Type of Material for backgrounds? (Like Mac ads with white BG)

[Peter the Bohemian]

What kind of material should I use for colored backgrounds? Like how the Mac ads with the cool, hip guy, and uncool, business guy has a plain white background. I want to have something extremely similar to that, but also with different colors. My friend and I experimented with a huge roll of free butcher paper from school, and it didn't work out very well, since the light shined off the paper and it was very noticeable.

Also, any lighting/setup tips and/or suggestions for a project like this?

[ciwi286]

they used a greenscreen.... then you can make it any colour you want!

[etentertainment]

I have a huge vinyl backdrop....it's actually one of those blinds that has a spring in
it and you can pull it down and back up. It works great and doesn't reflect much (with proper lighting and such)

[RobertHimler]

they used a greenscreen.... then you can make it any colour you want!

did they really?

[nooneimportant77]

well i dont think there is a making of the ipod ad video, but yeah i'm almost 100 % sure they use a green screen, and then after effects. i mean shake....

[flipsproductions]

chances are they use a green screen but you could get the same effect with a very well lit set with a white backdrop. but your better off green screening it if you cant afford one of the really good pro type of backdrops because it will probably look better.

[NaziActionFigure]

Green screening would be easier, because you wouldn't need as much material.

[Peter the Bohemian]

So what type of cheap material could I use as a green screen? Last I checked, green butcher paper doesn't cut it since it shines incredibly hard.

[17thletterfilms]

Yeah, I'd just use a green screen if I were you.

But then again, I'm not you. XD

[NaziActionFigure]

So what type of cheap material could I use as a green screen? Last I checked, green butcher paper doesn't cut it since it shines incredibly hard.
I just went to walmart and bought about 12 yards of green fabric for about 24$. I don't know if that's too expensive to you though. Also, I found that lighter and brighter(in color) green material, like lime green is easier to light than actual green.

[texabyte]

actuly they use a big white backround

[etentertainment]

well i dont think there is a making of the ipod ad video, but yeah i'm almost 100 % sure they use a green screen, and then after effects. i mean shake....

You mean Motion?

[etentertainment]

Also, I'm pretty sure they didn't use a green screen for the Apple commercials.
It's just alot of extra work for no reason. If you watch the HD versions on their website, you can tell that it's very clean around the edges, and you can also tell by their shadows
that it's not a green screen.

[gcubedproductions]

Green-screening allows you to put any background in, including solid colors. Just use that, because it's pretty easy to key in another solid color.

[jburas]

For the Mac ads, they probably used a white cyc (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclorama_%28theater%29). You can accomplish the same effect with a really big roll of white paper or white cloth. If you use paper, use a paper with a matte finish so it doesn't have that reflective shine. The key to any infinite background (white, green screen, or whatever) is lighting that makes the surface consistent in brightness with no shadows.

[nooneimportant77]

You mean Motion?

no...i mean shake.



and yeah for the ones of the kid and the business guy they most likely used a cyc room.

but the ipod ads were almost defiantly done on a green screen.

[groovin'larry]

[deleted by user]

[DeviousTom]

Erik in one of the earlier videos suggests bright green tablecloth from a party supply store. I haven't tried it but that might work.

[nooneimportant77]

for the ipod video look you wont need any tracking points, there's nothing to line up with the action, just one color.

and green table cloths (when lit right) work just fine

[michaelbak]

I bet tya They used a white muslin backdrop you can get one here tubetape.com