Re: Re: ChromaKey (Was WBZ Archives)

[TVHD <TVHD@aol.com>]

On Fri, 13 Mar 1998, lawyer@world.std.com wrote:
>Howdy Doody was using chromakey around 1955-56.  They 
>were one of the first shows to be colorcast regularly, and I 
>remember they used those effects for various purposes.

>I remember one scene when one of the human (i.e. non-puppet) 
>characters was putting on his invisibility suit.  It was pretty 
>obvious that he wasn't actually on the set that appeared 
>behind him.  I suppose he was in front of a blue background, 
>and his invisibility suit was actually a blue suit.  Looked 
>good, too. 

Chromakeys are generally expected to be blue, but in fact, are
more often green nowadays, but in fact can be any color at all. 
The general use of blue became popular because blue not in 
evidence in the skin tone of most caucasian people, the race
most seen on the television medium in its early years. Green 
proves even less present in the variety of skin colors seen in 
more modern times. 

Which is why you never see Kermit the Frog doing the weather anymore. ;-)

- - Henry Dane

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