Video conferencing is a great way to stay connected with friends and family, or to collaborate on projects with colleagues, without having to leave the comfort of your home or office. However, in order to get the most out of your video conferencing experience, it’s important to have a set-up that is both functional and visually appealing.
If you’re looking to create a Green Screen background for your home or office video conferencing set-up, here are a few tips to help you get started:
1. Choose the right location:
The first step in setting up your Green Screen background is to choose the right location. Ideally, you want a space that is large enough to accommodate the size of your screen or monitor. Green or blue walls or a Green Screen background will also work if your screen is smaller than 3 feet in height and width. If you’re looking for a Green Screen location other than home, consider the office conference room (if co-workers won’t mind), or even a commercial space such as a community room at your local library or recreation center.
2. Invest in Green fabric:
Once you’ve chosen the right location, the next step is to invest in Green Fabric that has been lit with either D65 (6500K) fluorescent bulbs (ideal for indoors) or HMI lighting (ideal for outdoors). Green fabric that is lit with non-D65/HMI lighting will affect how true your Green Screen background appears to your video conferencing participants.
3. Hang Green fabric:
Once you have your Green fabric, the next step is to hang it. If you’re using a Green Screen background, be sure to attach the Green fabric to the wall behind your screen or monitor. If you’re using Green or blue walls, simply place the Green fabric against the wall and secure it in place with tape or pins.
4. Adjust lighting:
Now that your Green Screen background is set-up, it’s time to adjust the lighting. In most cases, you will want to avoid having direct light shining on your Green fabric as this will cause shadows and reflections. Instead, try to position your light sources so that they are pointing towards the Green fabric at a 45 degree angle (or as close as possible). You can also use lighting stands with umbrellas or soft boxes to soften the light and reduce shadows.
5. Avoid Green spill:
If your Green Screen background is lit with D65/HMI lighting, you will likely see some Green spill on your walls and floor.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however if you want to avoid Green spill altogether, here are a few tips:
- Reduce distance between Green fabric and wall
- Use black tape to cover any Green areas on wall/floor that you don’t want showing up in your video conferencing set-up
6. Add additional color:
If you want to add additional color, Green isn’t the only option. You can also try adding a Blue Screen background for a different look and feel, or even experiment with Green and Blue fabric hung side by side for a Green/Blue effect. Another option is to hang Green or Blue drapes behind your monitor or screen to achieve this same Green/Blue effect (though drapes may require more tweaking as lighting changes throughout the day). Green fabric lit with D65/HMI lighting will provide bright color that is ideal for everyday use, while Green fabric under HMI lighting tends to provide deeper, richer color that works best in low light conditions such as evenings and weekends.
7. Consider other colors:
While Green is the most popular color for a Green Screen background, it’s not the only option. You can also try Blue, Yellow, or Red for a different look and feel.
8. Have fun with it!
The best part of setting up your own Green Screen background is that you can have fun with it! Experiment with different colors and locations to see what works best for you and your video conferencing set-up. With a little bit of creativity, you can create a Green Screen background that is both functional and visually appealing.
Now that you know how to set-up your own Green Screen background, here are a few ideas to get started:
- Create a Green Screen backdrop for your home office video conferencing set-up
- Set-up a Green Screen background for your next business meeting or conference call
- Add a Green Screen background to your next online video interview or webinar
- Use a Green Screen background to spice up your next Skype call with friends or family.
Conclusion:
As the popularity of video conferencing continues to grow, the need for quality Green Screen backgrounds becomes increasingly important. With a little bit of creativity and some basic know-how, you can easily create your own Green Screen background that is perfect for your video conferencing needs. Have fun with it!
