StreamLive ProGreen screen (chroma key) in the video editor
Remove a green screen from a recorded video in the StreamLive Pro editor: key one clip over a background, or the whole video over a colour, image or blur.
The StreamLive Pro editor removes a green or blue background from a recorded video. Put the background on V1 and the green-screen clip on V2 above it, right-click the clip and choose Mark as green screen, then tune the key in the Chroma tab. To key the whole video instead, use the Chroma tab with no clip selected and choose a colour, an image or a blur as the new background.
Before you start
- This page is about recorded video. For a green screen during a live broadcast, the studio has its own colour key; see How to set up a green screen virtual studio for live streams.
- Most of the result comes from the shoot. An evenly lit screen, the person a step or two away from it, and nobody wearing green. The live-studio page above explains the light and the distance.
- Green or blue. Both work. The editor uses a key made for green and blue screens; any other colour is keyed in a simpler way that is less clean.
- Two layouts. One clip over another video or image (the clip is keyed), or the whole video over a colour, image or blur (the project is keyed).
Steps
- Open the editor. In the menu choose Video editor and open the project.
- Put the background below. Drag the background video or image from the Media library onto V1.
- Put the green-screen clip above. Drag it onto V2, over the background.
- Mark it. Right-click the clip on V2 and choose Mark as green screen. A message says the green screen is on and points to the Chroma panel.
- Open the Chroma tab. In Properties, open Chroma. With the clip selected, the panel says it is keying the selected clip (V2).
- Pick the colour. Press Pick from video and click the green screen in the preview, in a spot of average brightness, not the brightest or darkest corner.
- Tune the edges. Raise Tolerance until the green is gone, then stop. Use Edge softness and Edge feather for hair and shoulders, and Spill suppression to remove the green glow on the person.
- Check while playing. Watch a part with movement. Arms and hair show problems a still frame hides.
- Export. Press Export. The key is burned into the MP4.
Keying the whole video
With no clip selected, the Chroma tab keys the whole project. Switch on Enable Chroma Key, pick the colour, and under Background mode choose:
| Mode | What appears behind the person |
|---|---|
| Color | A solid colour you choose |
| Image | An image you upload or link |
| Blur | A blurred copy of the video itself |
| Transparent | Meant for formats with transparency; MP4, the format the editor exports today, has none, so use one of the three above |
The settings at a glance
| Setting | What it does | If it is too high |
|---|---|---|
| Tolerance | How far from the picked colour still counts as green | Holes in the person |
| Edge softness | Softens the cut line | A halo around the person |
| Edge feather | Spreads the edge over more pixels | The person looks blurred at the edges |
| Spill suppression | Removes green reflected on the person | Skin turns grey |
New keys start from Tolerance 40, Edge softness 20, Edge feather 10 and Spill suppression 30, which suits an evenly lit screen.
What can go wrong
- Green edges around hair. Raise Spill suppression and Edge softness a little. On the next shoot, move the person further from the screen.
- Holes in the person. Tolerance is too high, or the clothes are close to the key colour. Lower Tolerance; on the next shoot, avoid green clothes.
- The background flickers. The screen was lit unevenly or the camera changed exposure. Pick the colour again from a mid-brightness area.
- Mark as green screen is missing. It appears on video clips only, not on audio.
- No background behind the person in the export. Background mode is Transparent. Choose Color, Image or Blur, or put a background on V1 under a keyed clip.
Related pages
- Layers and tracks: Work with several tracks
- Colour after the key: Color correction in the editor
- What the export includes: Exporting from the editor — formats and render settings
Frequently asked questions
Can I remove a green screen from a video I already recorded?
Yes. Open it in the editor, put a background under it, right-click the clip and choose Mark as green screen, then tune the key in the Chroma tab.
Does it work with a blue screen?
Yes. Pick the blue with Pick from video. Green and blue both get the key made for screens.
Can I put a video behind the person?
Yes. Put the background video on V1 and the green-screen clip on V2, then key the clip on V2.
Is the green screen kept in the exported file?
Yes. The key and the background are burned into the MP4.
Keep reading
Multitrack editing in the StreamLive Pro editor: layer video, images and logos on V tracks, music and voice on A tracks, add, reorder, lock and mute tracks.
How to live stream a lecture or an online classLive stream or video call, slides and camera layout, lecture hall sound, student privacy, chat moderation, and captions and clips from the recording.
How to live stream a Torah class: setup and soundLive stream a Torah class: three setups by budget, why sound beats picture, camera placement, audience privacy and a simple weekly routine.
Live stream checklist: before, during and afterA printable live stream checklist: test broadcasts, stream keys, sound check, backup internet, what to do if the stream drops, and the work after it ends.
Want to try it? 7-day trial, no credit card.
Start free