How To Use Virtual Green Screen to Shoot Video

TL;DR:

You can shoot videos with a virtual green background without physical equipment by applying a real-time Green Screen filter via Snap Camera, recording the feed through OBS Studio, and replacing the background using the Chroma Key tool in Wondershare Filmora.
    ● Snap Camera is compatible with Windows 10 and Mac 10.11+ and must be selected as the Video Capture Device source inside OBS Studio to capture the live virtual background.
    ● Wondershare Filmora requires Windows 7 or later (64-bit) or macOS 10.12+ and executes the background replacement by placing the recorded video above the new replacement media on the timeline and enabling the Chroma Key setting.

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We have seen video creators on YouTube using green screen effects to beautify their background to make the video look professional and eye-catching. The same is applicable for gamers who live stream their gameplay on Twitch. Instead of physically hanging green screens in the background, some video creators opt for virtual green screens. Yes, it is possible to shoot videos with a virtual green background, and you do not have to buy screen greens and deal with the problem of hanging them in the background.

The concept of using virtual greenscreen is rather new, but it is getting popular among amateur video creators who do not want to invest in purchasing green screens initially. When you use a virtual background to shoot your video, the actual physical background is replaced completely with a virtual green background. Thereafter, you have to replace this virtual background with anything by using a video editor. In this article, we will illustrate how to use a virtual green screen to shoot video.

1. Free Virtual Green Screen

In order to shoot a video with green virtual background, you cannot shoot your video with your regular camera app. Otherwise, your physical background will get recorded, and replacing that through video editor is going to be time-consuming. Therefore, there are specific apps available through which you have to shoot your video so that your physical background gets completely replaced by virtual greenscreen in real-time.

Snap Camera from Snapchat is a free app through which you can shoot your video to get a virtual green background. The app comes with a Green Screen filter that makes this virtual background effect possible. However, you will need a camera recording app that can record your video with green screen effects from Snap Camera. We will be using OBS Studio for recording the video which is also available for free. Snap Camera is compatible with Windows 10 and Mac 10.11+, and hence, you can use it to shoot video from your computer webcam. Here are the steps to follow –

Step 1: Download and install Snap Camera app on your computer.

Step 2: Set up your webcam perfectly so that its angle is direct to your face.

Step 3: Open Snap Camera app and you will see yourself on the app through your webcam. Select the appropriate Lens(filter)  and you have to select Green Screen Snap Filter.

Step 4: You should see a green virtual background by now. Now, you have to launch OBS Studio (webcam recording software).

Step 5: Go to Sources and click on “+” icon and select Video Capture Device option.

Step 6: While configuration the new device, select Snap Camera as Device. This will enable green screen virtual backgrounds and you can start recording. After recording is done, save the file on your hard drive.

Now that you have recorded the video with green virtual background without green screen, it is time to edit the virtual greenscreen out with the video editor.

2. Best Way To Apply Green Screen Effect To Your Recorded Video

The best video editor to add green effect to your recorded video with virtual green screen is Wondershare Filmora. There are loads of video editors available with green screen feature but Filmora has the simplest steps to add green screen effects. That is why you do not have to be an expert video editor to add green screen effects to your video.

Apart from green screen effects, you can enhance the video quality by adjusting different parameters and adding other video effects to make the video interesting. Here are the steps to follow to add green screen effects to the recorded video with green virtual background.

Step 1: Download and install Wondershare Filmora.  Launch the video editor and select Create New Project option to get started.

Step 2: Import the recorded video with virtual green screen and drag it onto the Timeline.

Step 3: Get the stunning photo or video effect with which you want to replace the virtual background without green screen in the recorded video. Put it directly on the Timeline.

Please note that your recorded green screen video is above the replacement video on the Timeline.

Step 4: Double-click on the recorded video and you will see a panel on the upper-left side. From that panel, turn on Chroma Key option. We have already stated that green screen effect is technically referred to as Chroma Key.

Now you will the superimposed version of the replacement video effect on the green screen background of your recorded video.

Step 5: You can adjust several parameters available to fine tune the green screen effect. When you are done, click on Ok button.

Conclusion:

You can now have virtual background without green screen purchase on your video. All you need is a proper application to replace your physical background with a virtual green screen and record the entire video. We have recommended free Snap Camera app and OBS Studio for this job. Then you need to edit the green screen virtual backgrounds with a video editor for which we have recommended Wondershare Filmora.