Green screen (chroma key) effects are widely used in filmmaking and video production to create stunning visual effects, remove backgrounds, or place subjects in different environments. DaVinci Resolve offers powerful tools to achieve high-quality green screen effects. In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through the process of using the Chroma Key feature in DaVinci Resolve, from setting up your footage to refining the edges for a professional look.

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Step 1: Set Up Your Project and Import Footage

1. Open DaVinci Resolve and create a new project by clicking on “New Project” in the Project Manager.
2. Import your green screen footage by clicking on the “File” menu, selecting “Import Media”, and choosing your video files. Repeat this step to import the background footage or image you want to use.
3. Drag your green screen footage onto the timeline in the Edit page. Place your background footage on a video track beneath the green screen footage (e.g., place the green screen clip on Video Track 2 and the background on Video Track 1).

Step 2: Open the Fusion Page

1. With your green screen clip selected on the timeline, click on the Fusion tab at the bottom of the screen. This will open the Fusion page, where you can access the node-based compositor for advanced visual effects.
2. In Fusion, you’ll see two nodes: MediaIn1 (your green screen clip) and MediaOut1 (output).

Step 3: Apply the Chroma Key Effect

1. Select the MediaIn1 node (your green screen footage), then go to the toolbar and click on the “Effects Library” if it’s not already open.
2. In the Effects Library, click on “Tools” > “Matte” and drag the “Delta Keyer” onto the node workspace. This is one of the best keyers available in DaVinci Resolve for pulling keys from green screen footage.
3. Connect the Delta Keyer node between MediaIn1 and MediaOut1 by dragging the output of MediaIn1 to the input of Delta Keyer, and then the output of Delta Keyer to MediaOut1.

Step 4: Key Out the Green Screen

1. Select the Delta Keyer node, and in the Inspector panel (on the right side of the screen), click on the “Keyer” section.
2. Click on the “Eyedropper” icon next to “Background Color”, then click on the green area of your footage in the viewer. This will automatically remove the green screen, showing your background footage underneath.
3. Adjust the key by tweaking the settings in the Inspector:
   • Threshold: Adjust the Foreground and Background thresholds to refine the key and improve transparency.
   • Clean Black/Clean White: These sliders help in refining the matte by removing unwanted spill and noise from the black and white areas, respectively.
   • Despill: Use this slider to remove any green spill around your subject, which is common with green screens.

Step 5: Refine the Edges and Correct Spillage

1. Softening the Edges: To refine the edges of your keyed-out subject, adjust the “Edge Softness” slider under the Delta Keyer settings. This will help smoothen any harsh edges left behind by the keying process.
2. Edge Correction: Use the “Blur Radius” and “Shrink/Grow” sliders to control the edge of your subject. These adjustments can help remove any fringe or halo effects.
3. Matte Finesse: Fine-tune the alpha channel by adjusting “Alpha Offset” and “Gamma” to get a clean and sharp outline of your subject.

Step 6: Adding Light Wrap (Optional for Realism)

1. Light Wrap is a technique used to make the subject blend more naturally with the background. You can add this effect by using additional nodes like the “Light Wrap” tool available in some versions or create a manual light wrap effect using Merge and Blur nodes.
2. Add a Blur Node to slightly blur the edges of your subject and merge it with the background footage for a seamless integration.

Step 7: Return to the Edit Page and Finalize

1. Go back to the Edit page by clicking on the Edit tab at the bottom of the screen.
2. Preview your composition to ensure everything looks good. You can make any last-minute adjustments to the position, scale, or rotation of your background and foreground elements if necessary.
3. Add transitions, color grade, or additional effects as needed to complete your video.

Step 8: Export Your Finished Video

1. Once you are happy with the result, navigate to the Deliver page by clicking on the Deliver tab at the bottom.
2. Choose your export settings depending on your needs (e.g., YouTube, social media, etc.), and select the output format and quality.
3. Click on “Add to Render Queue” and then “Start Render” to export your final video.

Conclusion:

With these steps, you can effectively use DaVinci Resolve’s Chroma Key features to remove green screen backgrounds and replace them with your desired imagery. This tutorial covers the essential tools and techniques to help you create professional-looking effects, perfect for film, YouTube, or any video project.

Mastering green screen keying in DaVinci Resolve can elevate the production quality of your videos, allowing you to create captivating scenes and effects that captivate your audience.