<p><strong>FCPX can't do this automatically (like Photo Booth) unless the background is a single colour.</strong></p>

<p>As a workaround, if possible…</p>

<ol>
<li>Take a picture of the background.</li>
<li>Film the vlog in front of a green screen.</li>
<li>Key the background leaving the alpha channel.</li>
<li>Place the picture behind the video layer.</li>
</ol>

<p>There is a full guide in this Apple KB article:</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="http://support.apple.com/kb/PH12665" rel="nofollow">Final Cut Pro X: Use chroma keys</a></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-02T23:10:25.607Z
Is there another video editing app that can do this without the green screen workaround?
Evert
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-15T22:42:18.847Z
@Evert Not that I'm aware of
grg
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-02T20:22:25.543Z
2014-01-02T20:22:25.543Z
grg
<p>So I am using my camera to make vlogs for youtube and sometimes interview people. I have a background that doesn't move and I have a person in front of the camera who sometimes moves from left to right.</p>

<p>My camera already has a subtle depth-of-field, but I want to make it more noticeable. Now I know that photobooth in OS X has a trick where you step out of the frame for a moment and then when you step into the frame it can separate you from the background. I guess FCPX can probably do the same trick, but I haven't found that feature yet. Is it in there? Can I use it to create the effect that I want to create?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-02T21:34:29.760Z
Your best bet is going to be to make the effect in camera by getting the camera as close as possible to you and moving the background as far away as possible.  Shooting with the widest open aperture possible would also help.  Adding a background blur in post is not the same and does not get good results as it does not understand the depth of the background.  (Background blur from depth of field changes over depth and that is what gives it the soft, 3d feel.)  Artificially doing it doesn't work well in photos and works even more poorly in video.
AJ Henderson
<final-cut-pro>
How do I blur the background, but not a moving subject in FCPX to create a depth-of-field effect?
Evert
# How do I blur the background, but not a moving subject in FCPX to create a depth-of-field effect?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-01-02)

So I am using my camera to make vlogs for youtube and sometimes interview people. I have a background that doesn't move and I have a person in front of the camera who sometimes moves from left to right.

My camera already has a subtle depth-of-field, but I want to make it more noticeable. Now I know that photobooth in OS X has a trick where you step out of the frame for a moment and then when you step into the frame it can separate you from the background. I guess FCPX can probably do the same trick, but I haven't found that feature yet. Is it in there? Can I use it to create the effect that I want to create?

**Tags:** final-cut-pro

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Your best bet is going to be to make the effect in camera by getting the camera as close as possible to you and moving the background as far away as possible.  Shooting with the widest open aperture possible would also help.  Adding a background blur in post is not the same and does not get good results as it does not understand the depth of the background.  (Background blur from depth of field changes over depth and that is what gives it the soft, 3d feel.)  Artificially doing it doesn't work well in photos and works even more poorly in video.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2014-01-02. Score: 1

**FCPX can't do this automatically (like Photo Booth) unless the background is a single colour.**

As a workaround, if possible…

1. Take a picture of the background.
2. Film the vlog in front of a green screen.
3. Key the background leaving the alpha channel.
4. Place the picture behind the video layer.

There is a full guide in this Apple KB article:

* [Final Cut Pro X: Use chroma keys](http://support.apple.com/kb/PH12665)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Is there another video editing app that can do this without the green screen workaround?  
> **username_2**: @username_0 Not that I'm aware of  

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