Green Screen
Pick a Prop and Strike a Pose!
Step 1: Purchase the App
Purchase Green Screen by Do Ink on the App Store in iTunes for $2.99.
Watch the included tutorial video. The tutorial walks you through the process of using the app as well as familiarizes you with its many features.
Step 2: Buy Green Fabric
Purchase green fabric from your local craft store or discount store. [I purchased ‘Kelly Green’ cotton fabric from JoAnn’s. (JoAnn’s often has sales so I was able to purchase it for 50% off.) I purchased a total of 9 yards of fabric, cut into 3 equal pieces (3 yards each).]
- Next, hang each fabric panel on a wall. Make sure at least 2 feet of the fabric is draped on the floor for students to stand on as their pictures are taken. I used green duct tape to attach the fabric to the wall.
Top Tip: Overlap the fabric panels so that there are no gaps. If needed, you can tape the panels together using green duct tape.
- Alternatively, purchase heat n bond ultra-hold iron-on adhesive hem to permanently join the panels together. (Walmart has the best price for this at $3.56 for 10 yards.)
Step 3: Gather Props
- I gathered a wide selection of dress up props such as hats, beaded necklaces, over-sized sunglasses, brooms, steering wheel, as well as anything that looked like it would be fun and silly. The Dollar store has a great selection of these. I also asked students and staff for these items.
- With the students’ help, we created masks, mustaches, beards, superhero logos, etc.
- There are lots of photo booth printables freely available on the internet. Three of my favorite sites for resources were Classy in black photo booth printables, Superhero printables by Great Kids Birthday parties, and Masks found the First Palette website.
Step 4: Set up a Web Album
Register for a Walgreens photo account.
Next click upload and select a generic picture to add to your album. This picture will act as a placeholder just to help create the album.
- (At this time, you may want to change the name of the album to the name of your event.)
- Next, click ‘share’. On the pop-out window, click ‘share with link’. Highlight, copy and paste this link into a URL shortener such as goo.gl, tinyurl, or bit.ly.
- Copy the shortened URL and paste it into a QR code generator such as QR stuff.
- Download the QR code and paste it into a photo printing instruction sheet that you give to parents as each photo is taken.
Step 5: Make copies of the Photo Printing Instruction sheet
Step 6: Select Background Images
On your iPad, download and save a variety of background images. Popular background images are bright and colorful.
- A quick web search for ‘free background images’ will result in a lot of choices. Choose the ones that best fit your students. Here are a few examples of the ones I used.
Step 7: Take your photos
This is the best part! Students select their props and strike a pose.
Using the iPad camera app, take each student’s photo in front of the green screen.
Next, students select the background image they want from the ones you provided. (I printed a master sheet of all the background images and made 6 copies for speed up this process.)
- Open the Do Ink Green Screen app and merge the two images together. Follow the instructions given in the tutorial video.
Step 8: Upload Photos
Finally, upload all the photos to your Walgreens web album.
- Using the link you provided, students and parents can now view and order their chosen photos.
Green Screen in the Classroom
- If you do not have room for a large green screen area, try using a green tri-fold display board (the kind used for science fair projects). This will allow for students to change the background image behind their head & shoulders.
- You could also uses props as puppets - instead of people. Awesome!
Here is a printable copy of these instructions. http://goo.gl/AQ13t1 If you have any questions, feel free to contact me and I will be happy to help you.
Enjoy!