blue screen

noun

|Updated on: 13 Jun 2018

Definition of blue screen

: a photographic technique in which a subject is filmed in front of a blue background so as to allow matte compositing of the film with other footage; also : the blue background

Recent Examples of blue screen from the Web

This 60-ft tall blue screen, and in the middle of the soundstage was this one tiny set.

— aaron couch, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Upgrade' Director Leigh Whannell on Box Office Pressures and Visiting 'Aquaman' Set," 1 June 2018
The release of the April 2018 update was already delayed after a late-breaking (but unspecified) issue causing blue screens of death was found during testing.

— peter bright, Ars Technica, "Microsoft blocks Windows 10 April 2018 update to some Intel SSDs," 15 May 2018
The next big Windows 10 update, originally expected earlier this month until Microsoft delayed it at the last minute because of a bug causing blue screens of death, at last has an official name and a release date.

— peter bright, Ars Technica, "The Windows 10 April 2018 Update will ship this April, but only just," 27 Apr. 2018
The Ghostbusters were then layered on top of this footage using blue screen.

— lara sorokanich, Popular Mechanics, "How Your World Works Podcast: The Special Effects Behind 'Ghostbusters'," 27 Oct. 2015
Microsoft has suspended delivering the latest Windows update to certain systems with AMD processors after reports that the update was causing the machines to crash with a blue screen of death when booting.

— peter bright, Ars Technica, "Bad docs and blue screens make Microsoft suspend Spectre patch for AMD machines," 9 Jan. 2018
With miniatures, blue screens and an artist's eye, Richard Edlund helped create a universe that has captivated audiences for decades.

— ben brazil, latimes.com, "Special-effects trailblazer who oversaw original 'Star Wars' trilogy brings his expertise to Chapman University," 15 Mar. 2018
The Choose Your School app opens to a blue screen with a start button and a smiley face with thought bubbles on the top.

— silvia foster-frau, San Antonio Express-News, "Apps created by area students get congressional praise," 12 Jan. 2018
Eventually, the blue screen behind her will be replaced with billowy clouds against an impossible sky.

— TIME.com, "A Wrinkle in Time," 19 Dec. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'blue screen.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.