PE 2018: Update For Difference Matte As Green Screen Tool

INTRODUCTION

The merits of the Premiere Elements Difference Matte as a green screen tool were discussed in the May 8, 2013 blog post titled "PE11: Difference Matte As Substitute for Green or Blue Keys". Use of the Premiere Elements Difference Matte as a green screen tool has been of particular interest to the Premiere Elements Mac users because of the Windows Only Green Key situation.

ISSUE

Because of the popularity of the topic, it was decided to confirm if the PE11 document pointed to above applies to Premiere Element 12, 13, 14, 15, and 2018 as well as 11.

OBSERVATIONS

Using the same green screen media and Premiere Elements 11, 12/12.1, 13/13.1, 14/14.1, 15, or 2018, Difference Matte was found to be a substitute for Green Key.

Source Media

Just Green Screen JPG

Just Green Screen.Jpg For Premiere Elements 2018 Expert Workspace Video Track 3

Angel On Green Screen JPG

Angel On Green Screen.Jpg For Premiere Elements 2018 Expert Workspace Video Track 2

Replacement Background JPG

Replacement.Jpg For Premiere Elements 2018 Expert Workspace Video Track 1

The "How To" principles for applying the Difference Matte in Premiere Elements version 11 and later are the same here as in the 2013 document.

From the Project Assets
Drag Replacement Background.Jpg to Video 1
Drag Angel On Green Screen.Jpg to Video 2, and place it directly above the content of Video 1
Drag Just Green Screen.Jpg to Video 3, and place it directly above the content of Video 2

Apply a Difference Matte to each of Video 2 (Angel On Green Screen.Jpg) and Video 3 (Just Green Screen.Jpg)

Highlight/select Video 2 (Angel On Green Screen.Jpg), go to Applied Effects area, and open this jpg's Difference Matte Panel there. The Difference Matte Panel options are:

• View: Final Out

• Difference Layer Video 2 IMPORTANT CHANGE THAT TO VIDEO 3

• The Matching Tolerance may or may not require very little adjustment (in this specific exercise being described setting was changed from 15.0 to 27.3%), and Match Softness and Blur Before Difference were left at 0.0%.

No change was needed in the Difference Matte Panel's Difference Layer setting that was associated with the Just Green Screen.Jpg on Video 3. There the required "Difference Layer Video 3" was already in place in its dialog. Video 2 and 3 jpgs Difference Matte Panels' final settings were set the same for the options of Matching Tolerance, Matching Smoothness, and Blur Before Difference.

If Video Tracks 2, 3, and 4 had been used in this exercise instead of Video Tracks 1, 2, and 3, then Difference Matte dialog for Video 4 and Video 3 Difference Layer needed to read the same, in that case "Difference Layer Video 4".

Seen below is the result of this exercise (Angel With New Background.Jpg)

Angel With New Background.Jpg As Seen On Project's Expert Workspace Monitor

COMMENTARY

All work was done using Windows computers (Windows 7 Professional SP1 64 bit or Windows 10 Home 64 bit). Project preset was left at the default NTSC-AVCHD-Full HD 1080i30. I do not have access to a Mac computer; nonetheless, Premiere Elements Mac users are expected to get same results based on user feedback over the years. See how Difference Matte as Green Screen Key works for you.

With regard to success of Difference Matte as Green Screen Key, universal use of these principles for that purpose is likely to be impacted by the nature of the source media selected.

As usual work will continue to be in progress, looking for accuracy in details and any available updates.


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ATR