Speed Philippines – July 2019

JULY 2019

HOW TO

WORDS PENN DE VERA

LIGHTS, CAMERA, MAGIC!

ADD SPECIAL EFFECTS TO YOUR SMARTPHONE VIDEOS

110

FILMS THESE DAYS ARE SO
life-like that they easily blur the
fine line between what’s real
and what’s not. And as you know
by now, most of these movies
employ special effects to achieve
such reality-bending imagery.
Filmmakers make use of green
screen technology, and of course,
loads of camera rigs that are way
beyond your paycheck.

But did you know that you can
also create your own special
effects for your videos even with
just your trusty smartphone and
limited budget? All you need is a
capable video editor and suitable
backdrop to add to your video-
shooting arsenal.

STEP 1: GET A BACKDROP

You’ll need a solid green

material to use as a

background when recording

video. It can be a piece of

fabric, paper, cardboard, or

whatever is available for you.

Ensure that the size fits the

screen and can cover the

entire scene you’re shooting.

STEP 2: FIND A

CONTINUOUS LIGHT

SOURCE

While it is optional, good

lighting will definitely give

your video a better look.

It will also keep shadows

and imperfections on your

backdrop from showing up

as blotches in your video.

STEP 3: SHOOT YOUR VIDEO

Keep in mind that the subject

must be within the confines of

the green backdrop. Anything

that goes past the backdrop

will look like it’s cut off in your

final output. And remember:

don’t wear green or use props

with green finish.

STEP 4: DO THE MAGIC

You need a capable software

that can swap the green

screen footage you shot with

your desired image, video,

or animation. There are a

handful of options for you

at this point.

Should you decide to edit on

your mobile device, there are

many apps that are up to the

task. Note, though, that you

may need to shell out some

cash to get these apps, but

the costs are very minimal.

Android users can try

Green Screen Video app by

Android Film (P105), while

iOS users can go for Green

Screen by Do Ink (P149). If

you use both Android and iOS,

KineMaster is another option

($5/month for full version).

If you prefer editing on a

computer, video editors like

Movavi Video Editor and

Wondershare Filmora9

($40 each), and the industry-

standard Adobe Premiere

Pro ($21/month) can handle

green screen work. These

programs are available on

both Windows and Mac

systems, and offer a one-

month trial period to help

you decide if you are going

to make the purchase. On a

budget? VSDC Free Video

Editor for Windows or iMovie

for macOS are available at

your disposal for free. These

programs, of course, have

more features than most

mobile apps, and support

more precise editing.

Note: If your app

doesn’t offer alternative

backgrounds to use during

your initial recording, you

can insert a different scene

later. You can also try

downloading green-screen

clips and backgrounds

from sites like Pixabay

and Videvo.

STEP 5: FINISHING

TOUCHES

Once you’re done with your

desired output, depending

on the software, you may

fine-tune the video further

by compensating uneven

lighting and adjusting the

color. Then, you can now

import your file and let the

software do its magic.

Voila! You now have Hollywood-

level videos to share with your

family and friends and entertain

your social media followers.