Chroma Key Hwk

In this report i will be exploring how to use the chroma key effect and why this effect is used on artist to make them seem there are actually at a location (hyper reality). Chroma key is used in music videos to capture audiences through the visual aspect as well as the lyrical. However, chroma key has been treated successfully and has also been maltreated in some cases in which will be brought to light further in this report.

Chroma key is an effect that purposely manipulates the use of a green screen back drop in order to allow the editor to layer any background to a scene with the subject of the video is being filmed. green screens are helpful with locations that you can not access so use in real (real locations as it saves time and it saves money) in which it saves time because you can add a digital generated location in which will act as the actual location depending on how you set up the green screen and how you edit.

Chroma key is used to enhance the image of the artist and to give off a hyper real feel that comes across real to audiences/consumers as the background is not set on the actual location but from e.g. shutter stock (which is a site where you can purchase backgrounds for green screen). Chroma key is also used to portray how a track is visualised through its representation of the lyrics in which is then linked to emotion. furthermore, the most common colours used in chroma key are green and blue because these colours don't really interrupt the background.

Kanye west bound 2:bad example but could be seen as good as he did it purposely for creativity.

Bad examples of chroma key:

The music video of Kanye west 'bound 2' is the perfect example of bad chroma key use as the locations don't match up with the lyrics which makes it confusing for audiences. the location is western America, which expresses freedom, masculinity i say this because in the beginning horses are featured galloping freely implying freedom in which connotes that the artist Kanye wants to be free with his sexualised idol Kim Kardashian - them spending time together. I also said masculine because this can be portrayed as a modern time sheriff protecting what he loves. Also in this video it conveys that himself and his wife are having sex on a motorbike However, this video went viral from the effect of the green screen. In relation to Godwin this video contained voyeurism - from Kanye wife Kim being used as a sexual object in the video as she is naked on a bike with Kanye but still went viral because of the artist Kanye is (experimental and creative) and because people made there own version of it as a parody to mock how bad the use of chroma key was. I also noticed that Kanye is riding a motorbike in the middle of the sky which is so unrealistic as it could taint his image as music videos are used to show/promote/advertise the image on the artist.

Good example

The advantage of chroma key with in the video is that Kanye purposely intended for it to look bad as everything was exaggerated as still backgrounds with props that don't move (motorbike) but the purpose of the video was to express the artist and make audiences focus on him. Chroma key was used to entail literal meaning and refer to the theme of America being a dominant white country in which black people were subdue to during that time (slavery) this was portrayed by showing the grand canyon and the horses.

Another bad example is that of David HasselHof: Hooked on a feeling

This music video to me was an absolute disaster as it looked terrible because it was not very realistic as the artist was even blended into the background to make it seem real, instead he was just left on top you can also tell from watch the video that they didn't light him well as you can see the outline of David in different locations. There also was a scene where we can see the the artist flying in which looked as he was dangling from a rope in the air in which relates to the fact of me saying it was a disaster as it was so unrealistic to believe. However he probably used chroma key because it would be costly to go to all these locations to shoot in which green screen preserves a lot of money. on the other hand the video still went viral because of it being terrible as it was easy for people to remember.

Good examples of chroma key:

I chose this music video as it is another form in which you can use chroma key to create meaning to achieve the hyper real feeling for consumers as it creates a false world for audiences that exist to them personal. When chroma key is used well it creates an atmosphere creating a surreal feeling for example in this music video Kanye West decided to use chroma key to add meaning and make the lyrical aspect more appealing via visually and lyrically.

Green screen is used to:

• represent emotions
• focus on an artist image 
• creating illusion (being somewhere else) - hyper real, aspirational, unreal, 
• exaggerate
• focus on performance

visuals are so overly used and loved now days that they now have there own separate award system known as the VMA in which is award to editors for their creativeness in visuals.

Firstly, in order for us to use the chroma key effect we needed to have booked off the green screen room to record all of the footage deemed necessary of your artist performing in front of the green screen. It is very important that you light the green screen well so know shadow cast are present as it will effect the results when you use the keyer effect in final cut pro x and because you want the artist to blend in with the background so that it looks real. So firstly we had to setup the lighting properly and that the camera was setup centre so the focal point is the artist. We also had to get the track (the declaration) ready to be played whilst recording the lip sync. When recording we got shots from side angle and we got close ups.

After we had finished with all the recording, i ejected my SD card and took it to the mac room in which i would edit my green screen footage. but before i got started i had to choose a certain background from shutter stock that i thought best suits the theme of my artists track and in which will portray his image which is street wise (ghetto) type. After downloading a backdrop from shutter stock  after signing up i loaded up final cut made a new Project and event in which i dragged my back drop and my footage onto. I also re- downloaded my artist track as i had to line up the lip-syncing with the audio.

I used the keyer effect on myself from when i shot the footage of me lip-syncing to my artist track in order to get a black screen in which what she be covered was the green screen which means you should be left with your artist being the centre of attention. So when you have achieved a black background like shown above it means that you can now drag and drop the back drop you downloaded from shutter stock over in which you will be placed infant or just fit depending on the backdrop used.

This was the after mass of what i did when i dragged the back drop over the keyed effect:

• what i did next to make me blend and to make it look more realistic:
• increased the distortion
• i used a colour wheel in which i added exposure to make a smoother backing
• i used a spill to create contrast
• i used colour correction to even out the background with artist
• blur focal - (depth of field)
• then too make it real i used highlights (side lights) to make it as if cars were passing by

Therefore, i conclude that chroma key is used in place of locations that are out of reach or that are not accessible but when using chroma key you shouldn't use it for literal stuff as you can do too much with it. It is also used to show the image of an artist (hyper real image) such as rebellious, aggressive... but most importantly it must be relevant to the lyrics and the visual aspect. Chroma key is used to make videos go viral because now days people are more interested in the visual aspect.