Create a DIY Green Screen / Chroma Key

[Ganesh Ujwal]

What are some good resources for people attempting to setup their own green/blue screen, light, record and pull a quality key from it? Particularly on a low budget, or with materials that aren't specifically designed for that purpose. Such as,

• What sorts of fabric/material give good results? Both general tips and specific examples/links are helpful.
• Is it possible to light it adequately without a full lighting kit?
• What sort of encoding is recommended when filming it? (i.e. is it possible to use a DSLR with h.264?)
• What software would you recommend for post processing the key? Does some work better with homebrewed screens than others?
• If you have one, post an example of the results you were able to achieve with your suggestions.

[smrpix]

There are a zillion greenscreen tutorials on YouTube. The basics are simple.
1. Pure green paint or fabric
2. Even lighting on the green, good lighting technique on the subject. Avoid spills and shadows.
3. Use the highest quality camera, lenses and compression you have available -- but don't freak out unless you're using a lot of translucent objects like smoke or water.
4. You often need to try more than one keying product to find the best for your situation. I primarily use Spectramatte and Keylight. There are many others.