A Definitive Guide To Resolve’s 3D Qualifier, Part 1 – The Workflow

A complete walkthrough using the 3D Qualifer for Chroma Keying

This tutorial features an in-depth look at the 3D Qualifier and its settings. By better understanding how to set up clips for keying and what each parameter does, you can create clean, accurate mattes for every composite and secondary grade you work on.

When chroma keying, many parameters can help produce a cleaner matte. However, these will often depend on:

The solution for one green screen composite may not work for another, and a ‘one recipe for all’ approach may never work. This is why it is important to understand the individual parameters of keying tools like the 3D Qualifier. It allows you to make informed decisions when creating a key. Instead, you need to learn the workflow steps that the 3D Qualifier expects you to follow to intelligently adapt the tool to the footage in front of you.

In this Insight, learn the recommended 3D Qualifier workflow

To begin, you’ll learn the workflow while we chroma key one of the most notoriously difficult subjects: flowing blonde hair!

Blonde hair is almost always tricky to key due to its small detail and its (surprising) proximity to green. While working through this problem, you’ll learn the parameters of the 3D qualifier tool and get tips for refining the key, including:

In another example, we’ll look at problems with very shallow depth-of-field when chroma keying. Our third and final example (in this Insight) shows one solution when foreground objects are also green.

Key takeaways from this Insight

By the end of this Insight, you should understand how to:

Related Mixing Light Insights

• Quick Chroma Keying Using Resolve’s 3D Keyer – VFX artist Bernd Klimm showed how to use the 3D Keyer on the Edit and Color pages, pulling quick keys. This is a good place to start with on this tool.
• Series: Chroma Keying Workshop – In Depth – Bernd’s 3D Keyer Insight is the launch point into a VFX-level chroma keying within Fusion. At the time of this writing, his series in ongoing, and this is the link to that (eventually 7-part) series.
• Better Keying Using DaVinci Resolve’s 3D Keyer – If you’re short on time, here’s another Insight on pulling good keys in the 3D Keyer, from Jason Bowdach.
• First Look at the DaVinci Resolve 3D Keyer – What did we think of the 3D Keyer when it was first released in Resolve v12? Mixing Light co-founder Patrick Inhofer offers his initial thoughts in this Insight.

Questions or Comments? Leave a comment!

Is chroma keying a thing for you? Let me know if this Insight help solve any of your issues or if you need more details on something I said (or maybe skipped)?

– Daria