Green magic

Screen teaches computer skills and brings fantasy to life

By Ally Turk
Posted 8/1/19

Not only do green screens bring endless creative possibilities, they also teach valuable computer skills, which you can now learn at the Highland Public Library.

The Highland Public Library just …

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Green magic

Screen teaches computer skills and brings fantasy to life

Posted

Not only do green screens bring endless creative possibilities, they also teach valuable computer skills, which you can now learn at the Highland Public Library.

The Highland Public Library just added a green screen to their collection of programs. The library originally got the green screen for their Comic Fest at the beginning of July. Comic Fest happens annually, focusing on work that’s done by artists, writers and organizations in the community.

Caitlyn Stever, the Programming Librarian, says that they’ve been interested in obtaining a green screen for a while now, and the Comic Fest gave them the last boost they needed to finally get their hands on one.

“We initially purchased the green screen for our Comic Fest because we wanted to give our patrons a unique experience and a fun memory. Also, we’re always excited to let patrons experiment with new technology that they’ve never had the opportunity to try before,” Stever said.

One of the backgrounds patrons could choose at the Comic Fest was the very recognizable round red door to the house from the movie “The Hobbit.” Some other backgrounds from the Comic Fest included Diagon Alley from Harry Potter, dinosaurs, and minions. Young library patrons will be able to pose in front of the green screen and have a photo of themselves in their favorite fictional settings, helping them with their creativity and imagination.

Soon the green screen will transition into the monthly programs the library holds. Right now they’re focusing on programs that introduce the green screen and get people comfortable with using the software. Eventually, Stever would like to start a green screen club where tweens and teens can come work on short video projects together or individually.
Not only are the green screens something fun that kids don’t usually have access to, but it can help some realize their passion for videography and help them with what they want to do in the future. Knowing the software is also a good skill to have on a résumé .

“Our favorite [software], Do Ink, lets you upload very high quality images as your background. I’ve had preset backgrounds for them to choose from but plan to let them find their own backgrounds and teaching them about copyright information so they are properly educated,” Stever said.

Right now, the library is focusing on introducing the green screen, and they held their first green screen program two weeks ago.

“It was a success. The tweens and teens that participated had a fun time learning about the software and we even played a game where we would choose a background without telling the person in front of the green screen what it was. The results were very funny,” Stever said.

The library is also finding a way to incorporate the green screen into other events they hold.
“Next week we are hosting a Harry Potter Trivia program. Children will have the opportunity to take a picture in different Harry Potter locations, and we’ll be making wands, and playing trivia,” Stever said.

All programs put on by the library are free. If you’re interested in attending and learning more about green screens, or to just have some fun, check out the events tab at highlandlibrary.org.