GREEN-SCREEN MATERIAL

I just completed teaching a couple of 'general film/video & green-screen lighting' workshops. A lot of fun was had by all. I've lit 'green-screen' before but these past sessions just reminded me of the wonderful technology and the visual effects possibilities. And at cut-rate prices compared to just a few years ago. Once you shoot your subject in front of this special background you then load your footage into your computer and the real magic begins. (Get some footage of Lindsay Lohan, that was shot of her standing in front of a green-screen, then you can matte her into a jail cell or a rehabilitation facility... and you can keep her there for as long as you want.) All joking aside, you realize that this technology described is the reason most Hollywood 'fantasy' or 'sci-fi' movies today come off as lame. Who needs a script? My take on that is you can always shoot an actual script later against a green or blue-screen and matte it over the completed movie. Ah, actually, most film or studio execs are not too bright... don't tempt or encourage them.