Q: Is there anything I can do to prolong the life of my screen?
A: If you are using the screen in a "limbo" shot where your subjects are standing on it, you should protect the screen from the floor by using craft paper or a clean tarp on the floor
or making sure the floor or carpet is quite clean before you lay the screen down. You should then provide carpet around the perimeter of the screen and ensure that your
subjects wipe their feet on it before they walk on the screen. Try to keep unnecessary liquids like soft drinks and cleaning agents away from the screen. Acidic substances can
cause orange stains on Digital Green® screens that will not wash out. Most other dirt is washable - see the instructions below.
The screen should also be protected from excessive unnecessary light, especially direct sunlight and HMI, as these will in time cause a desaturation of the brilliance of the color.
Therefore save lights on the screen whenever possible. In a daylight shoot in direct sunlight, provide for a cover such as a muslin to be placed over the screen when you're not
actually shooting.
Q: I've used my screen on the floor, and despite my best efforts, there are scuff marks on it, what should I do?
A: The screens are washable, either at home or at a commercial laundry.
The basic steps in cleaning the screen are:
- remove the ties
- treat any significant stains
- wash the screens in cold water using Woolite® and fabric softener
- dry the screen in a dryer on low heat
- reattach the ties
We've found a terrific stain remover called "Kids'N'Pets" from Paramount Chemical Specialties, Inc. that removes most stains almost magically without damaging the screen - you
may be able to find it locally, but you can also order from their website.
We spray it directly onto any stained areas of the screen, and then let it sit for a couple of hours or overnight.
The next step depends upon the size of the screen. If the screen is under 20 pounds (about 200 square feet) and you have a large home washer, or a laundromat with large
clean machines, you can probably wash it yourself. If the screen is larger, find a commercial laundry with a large capacity washer, and a willingness to launder the screen in
cold water with mild soap.
In either case, wash the screen in cool water with Woolite®. Use fabric softener in the rinse water to avoid static electricity in the cleaned screen, and dry it in the dryer on low
heat. (If you throw a couple of clean tennis balls in the dryer with the screen, the balls will keep the screen from tangling in the dryer,
and it will dry more evenly and quickly.)
If the screen is still damp when you've done your best to dry it in a dryer, just drape it over a clean surface (not in direct sunlight,
of course) until it's completely dry.
When the screen is dry, reattach the ties at approximately 8 to 9 inch intervals around the edges of the screen, and you're ready for the next shot.
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