BLACK CYCLORAMA

Black or white: how to decide

The quick rule: white adds light and black takes it away.

The white cyclorama bounces light everywhere and gives a clean, advertising-style image with no hard shadows. Black absorbs that bounce, so you can sculpt with a single source and let the rest fall to real darkness.

If your reference is a neutral, bright background, go to the white cyclorama. If you are after low key, marked backlights, smoke or a product shining on black, this is yours.

Why it matters that it is matt

A glossy black background reflects the sources and light spots appear where you do not want them. Ours is matt black: it absorbs instead of giving back, and the background reads as real black on camera rather than dirty grey.

Being a continuous built curve, there are no creases or joins either: you can shoot a full shot with the talent stepping on the background, something a black drape cannot hold up to.

Green screen: when it pays off

It is the request we get most. We paint this very cyclorama green screen for chroma key and VFX, and because it is a continuous built surface the key comes out far cleaner than on cloth: no creases, no seams and no fold shadows.

It pays off when you are going to replace the background, when you need the subject to step on the chroma or when there is camera movement. You have the detail on the green screen stage.

Ask us what colour it is right now before booking.

It is painted in the colour you need

The finish is paintable and renewable: as well as black and green, we leave it in whatever colour your art direction asks for. A corporate background, a campaign tone or the exact colour of a reference.

Ask us for price and lead time when booking the date, because the drying time has to be allowed for. The sooner we know, the easier it is to fit in without touching your shoot day.

The advantage of having both

The two cycloramas are independent and in the same 300 m² stage. That allows something that in most Madrid studios means hiring two days or two spaces:

• Shooting a white background and a black background on the same day, without striking anything.
• Leaving a set rigged in one while shooting in the other.
• Using the black one as a production or equipment area while the white one is on camera.

What gets shot here and how to book

The most common uses of the dark background:

• Music videos and live music
• Portrait and low-key photography
• Product that needs to shine on black
• Video podcasts and interviews

We are in Leganés, 25 minutes from the centre and outside the low-emission zone. Quotes tailored to your shoot, with a 3 h minimum: see rates or check availability.