How to, a Professional Green Screen Set Up

Welcome into my world inside Twist Creative Studio in Little Rock, Arkansas, I am Peter Bella, the owner and creative force behind this humble little company. In this blog article, I want to share with you my journey as a video production professional and take you behind the scenes of this studio green screen setup. From the challenges of a studio in a shared space to the intricacies of equipment and lighting, let’s get started as we explore the process and the behind the scenes of a green screen environment. Also, the complete video can be found on our YouTube channel here “How I set Professional Green Screen in Studio.”

If you want to watch it here, enjoy this short video from our YouTube channel “Twist Creative Studio on YouTube.”

Operating in a shared space presents a series of distinct challenges that need to be navigated regularly. One of the significant obstacles I encounter is the absence of dedicated storage for my video production equipment. Without a designated space to store gear, it must be transported to the studio location for each shoot. We do keep some of the basic gear in the studio, but for the most part, especially for this elaborate set up, it is brought in. This means it needs to carefully packed ensuring that everything is organized and ready for use.

Navigating the building’s elevator system adds yet another layer of complexity to the workflow. The elevator is essential for reaching the 28th floor where the studio is located, and it is somewhat convoluted. I have to take a specific elevator from the parking garage, then make my way through the corporate buildings via a first-level area that spans floors one and two. From there, I need to switch to another elevator that takes me up to the 17th through 30th floors. Whew! It’s a journey that requires patience and adaptability, especially when dealing with multiple elevators and different parts of the building.

However, despite these logistical challenges, there is an incredible reward waiting for me at the top. Once I reach the studio on the 28th floor, I am greeted by a breathtaking view that stretches beyond the walls of the space. From there, you can see the majestic Capitol Building standing tall and the scenic beauty of the Ozark Mountains across the Arkansas River. This remarkable backdrop serves as a constant reminder of the incredible location and the unique opportunities it offers to be working in this wonderful space and across the Natural State.

Within the studio space, I have the opportunity to share and collaborate with the other rooms that serve diverse purposes. This arrangement creates a vibrant and dynamic atmosphere that fuels creativity and collaboration. One such room is a media podcasting room, where individuals can engage in podcast creation and other audio recordings. There is a collaborative teaching room which allows us to hold classes to teach and learn from others within the space. Additionally, the space is shared with a medical massage therapy office, adding a unique touch, creating an environment that blends creativity with mental and physical relaxation and healing — not a bad convenience.

Despite the challenges that come with operating in a shared space, I genuinely appreciate the fantastic environment it provides. The space is carefully designed to accommodate various types of video shoots, making it well-suited for a wide range of projects. Whether it’s corporate productions, green screen work, or photo shoots, the flexibility of the space allows me to bring creative visions to life.

The shared space not only offers the physical infrastructure necessary for video production but also cultivates a sense of community. Interacting with other professionals in different fields sparks new ideas and fosters collaboration. The diverse mix of individuals working within the shared space brings together a wealth of knowledge, skills, and perspectives, which greatly enriches the creative process. It’s an environment where conversations flow freely, ideas are exchanged, and collaborations emerge organically.

Despite the challenges inherent in a shared space, the dynamic and diverse environment fuels creativity and collaboration.

Now is the time to mention the importance of SPACE! Not your typical Star Trek space or a Galaxy Far Far Away space… but the space needed to properly light for a green screen production. In the studio, or location you are using, the most vital component is its depth.

Depth allows for separation between the backdrop, the talent, and the camera. This is because the backdrop and the talent should be lit separately without light spill, or as little as possible, from one to the other. Having a good understanding of the inverse square law really helps out here. The principles of the inverse square law is light intensity decreases with distance from its source to the receiving surface (a person or a wall), the rate of decrease is in proportion to the square of the distance between emitter and receiver. More on lights later in the article.

If you’re in need of a great green screen background during a shoot, I use and recommend the Impact Chroma Muslin Background as an ideal choice. This chroma muslin background is specifically tailored for this purpose. They offer this backdrop as a kit with stands and an expandable crossbar, it’s durable, has a strong hemmed loop for mounting onto the crossbar, and covers plenty of height and width. Check for a length and width that best suits your needs. Once the backdrop is hung it is easily clamped to the backdrop polls, or stands. The tension relieves any wrinkles making the post-production editing and keying much easier.

The cloth is crafted from durable muslin and is perfect for various television or video productions. It even comes complete with its own convenient carry bag, allowing for effortless folding and compact storage. The transparent bag provides a practical advantage when you own multiple Impact backgrounds, as it enables you to quickly identify the specific one you require without having to open multiple bags.

Lighting is a critical aspect of any successful video production, and a green screen studio setup is by far more intricate. In this setup I have six different lights to achieve the desired lighting needed for proper exposure for the entire set. Each light is carefully positioned and calibrated to create a visually appealing composition and enhance the overall quality of the footage.

This lighting setup includes dedicated lights for the green screen itself, ensuring smooth and even illumination across the entire green screen. Here I have placed two (one to the left and the other on the right) Godox VL series LED lights. They both have tall rectangle diffused soft boxes with one layer of diffusion to soften the light across the backdrop. Here I am using the Godox 30x120cm Softbox, They have an esy to use bowens mount and come with 2 layers of diffusion and a honeycomb grid to control light spill.

