need to know what you are doing. You can't just add a couple of lights.
Click to expand...
Up to a point, yes. Certainly the law of diminishing returns applies here, as with most things - 10x as much work to achieve 10% better results - but having said that, with a small screen and where pro quality results aren't needed, 2 lights can work well enough.

Right now, sales have gone through the roof, with people having to work from home using this type of setup for conference calls, zoom and the like, and they seem to get by with minimum knowledge and minimum gear.
 
You'll also need some 'green screen' software to make it all work.

As you're not wanting brand names I can't recommend any
 
Garry Edwards said:
Well, as you don't want us to point you to websites or to make recommendations it's kind of hard to give you helpful info.

But, in very general terms, yes you need two lights. LED will be best for this, and before you ask, they don't need to have high power. Sometimes they're sold individually, sometimes as kits of two or more, sometimes they're sold with stands and sometimes not. Your best bet will be to get lights with softboxes attached to them, for this purpose. What matters is that the background is lit evenly, and softboxes make this easier to do.

As for green screens, it depends largely on size. If you want something wide then mostly they're sold separately to the stands that support them, but some are integral and many of the smaller ones are sold with a built in spring steel frame that folds the whole thing up to a quarter of the erected size.

Anything else? Only that Chromakey backgrounds, although often green in colour, don't need to be green. They just need to be a colour that isn't shared by the subject. What is important is that they have a fairly matt surface, but as you don't want us to point you to the ones that actually do have the required matt surface we can't help you with that either.
Click to expand...


Okay, so it sounds like pay attention to the website's description of what they are selling. Make sure I see what I'm buying, and if I were to say, for example, buying lights, I have to make sure I know if it includes stands or not, and if not including stands, then have to order stands.

Okay, got you. Thanks.
 
I wouldn't worry too much about stands, they often appear in the classifieds on here for a few £££££'s
 
admirable said:
You'll also need some 'green screen' software to make it all work.

As you're not wanting brand names I can't recommend any
Click to expand...

I may be buying brand names.

It is just that, I only want to be sure of what is the minimum I needed to start with. That being background roll, frames for the background rolls, lights, and stands for the lights. And I also wanted to know if they come separately or come as a kit.

Once I know what I need to start with, and understand that I need to make sure I check the website to see if they comes separately or as a kit, I'll look into brand names, models, types, and all that. I can review them and decide which ones I want to buy.

It is just that, I'm aware on many various websites, newbies tend to ask What laptop/camera/tool/phone/car/etc would you recommended? Then so many members recommend a specific brand name and specific models.

Beside, I already have Adobe software, I've got Adobe Premiere Pro.
 
riddell said:
With green screens the way you light is absolutely critical. Just buying 2 lights isn't really going to work.
It all depends on your environment, space and subject as it how you actually set the lighting up, and you may need different equipment and setups for different scenarios.
And you'll definitely need to tweak the setup, which means you need to know what you are doing. You can't just add a couple of lights.
Click to expand...

I know.

Don't worry.

It's just that, I'm going to buy two lights to start with, beside, I'm only going to have a small background to start with, and it'll be at home, not a big studio. It'll be just self-training, getting used to it, learning from experience, and depending on projects, I may move up to bigger background screen, and opt for more lights.

In the same way as most of us would start with the basic photographic equipment, and build up from there, instead of buying every possible lenses, and motor-drives (for those of us who remembered the days of 35mm film cameras), and every possible filters we can get our hands on, and every pieces and bits of accessories, only to end up with half of the equipment never being used at all (turned out to be not suited for the kind of photography we do).
 
If you buy led make sure they do not strobe during video, cheap and nasty do this a lot.... and if your lighting is t 100% spot on the. Your seperstion will be a massive pain. It’s easy to get wrong, quite difficult to get right :)
 
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mike weeks said:
I would be using very different lights for photography than video and it all depends on the size of what is being photographed as well

oh and Green screen does not have to be Green as those of us that have done it know well

mike
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I know green screen does not have to be green. I know in the old days, they used to use blue screens.

But I'm more likely to be taking photos and/or videos of subjects that may have blue on them. Examples, wearing blue t-shirts, etc. As far as I know, I rarely photo any subject with green.

I'm aware of the problems they had in Star Wars back in the 1970s and 80s. Luke Skywalker's X-Wing had red markings on it, as he was Red Five. But they did have another squadron of X-Wing with blue markings, which clashed with blue screen background. And a few other stories like that.

I just figure I'll start with a green screen for now, since I know I'm highly unlikely to take photos or videos of subjects with green on them. Like I said in above postings, it's just to start with, and build up from there. Maybe one day in future, if I ended up taking photos or videos of subject wearing green outfits that clashed with green screen editing, it will be time for me to buy blue screen or whatever other colours.

But still, good of you to point it out, although I'm familiar with it, it's still good and thanks for this point.
 
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