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How to Do Green Screen Effects on Movie Maker

Thanks to advances in technology, independent filmmakers -- and dads with cameras -- can create special effects without a big Hollywood budget. Green screen is a video effect that enables the videographer to replace a background image with whatever he wants. The actual term for this technique is "chroma-key," which studios often use in driving scenes. Although the scene is shot in a stationary car inside a studio -- with a green screen in the background -- the editor later uses chroma-key to replace it with a road, to make it appear like the car is moving. You can create similar effects with Movie Maker.

Things You'll Need

  • ShaderTFX plug-in
  • Windows Movie Maker
  • Green screen -- available at equipment sales and rental stores (or use a green sheet or blanket)
  • Video camera
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Instructions

    • 1

      Flatten the wrinkles out of the screen with an iron, if using a sheet or blanket. Stretch out the fabric until the surface area is smooth.

    • 2

      Shoot your primary video with your subjects positioned in front of your green screen. Then shoot the secondary video -- the footage you want to use to replace the green background.

    • 3

      Download the plug-in ShaderTFX from the Rehan FX website -- the stable version. Click “Run” when the pop-up box emerges.

    • 4

      Save the File. Save as “greenscreen.xml” in C:\Program Files\MovieMaker\Shared\AddOnTFX. After saving it, double-click the file to install the software.

    • 5

      Open your primary video project. From the “File” Menu, scroll down to “Open Project” to add your video to your timeline.

    • 6

      Import your background video or image -- the one you'll use to replace your green screen. Add it to the timeline with your primary video.

    • 7

      Move your secondary video from the timeline on top of your primary video. Drag and drop it to where it covers your entire primary video on the timeline.

    • 8

      Open the tools Menu, and scroll down to Transitions. Find Chroma Green A in the list of choices, and select it. Once you drag and drop the secondary video on top of your primary video, Windows Movie Maker prompts you to choose a transition.

    • 9

      Click “Fade,” if your transition automatically prompts you from the timeline. Drag the green screen transition setting to your overlayed videos.

    • 10

      Review your video. The foreground should be playing your primary video, while the background shows your secondary video.

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