Artstag LLP
arts & entertainment tapes
Studio guide

Taping for green screen without ruining the key.

Anything on a green screen that is the wrong green, or the wrong finish, becomes a hole for the compositor to patch.

The problem

Ordinary tape shows up in the key.

A green screen works because the key colour is uniform. Anything on that surface that is a different colour, a different brightness, or reflects light differently becomes a hole in the key — the compositor either loses part of the subject or spends hours patching it.

Ordinary gaffer tape, even green gaffer tape, is not the same green as chroma stock and does not reflect light the same way. Two products solve this properly.

Published technical data

Two products, two jobs.

Pro Gaff Chroma Green matte cloth tape

Pro Gaff Chroma Green — Green Screen Gaffer Tape

BackingCotton cloth
AdhesiveSynthetic rubber
Tensile strength50 lbs/in
Elongation4%
Thickness11 mils
Adhesion to steel75 oz/in
Service temperature10°C–82°C (50°F–180°F)

Matte gaffer tape in chroma key green — for holding and securing on or near a green screen without introducing a foreign colour.

Pro Chroma Cloth — Green Screen Fabric Tape

BackingPolyester cloth
AdhesiveHigh performance acrylic
Thickness15 mils
Adhesion to steel72 oz/in
ColoursChroma Key Blue, Chroma Key Green
PurposeInvisible seaming of chroma backdrops

An invisible keying product: seams chroma backdrops with no drying time — stick it and shoot.

Figures are Pro Tapes published technical data sheet values for products Artstag supplies. Typical values — not for use in writing specifications.

Working method

Keeping the key clean.

  • Seam with the seaming product, hold with the gaffer. Pro Chroma Cloth is for joining two pieces of chroma backdrop invisibly. Chroma Green gaff is for taping cable, marks and fixings on or near the green.
  • Matte matters as much as colour. A shiny tape catches a highlight the surrounding fabric does not, and that highlight keys differently even if the hue is right.
  • Light the screen evenly first, then tape. Uneven lighting exaggerates any difference between tape and backdrop.
  • Keep spike marks off the green where you can. Where you cannot, chroma green is the only marking colour that will not punch a hole in the key.
  • Note the lower service temperature. Chroma Green is rated to 82°C rather than the 93°C of standard Pro Gaff — worth knowing under hot fixtures.
Common questions

Frequently asked.

Can I use ordinary green gaffer tape on a green screen?

Not reliably. Chroma keying depends on a uniform key colour, and standard green gaffer is a different green with different reflectivity. It will usually show as a hole or a fringe in the key. Pro Gaff Chroma Green is matched to chroma key green for this reason.

What is the difference between Chroma Green gaff and Pro Chroma Cloth?

Chroma Green gaff is a matte cotton cloth tape for holding, securing and marking on or near a green screen. Pro Chroma Cloth is a polyester cloth with acrylic adhesive made for invisibly seaming two pieces of chroma backdrop together, with no drying time.

Does chroma tape work for blue screen too?

Pro Chroma Cloth is available in Chroma Key Blue as well as green. Pro Gaff Chroma Green is green only.

Is chroma green tape as strong as normal gaffer tape?

Slightly stronger in tensile terms — 50 lbs/in against 45 — with 75 oz/in adhesion to steel. The one difference to note is a lower service temperature, 82°C against 93°C for standard Pro Gaff.

Need the right tape for your job?

Artstag supplies Pro Tapes products direct across Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Tell us the surface, the environment and how long it needs to hold, and we will point you to the right product.

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