blue screen stage size

[Guest kallipigous]

Hello. I wonder if anyone could give me the benefit of their experience with bluescreen lighting and shooting. We're in the process of converting a warehouse into a bluescreen and motion capture studio and we're trying to make sure we're allocating enough space.

 

We'd like to have a screen that's about 30 x20 ft and I'm aware that you need at least 10 feet beetween the actors and the screen but what I'm also trying to figure out is how much space in front of the actors we might need for the camera and lights and a dolly etc.

 

This is not a particuylarly big building so I guess I'm looking for a minimum space.

 

Thanks in advance

[Phil Rhodes]

Hi,

 

Depends entirely what you're shooting, but the rule is generally more and bigger. If you're shooting a sit-down interview, you can get away with a ten foot square backdrop and that'll be very good - it's often done with less. If you're shooting in the interior of a hangar bay for space fighters for the next instalment of Star Wars with thousands of extras, well....

 

I'd have thought you'd build what you can and get jobs based on what you can accomodate.

 

Phil

[David Gascon]

Always depend of what you have in mind. I mean, if you don't plan to do wide shot then, you dont' need that much space for the camera. But, let say you want to do dolly on rail or any other movement, then you will need more space. Your 30x20 screen is decent, and you can do lot of stuff with it, so be sure you give yourself enough space to not cut in your creativity. And be sure you have enough space on the side too so you can add lighting.

 

David G.