CC/Grading proposal@Bar footage

[Emanuel]

A sample from the same original frame concerning the dvxuser.com HVX footage:

original
http://x10.putfile.com/12/34801125953.jpg

post production sample
http://x10.putfile.com/12/34801185777.jpg

Any thoughts?

[Drew599]

Looks too green and the blacks look blue-ish. I think the only thing that would save this shot is reshooting it. The lighting in it makes me sick.

[Mr. Blonde]

I honestly didn't like the way this scene was shot to begin with so any cc is good cc to me.

[x-angel]

nothing can save that hair on the guy to the right on the phone. :)

[rman]

desaturate!!!

[soarprod]

Back in the DVX days, we would cry for so much color informaiton :)

[Barra]

The original bar shot is so flat and conservatively lit and exposed that I would say it sucks only for the quality of the hvx capture.
Viewing the screen grab as would a still photo, it would be hard to add visual drama to it because of the uninteresting and weak lighting. Overall there is no contrast and so I'm pushing it here dramatically - see how it effects the drama of the scene, gives it depth, makes the guy's expression more interesting, makes the viewers eye roam around the picture, lights and darks, as opposed to the eye not jumping around with the original flat image...
I wasn't able to do this properly on current system without losing quality but gives the basic idea I think. Anyway highlight details plus shadow details - doesn't matter as much as emotional or overall visual impact if you ask me. Same principals re image making apply to movie as much as stills.:beer:
http://barra-dvxuser.magix.net/website;jsessionid=2360vuncan3js.omaasp22?act=15&pos=0
Sorry about the webpage link but I don't know how to paste in a picture.
I prefer Emanuel's version to the original also, it lends itself to going darker like that too, it looks so much moodier too.

[Stevet]

??
To each his own...
The word "horrible" does come to mind though.

[Emanuel]

Thank you guys!...but the idea is to see your work, too!?...like Barra and if possible here.

Barra, it's easy to publish a photo here:
1) You must choose a website that providing free image hosting like stickypod.com or putfile.com;
2) In order to learn how to put the right adress here, you may try to quote someone with published photos in any of these threads and see how he is doing;
3) And do it like myself now with your sample.

Barra's sample
http://x11.putfile.com/12/34823463618.jpg

I know that the shot is not easy, that's why I choose it. BTW, Stevet, you said: "horrible" but because your "??" are following Barra's post, it's difficult to follow your judgement. If mine's, Barra's or both?!...

[Stevet]

I was refering to the last post. It doesn't take a professional to see the blown out highlights and resolution loss, not to mention excessive noise.
Heck, the lady in the back looks like she's wearing a white box for a shirt! The lady on the left looks like someone made her hair with a black magic marker. :)
In fact, you can't seperate her hair from her black shirt.
The image is so blown out, it has loss an incredible amount of detail !

Emanuel,
I saw what you were trying to achieve. You're trying to flatten the image to give it more of a film look. You're on the right road, although I think this image is a bit overdone.

Actually I like the original look that was shot. What I don't care for is the actually color surroundings (walls, etc.) within the shot.
Of course, that's an artistic view.


Steve

[Barra]

I was refering to the last post. It doesn't take a professional to see the blown out highlights and resolution loss, not to mention excessive noise.
Heck, the lady in the back looks like she's wearing a white box for a shirt! The lady on the left looks like someone made her hair with a black magic marker. :)
In fact, you can't seperate her hair from her black shirt.
The image is so blown out, it has loss an incredible amount of detail !
Steve

Em if you read my post it says exactly that - that I couldn't do it on my current system without great loss of quality but what I was doing was illustrating the overall effect of increasing the contrast to get away from that dreadful low contrast original with uninteresting lighting.
Yes things are burnt out like the lady's jumper and shadow details are lost, but look at the overall effect on the lighting where there are now interesting differnces across the picture frame between lights and darks where the eye has something to move around with interest.
There are many image making artistic principles that evade alot of technically minded camera ops - I still prefer the many films shot years back on 16mm or even 8mm film where highlight detail and shadow detail are missing and grain is high to many new productions that have no soul or visual impact from camera ops without a clue using expensive cameras.
The same applies to stills photography where detail and technical concerns take a back seat in the artistic field. I have great hopes for my hvx and look forward to sharing the real thing when I get artistic with it.:happy:

[Stevet]

With all due respect, to each his own.
I just don't happen to care for the artistic change..
:)

[greeches]

here is my take...



http://www.Obsidianoneproductions.com/dvxuser/correction.jpg

[soarprod]

Here is mine - with a touch of Max Payne :)

http://www.ochauntedhouse.com/soarprod/film/hvx_still_1.jpg

[Justin_Kirch]

greeches is by far the best. SalaTar, you got some interlaced junk going on with your grabs. barra's, sorry man but i'd take the flat lighting to your take any day.

