Search
woman is editing the video

Green Screen After Effects: Elevate Your Videos with Visuals

Jose Waller

In this tutorial, the user will be guided through the process of removing a green screen in After Effects and replacing it with a custom background. The narrative will be presented in the third person, incorporating unique sentences to enhance the explanation. The following text has been expanded to meet the required 800-word count:

  • The tutorial begins by selecting an unedited video, deliberately chosen to demonstrate the application of color correction techniques. This particular video was captured in a specialized mode with reduced contrast, providing an ideal starting point for manual editing. Within the Effects&Presets menu, the user is advised to locate the Lumetry color effect panel;
  • This panel enables adjustments to the video’s color properties, offering the option to modify parameters manually or employ a Lookup Table (LUT). For the purposes of this tutorial, the latter option will be utilized;
  • Upon applying the Lumetry color effect, a noticeable increase in color saturation becomes apparent. From here, the user is encouraged to fine-tune the color settings manually, depending on the specific requirements of their video;
  • The next step involves the removal of the green screen. By navigating to the Effects&Presets menu once more, the user will find the Keylight(1.2) tool, designed specifically for this purpose. Clicking on the screen color indicator within the Keylight(1.2) tab effectively eliminates the green screen, leaving only the foreground subject visible. To ensure the effectiveness of this process, it is advisable to enable the transparency feature. However, it is common to encounter some imperfections such as shadowed areas and gaps within the video;
  • These issues can be addressed by changing the view mode to Screen Matte and accessing the corresponding adjustment options. The background may contain visible pixels, which can be eliminated using the clip black and clip white tools to remove white and black pixels, respectively. Switching the view mode to Final Result provides a clearer depiction of the edited video.

Despite the improvements made, there may still be some minor corrections required. For instance, a green stripe that remains on the girl’s shoulder can be rectified using a combination of screen shrink/grow(1), screen despill black(2), screen despill white(3), and a touch of screen pre-blur(4) for added refinement. Additionally, there might be some undesirable pixels present on the girl’s neck, which can be addressed by utilizing a replace method(5) to replace them with more suitable alternatives.

Once all necessary adjustments have been made and the video appears visually pleasing, it is time to introduce the chosen background. To enhance realism, the user may opt to apply the Gaussian Blur effect to the background, providing a subtle blur that mimics the depth of field effect. Afterward, the video’s temperature and color balance should be aligned with the new background, ensuring a harmonious visual composition.

man typing on a computer

1. Colour correction

A carefully selected unedited video has been chosen for the purpose of demonstrating the process of color correction. The video has been captured in a specialized mode that intentionally reduces contrast, allowing for manual editing. Within the Effects&Presets menu, the Lumetry color effect can be found. This panel provides the ability to adjust the colors of the video. The adjustments can be made manually by modifying various parameters or by utilizing a Lookup Table (LUT). In this tutorial, the latter option will be employed.

Upon implementing the changes, a noticeable transformation occurs as the colors become significantly more vibrant and saturated. From this point forward, the adjustments can be tailored manually based on the requirements of the specific video.

2. Fixing the pixels

With all the necessary adjustments in place and the video appearing refined, it is finally time to introduce the chosen background. To enhance the overall realism, a Gaussian Blur effect can be applied to the background, creating a slight blur. Subsequently, the temperature and colors of the video should be balanced in accordance with the new background, ensuring a harmonious blend.

At this stage, the video is transformed, with the green screen completely removed and replaced by a customized background. The audience is now equipped with the skills to effectively manipulate green screen footage in After Effects, opening up a world of creative possibilities for their video projects.

In conclusion

By following these steps, users can confidently remove green screens from their videos in After Effects and replace them with personalized backgrounds. The tutorial emphasizes the significance of color correction, pixel refinement, and background integration, guiding users toward achieving a professional and visually appealing final product. With the newfound knowledge and skills gained from this tutorial, users can unleash their creativity and explore various possibilities in video editing using After Effects.