How to Make a Green Screen Video on TikTok

There are many beloved editing tools on the video-sharing app TikTok, but none are as widely used as the platform’s classic Green Screen mode. 

While the premise is simple (it’s like a traditional green screen!), it opens up a world of truly endless possibilities, and you can create so many engaging, interesting videos if you master solely this feature. Let’s dive into how it works!

How to Use a Green Screen

Before we get into how to make a Green Screen video on TikTok, let’s talk about how to use a green screen in general and why it’s such a useful tool, especially for video editing beginners.

When creating a video, green screens allow you to superimpose images and videos on an existing frame so that you appear to be in front of a completely different background. (Fun fact: meteorologists use this technology all the time.) Even if you have no prior editing experience, a green screen background can easily elevate your content and make it funny, heartwarming, weird, sad, or any other feeling you want viewers to take away from it.

Tips for Using a Green Screen

Whether you’re using the Green Screen tool on TikTok or via a different editing app, there are a few tried and true techniques that’ll make sure it works well.

• Use as neutral of a background as possible: No matter the app you’re filming on, try to pick out a simple, neutral background, free of clutter, bright colors, objects, or any intricate wall designs or wallpaper (all of which can interfere with the technology).
  
• Keep your clothing simple (and not green!): You’ve probably seen memes at some point of people who are wearing green fading into the backgrounds of their green screens. Wear another color!
  
• Make your video concept as simple as you can: This goes for any video project, but especially for content on TikTok. When you’re just starting out with editing tools, keep any special effects and cinematic changes as simple and straightforward as possible. You don’t want to get discouraged trying to carry out something ambitious when you’re still just mastering how the app works. 

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How to Make a Green Screen Video on TikTok

Now that you know the basics of green screens in general, let’s dive into how to make a Green Screen video on TikTok. The tool is used for all sorts of content on the platform, but it’s most often used to showcase embedded photos, videos, or social media posts.

How can you create videos like these? There are just a handful of quick steps to follow.

Step 1: Create a New Video

Open up your TikTok app and click the plus symbol at the bottom of the screen to create a new video. Set the timer to the desired length of the video you want to make.

2. Select a Green Screen Effect

Click on the Effects button in the bottom left-hand corner of your screen. Under the “Trending” tab, you’ll see the icons for Green Screen and Green Screen Video. They both feature bright green backgrounds and show an image or video icon with a white arrow.

If you want your TikTok video to include photos in the background, click on the Green Screen function. If you’d like your background to feature video, click the Green Screen Video option, which has a “Play” icon in the middle of it to distinguish between the two.

Step 3: Add a Background 

Once you click on one of those icons, a generic background will appear, and you’ll have access to your photo or videos to decide what you want to add. Once you make that decision, record your video as usual. 

If you want to change out your green screen image or video, stop recording and then click the new option you want, then begin recording again; TikTok will string your clips together automatically. 

If you’re done with Green Screen or Green Screen Video entirely but want to keep filming, click the white circle with the line through it in the bottom-left corner.

Step 4: Try Out Green Screen Features 

If you really want to experiment with what TikTok’s Green Screen can do, scroll over to the Green Screen option under Effects and pick out a Green Screen feature from the dozens of available options. 

They’re basically all a different take on the same concept of the Green Screen, but offer fun effects like superimposing your facial features on top of an image or placing images within moving backgrounds.

Once you’ve done that, continue creating and editing your video as you normally would!

What Will You Create?

The Green Screen feature is simultaneously very easy to use and also a little overwhelming at first. Who knew you could create so many different pieces of content using just one editing tool, right? Take your time getting used to it, and you’ll be cranking out expert vids with green screen technology in no time!

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