Topic awaiting preservation: Chroma key color removal

Quick question, I do alot of video production and one of the most usefull tools for creating animations and text is by using chroma keys to remove a certain color. Now I'm sure there is an easy way to do this in PS aside from the magic wand but can't for the life of me figure it out.

Any suggestions?

Reason I ask is I'm going to be designing a DVD cover and we're shooting the menu in front of a green screen and I want to use the same images for the cover.

thanks!

Double click the layer you're using.
Look on that first panel. See at the bottom - Blend if:
It should be set - default - to gray. Change it to green.
Now, the slider immediately below the box you just changed: "This layer"
Alt+Click on the right most arrows and drag to the left. Alt+Click seperates the arrow into two arrows. That will allow you to use a gradient of transparency instead of a strict threshold.
Drag arrows around until desired transparency is achieved!

As always, touch-up by hand; but that above method should get you at least 90% there - especially if you're careful about your green screen and lighting.

see also - http://www.ozoneasylum.com/24457

The magic wand, used well, is a very viable tool for such things.

Select-->Color Range and Adobe Photoshop 7 & CS has Extract the can be useful if properly configured for more complex Chroma Extractions.


J. Stuart J.

Why does it seem so much easier to do this with a properly lit greenscreen and motion video/NLE software? I've never done it personally but I've seen it done and there is no discernable fringe around the object?! Seems Photoshop would have developed a tool that doesn't require that extra 10% to get you "there" as mobrul pointed out.

because 99% of the times you use photoshop, you did not film at a low resolution with very bright light in front of a monochromatic screen?

Extract will do some defringing, But at Tyberius points out at film and video resolution not to mention, at 29 Fames per second the fringing is there you just rarely see it. Take a look at some original release Star Wars Battle scenes on pause.

Thanks so much guys! I wondered the same this that JK asked, I use Vegas to do the chroma keying and it's really easy and eliminates all the green. Never messed too much with layer adjustements.

btw... Happy Holidays!