You know when the Meteorologist on your local news is standing in the clouds reporting the forecast? Like Dallas Raines at KABC-TV Los Angeles for example; he sometimes appears to be floating over the city of Los Angeles while he reports the temperature tomorrow will be 106! (Ugh, Southern California living can be hot!)
This illusion is created by what’s called “green screen” technology.
A green screen, or chroma key (fancy technical term) is an effect created (basically) when two layers of video are combined. All colors except one are removed from the background part and a full color image is layered over the top. Then a subject (you!) stands in front of it and it looks like they’re on the location, or part of the scene.
While any color can be used for this effect, often the removed color is blue or green because these colors are not typically natural skin tones (unless you’re a smurf, or an alien!) The rest of the colors are absorbed and appear as your full backdrop – and can give the illusion of you being right there.
In order to make the illusion work, for example, to be standing on the top of the US Bank Building or the Staples Center in Los Angeles; it’s important that you be sure the subject being filmed or photographed is not wearing the color used as the ‘key’, otherwise, they become partially or fully invisible which can be a really odd reality to look at; think… Beetlejuice!
Video teams also have to be careful of the eye color of the subject. Seems like a small detail- but meteorologists look much better when their stares don’t resemble something out of “The Walking Dead” or look like a GOT “White Walker”!
Pretty neat stuff, eh?
Annnd…Action! Photo Booth has the capability of providing a green screen set-up for your photo booth experience. We have many different location shots to choose from, including Egypt (have you ever seen a sphinx?), rolling Sahara sands, on the football field, Tower of Pisa, Tower of London and many more. We can even try and get you on a death star or another planet if we try hard enough.
Or, not in the mood to travel, but need to decide on a backdrop color? Great! We got that. We can fill in a sequin curtain to any color you like using green screen effects. Maybe you want a sports theme? We can do that too.
Think green screen is cool? Us too. Drop us a line and ask us how green screen works. We’ll be happy to show ya some photos and help you decide what theme might be a super fit for your party!
Catch ya at Niagara Falls…