[Emanuel]

All right guys! Now I'm glad after your contributions for this thread that I opened like a movie theatre/theater's bar where we can think the image, in this case of the our beloved future HVX.

So, it's true that I'd like to open a film-like aspect to this difficult lighting frame as far as possible from the videoish interlaced look that I don't want HVX for.

I have @my PC several possibilities but I choose that one for dramaturgy reasons.

It's necessary to define the character needs, the day time and the action of the scene.

As we have not script, let's speculate with the elements that we have: we are @bar. This public place is where the intimacy can goes out. That is privacy meets the public/social sphere. We have two lighting opposite ways. No a middle term that means nothing!

Because we are in a interior/close space, it would be better a wide(r) angle (lens option)...
...but at same time, we have a first question:

Who is the shot's main character?...and where's the action? Lighting all equal, without a background vs. foreground, it's not even Hollywood... :cheesy: ...not at all!

<PS> soarprod, I like your light direction sense - a window (off) - that can have a dramatic potential.

[Jan_Crittenden]

Do you all realize that you are critiqueing a frame grab from a WMV file? Please.

Best,

Jan

[Emanuel]

[More fun...]

Grading is not the same than CC and I prefer one rather other pending the circumstances even from the shooting stuff.

Now I post other three possibilities - done at the same time than the first one posted and that I refused according different reasons:

less saturate (comparatively to the other already posted@first page) but less color depth, that is, less film-like
http://x11.putfile.com/12/34920195639.jpg

less synthetic, as well, more videoish
http://x10.putfile.com/12/34801152152.jpg

more ambiance (less natural skin color instead less walls color predominance); where's the main character? That is, where's the action?
http://x11.putfile.com/12/34920234519.jpg
(a CC like this one doesn't take place in the old Hollywood... :laugh:)


So, it's NOT only a question of (our own) taste or aesthetics sensibility or even to be more or less sensitive...

[Emanuel]

<PS> Jan, it's not a question of bits and bytes...thank God we can discuss both!...that is, NOT only bits and bytes...but we are waiting for the DVCPRO HD files... :)

[Rodrigo]

It's like oine of the most horrid pics I've crossed my way with but somehow I believe I've succeeded:

http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/4323/3480112595320nl.jpg
(http://imageshack.us)
[IMG]http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/4323/3480112595320nl.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Mr. Blonde]

Here's the problem with how this shot was lit. There's alot more light on the bartender than on the main character, it is quite distracting and takes your attention away from the main. Also the fact that the chick in the back is wearing a a white sweater throws the coloring off and draws attention. If they all wore black, there was a little less light on the bartender, and a little more on the main, this shot would be alot more pleasing to the eye, to me anyway :)

[Jay Nemeth]

Well it sure is fun reading all the monday morning quarterbacking. I'm so sorry this shot isn't up to the standards of the members on this newsgroup. Here are some things to keep in mind:

1. I shot a variety of footage that included low contrast scenes, high contrast scenes, interiors, exteriors, saturated, not so saturated, etc. This happens to be a low contrast scene.

2. In addition to providing the nice people at Panasonic with some footage for the expo, I also wanted to have a range of material for the film-out.

3. You've only scene this one shot that was provided to you, and not the rest of the close-ups and reverses.

4. I have no problem with anyone Color Correcting, pushing / pulling or timing my shots.

5. Watch a few movies, not every scene is lit moody and with full range tonality.

6. When you make YOUR movie, or are asked to shoot some demo footage for a new camera, you can light and compose it however you want.

There is no formula for the "correct" way to light any scene. If you believe that, you have lost sight of the art and individualism that filmmaking is about. I encourage all the colorists out there to continue practicing on any of these shots, and I wish everyone big success with their projects.

Jay

[Mr. Blonde]

Well said Jay, different strokes for different folks. Overall I just saw it as being a bit of a bland shot.

[Barry_Green]

Yes, but Jay's saying that that was the point. Each shot was shot for a different reason, and this one was meant to be a very flat-contrast shot.

[Mr. Blonde]

Understood, but this scene really called for some dramatic lighting, as almost all bar scenes do.

