Resources for Television Chroma Key and Character Generators

Chroma key and character generator manufacturers and suppliers.
Alternative Music Record Labels

Companies that release and produce alternative music. more »

Art House Cinema

Theaters exhibiting independent, foreign, classic, documentary, cult and mainstream films. more »

Book Production Services

Providers of book production services. more »

Disney World Tickets

Quickly find online providers of Walt Disney World tickets, including Disney World Magic Kingdom tickets and Disney World Resort tickets. Review our business listings for links to … more »

Film Distributors

Distributors of films, including international films and documentary films. more »

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Film Production Information Resources

Research and reference materials containing information on film production. more »

Television Chroma Key and Character Generators Key Terms


Whether you are helping around the studio or making the next big purchase for the boss, knowing television chroma key and character generators key terms and phrases will help you keep your composure in the event that you are put on the spot in a conversation on the topic. Chroma key is a video effect that makes a single color, traditionally blue or green, transparent so that one image can be superimposed onto another. This is often used in the field of weather forecasting. Character generation is when a device is used to put letters, numbers, symbols or other characters onto the video screen. Familiarizing yourself with the terms and components of the process will improve your ability to interact in the industry, as well as participate in the field. Learn about what makes up each effect and begin to understand how to use the technology.

Muslin

Muslin is a fabric that makes an excellent chroma key background because of its non-glare properties under harsh studio lighting.

Pixel

Pixels on a television screen or monitor determine its native resolution and also determine how much detail you will see. The higher the resolution (the more pixels), the greater the detail you will see.

Blue screen and green screen

The blue or green screen is used in chroma key techniques as the background. When an individual is filmed on those colors and the image is made transparent, another image can be replaced behind it.

Post production

Post-production, chroma-key or character generation means putting the visual effects in after the taping has taken place instead of during live television.

Vision mixer

Vision mixers select between video sources and sometimes composite video sources together and add special effects. Vision mixers are to video what mixing consoles are to audio.

Alpha channel

The alpha channel mattes or masks to determine what part of a foreground becomes fully or partially transparent and what part is revealed as part of the background for a viewer to see.