Communications Toolkit

Chroma Key

Chroma key is a technique that lets you replace a solid-colored background behind a subject with any image or video clip. If you have watched a TV weather forecast, you have seen this effect — the forecaster stands in front of a green screen while a weather map appears behind them.

Beyond novelty, chroma key has practical uses for how-to videos. It can help conceal an unsuitable recording location, or allow you to place a slide presentation behind you with your head visible in a corner of the frame. Backgrounds can be a still image or a video clip — any visual content works in Premiere Elements.

What You Will Need

Supplies

  1. A green screen with stand (approximately $35)
  2. Backdrop lighting to evenly illuminate the green screen
  3. A light for the subject that matches the look of your chosen background. If your background is a bright outdoor scene, use bright light from above. For an office or kitchen background, use softer light. Chroma key never looks perfectly realistic — just do your best.

Digital Assets

  1. A foreground clip of the subject recorded with audio in front of the green screen
  2. A background still image (JPEG) or video clip at least as long as the foreground clip. No audio is needed from the background, but if the clip has audio you will need to mute it or lower the level.

Import both assets into your project before beginning the editing steps below.

How to Edit

  1. Add both the foreground and background assets to your project
  2. Place the green screen clip on a track above the background clip — for example, background on Track 1 and green screen footage on Track 2
  3. Trim the green screen clip as needed
  4. Add the background clip to the track below the green screen clip
  5. Trim or adjust the background clip so it matches the length of the green screen clip
  6. Adjust the audio level of the background clip if needed

This tutorial demonstrates the process in Premiere Elements. It was recorded using an older version, but the steps are the same in current versions:

Adobe's help documentation covers additional superimpose and transparency effects available in Premiere Elements. Visit Adobe's Premiere Elements superimposing guide.