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Tips & Tricks - Production
Doing an 'in-studio' or location interview and want a different looking backdrop? Use your projection screen or a simple WHITE sheet (wrinkles are OK) and shine colored lights (75-100 watt outdoor floodlights work great) on it from angles so that the light pattern is elongated rather than a spot, and have yout talent stand about 6-8 feet in front of it. OR how about using your video projector to display an image or scene behind the talent, like a 'green screen' in reverse OR (borrowing from theatre) using cut-outs (gobos) placed in front of your lighting, projected onto the wall behind the talent. They can be of text, logos or other non-detailed shapes.

Speaking of back drops, textures have been used for ages as a background for titling. You can create your own library of textures on VD by using the macro lens setting on your camera and getting samples of things like floor tile, carpeting, full-grained wood, coarsely woven cloth, concrete, stucco, draped cloth, etc. Let your imagination go. Video is all about creating. Things close up do not look the same when viewed from a few feet away. Try it. I'll bet that before you are done, you'll have a few (hundred) textures in YOUR library. Now to add to that, if you have a proc amp or NLE system, change or modify the colors (change the white balance) . . . now your library just increased by a factor of 10. (images: clockwise, starting with upper left: diamondplate, paper towel, carpet, concrete, curtain, marble table, chair fabric)