How to make a green screen for $40 dollars (really solid screen)

I've had a decent felt green screen in my office for a while now as I have been doing videos for business and non-profit ventures. I thought it was time though to upgrade to something a little more polished looking as well as permanent.

This was really an easy project that didn't take much skill or time. I purchased a $25 MDF board (Medium-density fibreboard), $10 of Disney paint (one quart - FLAT paint - you don't want a glare) from Home Depot, some drywall screws, and liquid nails (glue). I actually purchased drywall at first, but once I started to tinker with it, I really felt like the MDF board was going to be a more durable product (just don't get it wet because water damages this material - unless sealed). The Disney paint seems like it'll be fine, but we'll see if it holds up over time. A chroma key paint is probably the best way to go, but it is $60+ per gallon.

The screen works and I like the look of it too (it's a bit funky). I'll be watching to see how the paint holds up over time, but for now I'm really liking it (it's hard to beat the price too).

As always, remember that having an effective chroma key (green screen) video is really all about the lighting. You can make the most expensive screen in the world, but if your lighting is off, then the screen isn't much use.

NOTE: You can probably use some different materials for the main screen too. Home improvement stores have a ton of potential. If you buy a 1/4 inch MDF too, it may be even cheaper than $25. Look around, ask questions, go to Google, and create away.

This video was shot on a Flip camera and edited in Sony Vegas. Let me know if you have any questions, suggestions, or comments. And please let me know if you end up making a green screen.

Ryan

Some of my contact 411:
http://www.LundquistCompany.com
http://www.Project680.org
http://www.twitter.com/SacAppraiser

Category:

Howto & Style

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• greenscreen
• green
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• chroma
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• how
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• video
• mdf
• Medium-density
• fibreboard
• disney
• paint
• videos
• easy
• create
• sony
• vegas
• flip
• camera
• lowes
• home
• depot
• DIY
• do
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• yourself
• painting
• instruction

[portachild]

Thanks Ryan!

What a way to start my 2012! How to Rock a green screen for under 100 bucks. SWEET!

[lundquistco]

@portachild Thanks. Good luck making one!! Happy New Year!!

[optimus304]

what would be a good substitue for green screen?. cant hang stuff up in my apartmen

[lundquistco]

@optimus304 You might want to try to find a green felt screen that can be rolled up or hung over a curtain easily. Or maybe bright green poster board. Both of these are pretty easy for set-up and tear-down and they'd make a minimal impact to the wall in an apartment (as opposed to screw holes from my technique - not a huge impact still, but staples in a poster board are less).

[lundquistco]

@optimus304 One more thing. A very obvious idea would be painting your wall with a chroma key paint or the Disney paint I mentioned in the video. As long as your wall is flat and you use the right lighting, it should work out fine.

[PurfectKatie]

why didnt you just paint your wall?

[lundquistco]

@PurfectKatie Two reasons really. 1) My wall has some old school texture and evidence of previous repairs that may have shown up on videos; 2) I think the look of something like this is much more appealing that just paint on the wall.

[lundquistco]

@HiphoppityLaura No, it doesn't. Obviously the better the quality of the camera, the better the overall video will be because of sound and overall presentation. But I shot this video with a Flip camera (now priced around $75 I think since Flip went out of business). I've done other green screen videos with another $100 camera (still & video). They come out fine in terms of picture quality.

[HiphoppityLaura]

Does it matter what camera you use for this?:D