Changing Backdrop Color in FCP pro
by mark pagan
on
Dec 12, 2008 at 8:06:29 pm
Perhaps a naive question, but I'm writing to see about background/ color changes wihin FCP. I have a video clip of a dancer in front of a grey backdrop and want to see about isolating the backdrop color and changing it. Any suggestions?
Re: Changing Backdrop Color in FCP pro by david bogie on Dec 13, 2008 at 4:42:47 pm
Reshoot.
There is no easy way to do this but using the 3-Way Color Corrector will allow you to choose a very narrow range of pixels to which an effect will be applied. The interface for 3-way is about as dumb as it gets in FCP (nothing is labeled) so get out the manual and follow along. You also need to understand how to use the different output view modes the filter offers.
There are other options if you understand how to create mattes and use them as inputs for other effects. You will take a copy of your footage and apply levels or color correction filters till you get a hard edge between the dancer and the background and the backdrop is a solid color without any tone. You will then use this video clip, after it's rendered, as the matte input to drive other color correction or replacement filters.