[Emanuel]

:thumbup:

[skettalee]

Here is mine :

http://img381.imageshack.us/img381/4576/mine0jk.jpg

[PaPa]

CC is getting boring. Everyones shots look the same .

Here is mine :

http://img381.imageshack.us/img381/4576/mine0jk.jpg


perfect example, some go way to far wit hthe CC. Not to say it doesnt look nice, it does, but the more we do CC, the more of it i say, the more it begins to look monotone.

[J.R. Hudson]

Well it is the CC/GRading proposal thread.......

[Mr. Blonde]

Amen Mr. Walken, shame on you PaPa.

[Anders Holck]

http://www.andersholck.com/funorg.jpg

[Mr. Blonde]

LOL, now there's a lighting scheme I like.

[Emanuel]

Not to say it doesnt look nice, it does, but the more we do CC, the more of it i say, the more it begins to look monotone.I can even figure out what you mean but if you will follow all the thread since the beggining or if you prefer even after your post, you easily can say: not at all...not at all!

These exchange boards are very useful to all. BTW, why not contribute with a CC or grading sample from yours?

[PaPa]

sorry, seems like we have people who jump after those who dont explain every meaning behind what they type.

just mean that ive seen alot of footage, most CC is amazing, but it gets to the point where people try to CC just for the sake of CC'ing, even if it doesnt require any, and honestly, some of it looks the same. Could be the difference between bad CC, good CC and great CC mind you.

[STORYTELLER32]

Posted this in the basketball footage thread, but considering this is the CC thread, thought it should go here:

Original image (taken from a PNG file) is first followed by the color grading. All files are jpegs for viewing on the web. All color was done with FCP native 3 way color corrector. Film grain was added with eureka film grain plugin. No magic bullet here.

Exported off an anamorphic timeline by accident so it looks a little squashed, but you get the idea:

http://www.jordanraskin.com/basketball_1_2.jpg
http://www.jordanraskin.com/basketball_1.jpg
http://www.jordanraskin.com/basketball_2_2.jpg
http://www.jordanraskin.com/basketball_2.jpg

[Mr. Blonde]

My trys.....
http://img454.imageshack.us/img454/6632/348011259534ea.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img480.imageshack.us/img480/3690/basketball127fk.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[STORYTELLER32]

Hey Mr. Blonde-
Is your cheerleader shot off my posted jpeg or from the original PNG file posted in the other thread? The bar shot looks really pixelated so it must be from a jpeg, right?

[Mr. Blonde]

Yea those were both off of your posted shots, I just messed with the bar shot way too much that's why it's pixelated.

[PaPa]

Posted this in the basketball footage thread, but considering this is the CC thread, thought it should go here:

Original image (taken from a PNG file) is first followed by the color grading. All files are jpegs for viewing on the web. All color was done with FCP native 3 way color corrector. Film grain was added with eureka film grain plugin. No magic bullet here.

Exported off an anamorphic timeline by accident so it looks a little squashed, but you get the idea:

http://www.jordanraskin.com/basketball_1_2.jpg
http://www.jordanraskin.com/basketball_1.jpg
http://www.jordanraskin.com/basketball_2_2.jpg
http://www.jordanraskin.com/basketball_2.jpg

the basketball shot is killer, but i find the original cheerleaders have the best film like quality to them. Those kinds of scenes, from what ive seen, are brightly coloured and highly saturated.

[PaPa]

my shot at it.

http://img456.imageshack.us/img456/6888/cheerleadercomparison2ns.jpg

wierd angle for the girl on the left, the one infront of her makes her look huge :)

tried to give it a little more electric energy. Girls dancing, breats heaving, attention being grabbed.

[STORYTELLER32]

Hey Papa (feels SO weird typing that, lol...)
I was going for a filmic feel which I think I got with the basketball shot. Did the exact same thing to the cheerleader shot, but it still looks like video no matter what you do. It's just the nature of the lighting I think.

Mr. Blonde-
You should go grab the original PNG from the basketball thread and mess with it instead. Coloring off a compressed jpeg is the pits. :D

[PaPa]

i was just thinking of the movie bring it on as a basis for the colour scheme. I notice a film like that enriches the clolours and if anything makes them much more vibrant than real life, thats what gives it its look.

[wesley]

the first frame posted wasn't really a quality post so i think the cc's don't look good. and i think the basketball footage doesn't really need any cc.

maybe someone should try and post a grab of that footgae with the guy walking trough the smoke in the dark. i think it can be nicely color corrected