''PRESENTATIONS MASTER TECHNOLOGIES'' : 2/2

YOUR presentations and videos with special effects like Hollywood. Here are some great  technology tips by J.D. Biersdorfer:

You simply record your subject in front of a solid green or blue screen, and then add a touch of software magic to change the background.

Dozens of free or inexpensive apps allow you to use the technique on your own clips. It’s a great way to jazz up your presentations and other videos — or to keep children busy with a weekend project filming their own toys in action scenes. Here’s how to get started.

Step 3: Record the Action
Once you hang your backdrop, make sure it’s as smooth as possible. Tape and clips can be used to stretch it tight against a wall or counter. Position your subject a few feet in front of the screen to avoid shadows, and begin recording.

KineMaster is another mobile video app with chroma-key
 tools for Android and iOS devices.

You may have to do a few takes to get the action the way you want it, especially when recording with unpredictable pets. If you want to be in the scene yourself, stick the phone or camera on a tripod, which also steadies the recording.

Step 4: Select a New Background
If your app does not offer alternative backgrounds to use during your initial recording, you can insert a different scene later. Most programs allow you to choose another video, a photograph or an animation to replace the green or blue screen in the background of your first video.

You can also download green-screen clips and backgrounds online. Sites like Pexels, Pixabay and Videvo offer free or inexpensive content if you just want to play around or add unexpected elements into your video as you edit it together.

Step 5: Fine-Tune the Scene
Chroma key works the same way in most programs, but check your app’s help guide for specific instructions for deleting the green or blue backdrop. If you’re using a full video-editing program (instead of a dedicated green-screen app for quick clips), you typically have more control and may even be able to compensate for uneven lighting by removing multiple shades of color.

In addition to the chroma-key tool, programs like iMovie and VSDC Free Video Editor let you arrange your clips in different layers on a timeline, trim out the boring parts and add music to your project before you output the project and show off your Hollywood special-effects skills to the world.