Background removal

Remove a video background in the browser, with or without a green screen

A clean background removal is a matte problem before it is an effects problem. The studio offers a tracked mask for practical footage and a conventional key when the production already separated the subject. Both finish in the same project as the grade and the mix.

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Track a person or object without a green screen
Refine edges in Fusion when hair or motion blur fights the matte
Replace the background and carry the result into colour

A person silhouette separated from a glowing background by a precise matte edge in a dark studio

Choose the route

Green screen when you can, machine matte when you cannot

A green screen still gives the most predictable edge because the separation happened on set. When the footage was shot against a wall, a street or a window, a tracked mask is the practical route. Decide per shot: an interview against a plain wall and a presenter walking through a crowd need different methods.

Use a key when the subject was lit separately from a clean background
Use magic mask when the subject is distinct but the background is practical
Split a difficult sequence into shots and choose a method per shot

Build the matte

Track the subject, then inspect the edge at full size

Paint over the subject on a representative frame and let the tracker carry the shape through the shot. The first result is a starting point. Stop where the subject turns, crosses another object or moves through soft focus, and correct those frames. A matte that looks convincing on a still can crawl badly in motion.

Choose a frame where the subject is clear and fully visible
Track forward and backward through the shot, not only from the first frame
Check hair, shoulders, hands and reflective edges at 100 percent
Use Fusion paint and roto for frames the automatic pass cannot hold

Replace

Make the new background belong in the shot

Replacing the background is not finished when the old one disappears. Match the direction of the light, the depth of field and the colour temperature, then add a little edge softness or light wrap where the subject meets the new plate. A hard, perfectly clean edge often reads as more artificial than a slightly imperfect one.

Use a solid colour, a blurred version of the original or a new plate
Match the background grade to the subject before adding a look
Keep the replacement on its own layer so it can be revised later

Limits

Know which shots need a different plan

Transparent glass, loose hair, fast motion blur and a subject crossing a complex background are still hard. More resolution does not automatically solve them. The honest options are to simplify the shot, shoot a clean plate, use a green screen next time or budget a Fusion roto pass.

Use a clean plate when the camera and background allow it
Test the heaviest shot before applying a neural pass to the sequence
Leave time for a frame-by-frame check on hero shots

At a glance

Background removal at a glance

Pick the method by the footage you have, not by the effect menu.

Green screenBest when the shot was lit and separated for a key

Magic maskTracked subject isolation without a green screen

Difficult edgesFusion roto, paint and edge refinement

ReplacementSolid, blur, image or video plate behind the subject

PlanHeavier neural and Fusion work belongs to Pro and Studio

Help

Frequently asked questions

Background removal questions that come up before a first render.

Can I remove a background without a green screen?

Often, yes. A tracked mask can isolate a person or object from practical footage. The result depends on the separation between subject and background, the motion and the time available for edge refinement.

Is background removal included on every plan?

The lighter editing tools are available on Starter, while magic mask and the heavier Fusion and neural passes belong to Pro and Studio. Check the plan comparison before relying on the automated route for a paid job.

Why does hair or motion blur break the matte?

Those areas contain a mixture of subject and background in the same pixels. A tracker has less information to separate them, so it needs a softer edge or manual work. Review the matte in motion rather than on one still.

Can I replace the background with another video?

Yes. Composite the new plate behind the isolated subject, then match its perspective, focus and colour. A background moving at the wrong speed or lit from another direction will break the illusion even if the matte is clean.

Does the studio remove background noise as well?

No. Background removal is picture work; background noise is an audio problem. Use the Fairlight page for room tone, hiss and dialogue cleanup, and keep the two passes separate.

What is the fastest way to test a shot?

Try the hardest ten seconds first, at full resolution and in motion. If the matte holds there, the rest is likely to be manageable. If it fails, move the hero shot to a manual Fusion pass before spending time on easy frames.

Keep reading

Where this fits in the workflow

The studio is one project with several pages. These are the pages that usually come before and after this one.

Ready when you are

Put the subject on a cleaner background

Build the matte, replace the plate and finish the shot in the same browser project.

Read the green screen guide

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