Until recently, lighting a standard green or blue screen has been cumbersome, attempting to achieve an even color tone, and the results are not always efficient for post-production removal of the background. However, if you are not yet familiar with it, a somewhat newer approach to chromakey production has changed that immensely: The system utilizes a ring of colored LED lights around the camera lens that reflect off of a gray, reflective backdrop. The result is a beautifully smooth wash of color (blue or green, depending on the color of the LED's being used) that makes pulling a great key close to effortless... it is an amazing thing! Just a few of the main advantages over a traditional blue/green chroma key screen setup are:

•	A perfectly smooth, even wash of color, with adjustable luminance.
•	No separate lighting needed for the screen. Thus, no excess heat near the talent, and considerably less electricity usage / amperage draw.
•	Easy portability, less gear to haul around, lightning quick setup.
•	Allows certain applications not possible with a traditional chroma screen.
•	Very good tolerance for wind / movement, shadows and wrinkles.

This type of system is in use throughout the world in network and broadcast studios, as well as commercial video production facilities. On average, those systems cost about $1,500 to $2,500 for a standard package (which I have owned and used with joy), and several thousand dollars on up for a large, full-body system. Since my video production company has an upcoming project this summer which mandates having much more than my existing 8x8 reflective material on hand, and it was only available in many hundreds of meters, I decided to create a limited number of these systems for sale to, hopefully, help offset the cost, and maybe provide an avenue for this type of system to those who might not otherwise be able to afford it.

When not to use an LED system: As wonderful as these systems are, there are a couple of situations where a traditional screen might still be the best bet:

• If you are shooting outdoors, in bright sunlight, the LED's will likely be overpowered and optimal color saturation will be diminished. LED systems, in general, are best for controlled, indoor shoots, or dawn/dusk/evening outdoor use in a dirt/dust-free environment.

• Similar to above, if you are shooting in an indoor situation where there is a very large amount of direct or ambient light (window, spotlight, etc.) coming from behind the camera, the retro-reflective fabric will perceive that as another light source to illuminate, also contributing to dimished saturation. That can, however, be mitigated against by using a large black flag or backdrop behind the camera to mask that light source.

• Teleprompter work: When shooting with an LED system, I use an over-the-lens prompter, which consists of a 7" LCD monitor on a shoe-mounted articulating arm, allowing the LCD to position directly above the lens... it's very believable and works just fine. While I have experimented with "through-the-lens" prompters and the LED system, I've yet to find a good solution combining the two.

• Full-body work can be done effectively with LED systems, albeit a bit more expensive due to the extra fabric and need for a higher res cam. I do still prefer traditional greens for FB work when the comp is from a good distance and a fair amount of movement is involved, when working in standard definition--4:2:2 or better HD will yield much finer results in that situation.

Where the LED systems are absolutely ideal is anything with a composition from the ankles up, all the way to a close-up head shot, which tends to be 90% of my videowork, anyway. Setup is quick, color tone is uniform, and keying is a breeze.