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The Silver Screen

Testing stuff and old tec

Retro-reflection

Applications in Film Production / Digital Compositing & Chroma Key:

Retroreflective surfaces can be used in place of traditionally lit backdrops, providing a more solid color and allowing for more efficient green or blue screen compositing. 

Retro-reflective technology wasn’t a single invention but evolved, with early use in film production appearing in the 1930s with the development of glass-bead screens for the “silver screen” and in rear projection techniques. While similar reflective materials were being developed for road signs around the same time, their direct application to film production through front projection for improved image quality began later, notably in the 1960s with films like 2001: A Space Odyssey.  

The LED light ring with the reflective results in the view screen
With the retro-reflective all on. Notice the folds and seems.
One click on the keying. Room for improving, but as a starting point it's a fantastic start.

Even though today’s tec allows for relatively easy compositing you still need to film your green screen elements correctly to give you the easiest of keying out the background. Any shadows or creases in your green screen can cause issues, even today. The larger the area to be able to light you subject and to light your green screen correctly is the way to go, but if you don’t have a reasonable, studio, size space, I have discovered that the retro-reflective Tec is the way to go if you are tight on space.

By using this tec you don’t have to worry about the distance between your subject and your comp screen, as you don’t need to light the screen, as using a light ring, placed around your camera lens will activate your reflective material, giving a nice even defuse composite.

At present I’m just running a few tests. I 3d printed a ring to house the LED strips and did a quick lash up of, what the set up would be, and stitched together enough retro-reflective material to be able to do a head to toe shot. I did a mid shot first and that worked, so if the full length works without issues, then I’ll test out a two shot.

It amazes me that Tec first used back in the 1930s (hence the term, the silver screen) and used to great effect in the 1960s can still be a useful tool in the 21 century. 

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