The best green screen backgrounds aren't just for visual effects in Hollywood blockbusters! While 'green screen' or 'blue screen' photography is commonly associated with moviemaking, the chroma key process (to give its proper name) is a tried-and-true technique that has an increasing number of applications at home.
If you shoot video, chances are that the best green screen backgrounds are going to benefit your work in multiple ways. Filming against a green screen enables you to replace everything of that hue with a completely new image. So if you're streaming or vlogging, for example, you can shoot in any room even when the background is untidy or unappealing – just put up a green screen and you can add in any backdrop you want.
• Read more: Best cameras for vlogging
Similarly if you're taking photographs, a green screen enables you to capture an image on any location in the world – or even out of this world! Pop a green screen behind your subject and you can edit your portrait to make it look like it was taken in an office, on vacation, on the moon or anywhere else you fancy.
So once you've chosen the best webcam or best camera for video, and you've kitted yourself out with the best microphone, make sure you add a green screen to your setup.
There are all manner of options available, from collapsible backgrounds to portable numbers that fold down and pop out like reflectors, to those that hook on the back of your chair for straightforward background replacement when streaming or making Zoom calls. Here are our top recommendations…
Best green screen backgrounds
If you're looking for a green screen that can be taken and used virtually anywhere, Neewer's 2-in-1 collapsible option is hard to beat. Just like a reflector it packs down into a compact carry case, ready to pop up when you need to shoot. It doesn't come with a stand, but the mounting loops (horizontal and vertical) can be affixed to your own stands or can even be hung from walls. It's large enough to fit two people for interviews or co-presenting, and it's reversible with a blue screen option – which can be useful, depending on your software and the subject's wardrobe!
One of the more ingenious designs around, this green screen is tailor made for anyone who films while sitting in a gaming or office chair. Maybe you live stream videogames on Twitch, maybe you just want a more professional background when you're video conferencing at work. Either way, just pop up the Big Shot and mount it to the back of your chair, et voila – you now have a green screen right behind you, filling the frame around your head and torso for quick and clean background replacement!
If you already own a backdrop stand then this is the best green screen option for you – and the cheapest! An affordable but effective option, this muslin backdrop is huge at 6 x 9 feet, making it suitable for full-length filming, presenting and photography. The material is non-reflective, too, meaning that it plays nicely when using flash or other supplemental lighting. In addition, the set comes with four background clips to keep the material nice and taught – so you don't have to worry about wrinkles or draping.
Looking for an all-in-one solution that includes a green screen, backdrop stand and lights? Then this is the best green screen option for you! It comprises the muslin background above, along with a 8.5 x 10ft / 2.6 x 3m backdrop stand and crossbar, heavy duty clips, and a pair of 110W continuous lights with 7-ft light stands and white shoot-through umbrellas. In short, everything you need to get taking photos or filming right out of the box – and it even comes with a carrying bag to pack away or transport your kit.
If you shoot or film regularly, but don't want to leave your green screen up permanently, then this will be an absolute godsend. This collapsible screen pops up super-fast, and packs down just as quickly, which takes a huge amount of fuss out of the process of setting up your green screen each time. As is the case with many backdrops it's taller than it is wide, but because it is free-standing you can easily put two side by side to create a wider area – something that isn't easy to achieve with other large screens that require bulky stands!
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