Technology Innovation

Were you ever curious about how special effects in movies are made? How do filmmakers recreate the mystical world of Hogwarts or conjure a pre-historic earth? How do filmmakers blend CGI with real life action shots? All of these movie wonders have been made possible by the green screen. It is also known as chroma key, blue screen, and color separation overlay (CSO). Without the green screen LA technology, which is used in studios all around the great city of Los Angeles (Chroma Key technology) many memorable films wouldn’t be created. Moviegoers will be stuck with boring movies with poor, little, or no visual effects at all. Without the chroma key, many possibilities in movie-making would still be in the dreams and imaginations of filmmakers.

These screens works by putting two images together. The solid background color is replaced by an actual background that will be seen in the final cut of the movie. Way back then, in the 1930’s, blue was the color of choice among filmmakers. After this, it was also used in many Technicolor films. One of the first movies that made use of the chroma key was the screen adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s popular novella, “The Old Man and the Sea.” The rest is history. More and more films were created with the help of chroma key technology. It eventually spawned many cinematic innovations that made film making what it is in the present day. For example, the Chroma Key screen is no longer used solely for changing backgrounds. Scenes are shot behind the screen so that it would be easy to add visual effects such as CGI.

For example, in the film Lord of the Rings, the actor who played Gollum wore a body suit that was the same color of the Chroma Key screen. Sensors were attached to the suit in order to keep track of his movements. The CGI rendering of Gollum’s character is then put over the green suit, and the sensors make it appear like a real live creature is moving. Then, an actual background is added to replace the green screen. All in all, the Lord of the Rings universe was created by CGI and the green screen!

The use of the screen became popular when advanced film making equipment were created and developed. Instead of blue, green became the new color of choice because it is much easier to manipulate. It does not need complicated lighting, it creates less sound, and it makes clear lines which makes it easier to work with in post-production. This is why today, green screen LA technology is the favorite tool of many filmmakers and is used in studios all across the city of Los Angeles.

Although big movie studios and production houses are known for making use of green screen LA technology, it is actually more accessible than people think it is. Even filmmakers on a budget can make their own screens. With the right materials, creativity, resourcefulness, and guts, anyone who wants to make a decent movie can make a DIY green screen. Now, big budget films can now be replicated by anyone who has a creative mind. Any studio materials or rentals you need can be easily found in Los Angeles.

By: Phil Guye

Tags: Action Shots, Background Color, Body Suit, Cinematic Innovations, Color Separation, Cso, Ernest Hemingway, Final Cut, Hogwarts, Imaginations, Key Technology, Memorable Films, Mystical World, Novella, Old Man And The Sea, Rest Is History, Screen Adaptation, Screen Technology, Special Effects In Movies, Visual Effects