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Dictionary by pitch.dog
Compositing, keying & paint · Working

Keying

Also called: chroma key

ELI5

Creating transparency by isolating a colour or image property, often for green- or blue-screen work.

Used in conversation

“Let’s test keying before the team starts final VFX work.”

Definition

Creating transparency by isolating a colour or image property, commonly for green- or blue-screen work.

Here “Keying” means: Creating transparency by isolating a colour or image property, commonly for green- or blue-screen work.

Pitch context

You may encounter “Keying” in vfx, virtual production & animation conversations or materials.

Why it matters: Explains image creation that extends beyond straightforward live-action photography.

Connected terms

  • Green screenGreen screen is a capture method using a coloured backing; keying is the post process that isolates the subject using colour or other differences.
  • RotoscopingKeying extracts a matte algorithmically from image properties; rotoscoping draws or animates mattes frame by frame.
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Sources & evidence · 6

Supporting source families. This entry is an editorial synthesis rather than a quotation from one canonical glossary.