SULLY, Iowa — TV and film production companies are often faced with a challenge when using Green Screen technology: to clearly demarcate the subject in the foreground from the green screen backdrop. For Neal Williams at Par Fore Productions, Prism Projection’s Studio RevEAL fixture served as a solution.
“I first heard of the Studio RevEAL fixtures while we were doing work with Access Hollywood on their Red Carpet,” said Williams. “One day I saw that they had rented a few Studio RevEAL fixtures, so we asked David Crookham at Prism Projection to bring one down to our shop to check it out. We set up a Studio RevEAL next to an 800 HMI, and for all the ratios involved; the power, the cost, the amount of diversity it offers; this was simply a better light.”
As a 20-year veteran of the TV/Film lighting industries, Williams and his team at Par Fore Productions shoot commercials, behind the scenes and promos for all the studios and networks. In the digital world, Green Screen has become a popular technique because digital cameras retain more detail in the green channel and it requires less light, but the biggest challenge when setting up a Green Screen is smooth and even lighting with the avoidance of any shadows. It is most effective to have a very narrow color range in order to get a definitive separation between the subject and the screen.
“Our work with Green Screen was definitely the driving force behind our purchase of the Studio RevEAL fixtures,” said Williams. “When doing Green Screen, it’s crucial to have the ability to adjust the intensity and color range on site. The RevEAL Studio fixtures give us all that with a 20-70 degree beam focus that spreads beautifully. All the controls for this are right on the back of the light as well as accessible through a DMX board. Adjustments are quick and easy. I’ve been telling everyone I know to look at these lights for Green Screen because they are a great option.”
Another common challenge in lighting for Green Screen is making sure that the subject being lit is actually lit complementary to the scene that will be placed in the background. Designers must match both the direction of light and the color temperature in the new background so that the two images flow seamlessly together.
“Not only can you dial-in the color range and intensity for the talent you are shooting, you can also find out what the new background color temperature will be and then you can replicate it so that the temperature on the talent matches what is going to be keyed on screen”.
Along with their advantages with Green Screen applications, Studio RevEAL fixtures have also been helping Par Fore Productions overcome challenges when on location — while also being able to travel with less gear and use less power.
“When we were doing a CBS Big Brother promo shoot at the Sheraton Universal, the technicians at the hotel asked if we would be bringing in a generator to power our lights. When I said ‘No,’ because we could use six RevEAL Fixtures for complete coverage due to their zoom range, and we could also run all the lights on only two circuits, the techs were quite surprised. This was really an unexpected, but great, thing for us.
“While we also do big production shoots with gaffers and grips on set, a lot of times these Green Screen promos are smaller shoots,” Williams continues. “So instead of bringing a truck to support a larger amount of lights, cable and power distribution, we can come in with a smaller number of fixtures that use less power. Compared to the number of lights that we used to have to take with us, the Studio RevEAL fixtures have made it much easier on location shoots.
“Another example of this would be when I scouted the location for a BET Behind the Lens production, and I put on the outline that we would be using 10 Studio RevEAL fixtures,” Williams added. “The line producer for the show was continually concerned that our power needs were not sufficient, but when I told them that the location already had plenty of house circuits and we would be fine for power, he was shocked. I got two separate e-mails asking if I was sure about the power. In the end, the client was thrilled.”
Along with compliments regarding Studio RevEAL fixtures’ beam spread, even key, “great punch on faces” and color temperature adjustments, Williams also credited Prism Projection for its customer support.
For more information, please visit www.prismprojection.com and www.parforeproductions.com.
