Who would have thought transparent flash effect (transparent flv, aplha flash and the like) would have exploded like it’s doing today. Seems that everyone loves the effect - and why not! Matts, Keys and Chroma/Luma channel effects have been around since shortly after film began.

Film makers have always enjoyed the ability to shoot a actor in a studio and with some ‘magic’ make it look like they were in a tropical jungle, the surface of mars, or the desert of Iran.

Now anyone with a camera, some green paint, and a little patience can do the same thing! Add to this mix modern-day web technologies and you have an amazing video effect.

I’ve been working with chroma key (green screen) technologies for over 20 years. It’s gotten easier, cheeper, faser, and MUCH better in quality.

Remember the first released Star Wars film? Remember the space battle scenes? You could see every key matt! Now, you are hard pressed to see any matt line - even in extreme close ups.

Keying a person over a web page is new (2001) and different.. We have been doing trans flash ads at Ogilvy for a while now but it’s just now taking off. I am eager to see some creative film makers take this “cut out talking head” effect a few steps further. After all, the web is an interactive medium!

Perry via Treo