An important part of setting these lights is to be sure they slightly cross their light patterns so that the light is evenly spread onto the green screen. They should be positioned about four feet away from the backdrop as well as off to the sides so they don’t interfere with the subject on camera. The actual brightness depends on many factors; wattage of the light, distance from backdrop (remember the inverse square law) amount of light spread, strength of diffusion, and others. So the actual percentage of light is determined specifically by your parameters.

In regards to the stands that I am using, I have used a variety of stands for years. There are so many choices out there however I have found that decent mid-budget stands work perfectly and have held up great through the wear and tear I’ve put them through. Those stands have all been by Impact. For C Stands I’m using the Impact Turtle Base 10.5′ option. The spreader stands I really like are the Impact Heavy-Duty 13′ Light Stands.

Lighting the talent is an essential component in capturing high-quality footage and creating stunning green screen video. I incorporate several additional lights to add depth and dimension to the talent; I use side lighting, a hair light or highlight to backlight the subject, and a main key light to serve as the primary key source of light to complete the set up.

One of the key elements of my lighting arrangement is the versatile Godox SL200 Bi-Color LED, which serves as the key light. This powerful light source offers a range of color temperature, intensities, and is zoomable, allowing for it to customize the light you are seeking for each need. Whether it’s a vibrant and energetic ambiance light or a soft and intimate mood lighting, the Godox SL200 ensures optimal lighting that enhances the overall visual impact of the footage.

In addition to the key light, I strategically position Godox TL120 Tube Lights to provide side lighting. These tube lights help create depth and dimension, emphasizing the contours and shapes of the subjects. By carefully positioning these lights, I can add a three-dimensional quality to the scene, making the subjects stand out and giving the composition a dynamic and immersive feel.

To further enhance the visual appeal, I incorporate a two-foot Godox TL60 Tube Light as a hair light. The hair light is positioned above the subject, highlighting their hair and shoulders, adding a subtle glow that separates them from the background. This technique not only accentuates the subject’s features but also adds a touch of elegance and polish to the overall composition.

This full lighting setup is a crucial aspect of capturing high-quality green screen footage. The importance of lighting the background separately along with the versatility of the Godox SL200 Bi-Color LED light as the key light, combined with strategically positioned Godox tube lights for side lighting and a hair light, creates visually appealing compositions with depth and dimension. Through careful planning and execution, I strive to harness the power of light to enhance the storytelling and create captivating visuals that leave a lasting impression on the audience.

Another key elements in creating a professional green screen video is the use of multiple cameras. For my green screen shoots, I utilize a two-camera setup to capture multiple angles and perspectives. This allows me to achieve dynamic and visually engaging footage.

The primary camera I rely on is the Canon C200, a powerful tool that delivers exceptional image quality. Paired with Rokinon Cine lenses it creates terrific image quality. For the on-screen talent I have integrated a Glide gear teleprompter into the setup featuring a 10.2-inch iPad for prompter text display. The app used ensures smooth delivery of scripts and maintains a natural flow in front of the camera.

In addition to the Canon C200, I also use a Canon EOS R6 as the secondary camera. Both cameras are equipped with Ninja 5 monitors, which provide precise and reliable monitoring capabilities. These monitors enable me to closely monitor footage in real-time, ensuring optimal composition, focus, and exposure throughout the shoot.

Finally for the camera set up I utilize an Accsoon wireless transmitter to facilitate seamless communication and provide real-time feedback for the talent and for anyone  collaborating on set such as directors, CEOs, producers, and so on. In this scenario the transmitter is connected to a TV on the wall, allowing everyone involved in the shoot to view the footage as it is being captured. In the field I would use a directors monitor for the same purpose. This real-time monitoring feature helps us make instant adjustments and ensures that we achieve the desired results efficiently.

When it comes to capturing high-quality audio during a green screen video shoot, the Rode NTG2 Shotgun Microphone mounted on a boom pole is an excellent choice. The NTG2 is renowned for its exceptional audio recording capabilities, and its shotgun design allows for focused pickup, reducing unwanted background noise and capturing the desired sound source with precision. By attaching the microphone to a boom pole, it can positioned close to the subject while remaining outside the camera frame, ensuring uninterrupted recording and optimal sound quality. The NTG2’s sensitivity and frequency response range enable it to capture clear, crisp audio, enhancing the overall production value of the green screen video shoot. Whether it’s dialogue, narration, or ambient sounds, the Rode NTG2 shotgun microphone on a boom pole delivers professional-grade audio from my experience.

Here is a look at a quick edited clip from the clients footage, which has been cut to include the edited and ungraded footage with an image overlay. For ownership and copyright reasons I am not able to insert the audio contents, but the image is more so what we are looking to achieve in this how to article.

There are additional aspects to bringing this to “life” as they say. The post-production component is yet another journey that I haven’t explored in this article. Hopefully you’ve found this content helpful for your needs and you’ve learned a few things you can apply in your future workflow.

As my journey in the video production industry continues, I am committed to sharing my experiences, insights, and inspirations through vlogs and blog posts. By documenting my process and the challenges I encounter along the way, I hope to inspire and educate others in the industry. Through these platforms, I aim to spark creativity, facilitate learning, and foster a community where professionals can connect, collaborate, and grow together.

So, stay tuned for more engaging content, as I continue to share my journey, unveil new techniques, and offer valuable advice. Together, we can explore the ever-evolving landscape of video production, push boundaries, and create impactful visual experiences. Let’s inspire and support one another as we embark on this creative journey in the dynamic world of video production.