Best Green Screen for Video: Pop-Up, Fabric or Pull-Up, and What Size

For a simple webcam or desk setup, a pull-up screen in a case or a wrinkle-resistant fabric like the Westcott X-Drop beats a pop-up. Pop-ups are cheap, but they are hard to fold and often too small. The size and wrinkles actually decide the quality of the key more than the brand. In 2018 we lit a 5x7 collapsible screen one light at a time and learned that you really need two lights, one for each side. A taut fabric saves you time.

Size First: What Fits Behind You

You should measure the distance between your camera and your backdrop before you buy anything, because you don't want to end up with a screen that peeks into your shot. A 5 by 6.5 foot pop-up is often too small to fill a Zoom frame unless it sits right behind your chair, and it won't fit two people. A 5x7 screen fills a small bedroom well, though a chest-up webcam shot needs much less space. If you need a seated two-shot, you need at least 8 feet of width, while full-body shots require a wide sweep.

Sizes and weights are from each listing.

Don't trust the numbers on the box blindly, since some manufacturers list sizes that don't match what you actually get when the package arrives. One buyer measured a pull-up screen listed at 78.7 by 90 inches and found 70 3/4 inches of green across and 74 inches of height. Another person bought a 10 ft screen that only arrived at 6 feet, which is a real headache if you planned a specific setup. You must check the actual dimensions to avoid wasting money.

Pop-Up Screens: Cheap, Fast, and Hard to Fold

Pop-up screens such as the NEEWER 5 x 6.5 ft two-sided screen (4.4 stars from 7,038 ratings) and the Fotodiox 5 x 7 ft with a floor stand (4.3 from 998) use a steel spring frame to hold the fabric taut, but you might find yourself struggling when you try to fold that frame back into its small disc. One buyer even ruined a screen while trying to fold it, and buyers of both say no folding instructions came in the box.

The spring frame keeps the material tight enough to remove wrinkles, yet the fabric isn't fully opaque if you have a bright light shining from behind it. A visual effects artist pulled a clean key from both the green and blue sides of the Fotodiox, but several buyers found its stand clip hard to figure out. The Impact 5 x 7 collapsible we lit in 2018 is the same kind of screen.

Fabric and Muslin for a Room You Can Rig

If you want a matte surface that stays flat, the Westcott X-Drop polyester backdrop is a solid choice because it stretches taut across a frame to make those annoying wrinkles disappear completely. You can use bungee cords and eye hooks to keep it tight, while a small steamer helps with any stubborn spots that remain after you hang it. The larger 8 by 13 foot version covers more space, though one buyer noted the middle still stays wavy despite efforts to pull it tight.

A large cotton muslin kit is a cheap way to cover a huge area, but you'll have to iron out every fold if you want a clean shot. Bright lights behind the fabric will show through, which hurts your key and ruins the look of the video. It's a big screen for the price, but it requires a lot of work to keep it looking right.

Pull-Up and Pull-Down Screens for a Permanent Desk

If you want a setup that stays in one place, the FUDESY pull-up screen in a hard case offers a flat surface with no wrinkles that takes seconds to set up and strike. At 29.9 lb it is heavy, but the pneumatic frame works well for people who want a clean look without the fuss of hanging fabric. It has 4.6 stars from 337 ratings. One buyer of the white version says it leaned back about 6 inches when fully raised.

The motorized pull-down screen for the wall or ceiling weighs 17.2 lb and an actor doing self tapes loves it because it can stay up. Other buyers say it should be a few feet taller, the edges curl and the power wires are short, and 10% of its ratings are one star. Skip the pull-down if you rent and can't drill, or if you shoot in different rooms.

Light the Screen Separately From the Subject

When we lit an Impact 5x7 collapsible in 2018, one light at a time, with the Aputure LS 1/2 W, its 120-degree beam gave the wide flat spread that the setup needs. You should use a pair of lights, one on each side, and place them close to the screen behind the subject and off to the side out of frame. Using two matched lights at equal distance helps you avoid those nasty hotspots that ruin your footage.

You must keep the subject at least three feet from the screen to stop green spill, though moving eight to ten feet away nearly kills it according to a Litepanels guide. Negative fill with black fabric just out of frame also helps if you are working in a small room. Don't wear any green clothes because they will disappear into the background during the edit.

Lighting the screen separately from the person is the only way to get a clean key. If you don't light the background evenly, you'll end up with shadows that are hard to fix later. This method keeps the green color flat while the subject stays sharp and ready for the final composite.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size green screen do I need for a webcam?

You need a screen about five feet wide right behind your chair to capture a clean chest-up shot for video calls. If you are filming two people side by side, you should get something at least eight feet wide instead.

Should I get a green or a blue screen?

Green is the standard choice because cameras record more detail there, but blue works well if you are wearing green clothing during the shoot. The two-sided pop-ups from NEEWER and Fotodiox give you both.

How far should I sit from a green screen?

Keep yourself at least three feet away from the backdrop, though sitting eight to ten feet away nearly removes all color spill. This distance prevents green light from reflecting onto your skin or clothes.

How do I get wrinkles out of a green screen?

You can stretch the fabric taut with bungee cords or use a small handheld steamer to iron out any stubborn folds that appear. Choosing a wrinkle-resistant material or a pneumatic pull-up screen helps you avoid this hassle entirely.

Do I need lights for a green screen?

You need at least two lights placed one on each side of the screen to provide even coverage without creating hotspots. You also need a separate key light to light your face, and our podcast lighting setup covers that. If you shoot on an iPhone, see our guide to a green screen app for your phone.