Making videos with a green screen is fun, but it is not as simple as hanging up a piece of green cloth. If you don’t set things correctly, your video will look fake, and you will spend hours fixing it on the computer. Wrinkles, shadows, or wrong floor color are small mistakes that create big problems later.
That’s why you need the right green screen equipment. With good tools and setup, your video will look clean, filming will feel easy, and you can focus on telling your story instead of dealing with mistakes.
1. Weak Backdrop
The backdrop is the most important part. If the green screen is loose or has wrinkles, you will see dark lines and folds in the video. This makes it hard to replace the background. Always make sure your screen is tight and smooth.
There are two main types:
- Portable screens – good for people who film in many places. They fold and fit in a bag; you can set them up in minutes.
- Cyclorama walls (cyc walls) – suitable for studios. These built-in walls curve at the bottom, so there are no hard edges. This makes editing much easier.
If you ignore your backdrop, even the best lights or camera will not save the video. The backdrop is the foundation of your setup.
2. Unsteady Stands and Frames
Many people don’t think about the stands that hold up the screen. But if the stand is weak or shaky, the whole screen can fall or move during recording, ruining your shot.
Light stands are okay for travel because they are easy to carry. But in a studio, you should use heavy, stable frames that don’t move. If you use a wide screen, choose telescoping stands that stretch up to 10 feet wide and 8 feet tall. These give you space and ensure the screen covers everything without leaving gaps. A sturdy frame keeps the green screen in place to film without worry.
3. Forgetting the Floor
The floor is very important for full-body shots or when people move around. If the floor is not green, the person’s feet will look cut off, and the video will look fake.
Adding green flooring blends the bottom with the backdrop, making the person look natural and not like floating. In professional studios, green screen flooring is used for ads, training videos, and performances because it makes the video look polished.
If you want your videos to look real, don’t skip the floor.
4. Wrong Lighting
Even if your backdrop and floor are perfect, bad lighting can destroy the shot. Uneven lights create shadows, which are hard to remove in editing. The background will not look smooth if the light is too strong on one side and too weak on the other.
Use soft, even lighting across the whole green screen to fix this. Clamps, holders, and trusses help you place lights at the right spots. Try to light both the screen and the person separately. This stops shadows and gives a clean background.
Lighting is one of the most powerful parts of green screen equipment. A few extra lights can save you hours of editing later.
5. Using the Wrong Setup
Some people try to mix different tools and random parts. This often leads to missing pieces, unstable stands, or poor results. This is where green screen kits are handy.
Kits usually include a backdrop, stands, and the basic gear you need, all in one package. They are great for people who move from place to place. With a kit, you don’t waste time searching for parts or worrying about setup. You just open the bag, set it up, and start filming.
At Pro Cyc, we’ve spent years designing the best portable green screens, accessories, and cyclorama systems for creators worldwide. Whether you’re live streaming, filming interviews, or building a full studio, our products are made to help you create without limits.
Need help choosing the correct setup? Contact Pro Cyc today!
