Grading Contest: thinking out loud

[taubkin]

So, from another topic in the screen grabs section we came up with a grading contest. It is basically a contest on Color Correction, Image Manipulation, Enhancing. Now I'm trying to devise a few rules... This is what I came up with so far:

The Contest organization provides a selection of 4-5 still images. The competitors take the images to their NLE of choice and manipulate the hell out of them. We then judge the images based on: Aesthetics pleasing, narrative value, and coherence (the 4-5 images will have to suggest a sequence of events, the CC will have to create narative value!). The 3 top ranking entrees will have to share how they did it ( ;) ).

What is already not allowed: the use of photoshop selection tools, clone stamps, or any rotoscoping equivalents. This is not a still image treatment contest.

What I don't know if should be allowed: Keying, Matteing, Compositing, Magic Bullett.

So I'm asking the interested, how should we do it?

Cheers!

[Shaw]

I don't like the idea of Magic Bullet. It's too easy and doesn't show real color correction skills. That is, of course, my opinion. I'm not sure why anyone would WANT to do keying or matting....

I like the idea of not allowing photoshop specific functions. Only those that your NLE or SFX program can handle. Maybe someone could even make up some cool little "Best Aesthetics" etc banners ;)

[BLUESPIDER]

Heres an idea:

Premiere:
the basic filters; color balance,levels, curves you know. no 3rd party plugins. This also applies to Final cut users, Vegas and Avid. We should keep it to just the basics and what people can come up with. This will be more challenging I guess.

I dunno, just an idea.

BS

[Barry_S]

Great idea for a contest, but why disallow tools that could normally be used for grading? *AE has a clone tool, so why disallow it because it's also in PS? *How about disallowing the use of PS entirely and allowing any function available in any NLE, compositor, or grading application? *Also, I think contestants should be grading some clips rather than stills. *Everyone should get an identical 60 second clip with 4-5 scenes. Plugins should be fine--frankly, I think Magic Bullet is more of a handicap :) To me, it makes more sense to have the contest mirror the contestants' actual workflow.

[BLUESPIDER]

I like the idea of everyone having identical clips. That would be good.

BS

[taubkin]

It would definately be a much better and fair contest if people should have a clip, instead of a still frame. But I don't know how many of you, as myself, don't have a pace to post those large files. Also, it should be easyer to get stills than video, but from the beggining I was already thinking everybody should start with the same images.

I guess it's another approach, throw in a clip and go free for all, or throw in stills and go restrictions. Also, by going free for all, people will be able to do compositing, keying, SFX, a lot of stuff that falls a little beyound Grading. Nothing wrong with that, since today, more than ever, editors are really learning to do all those things themselves, but still a little off.

But since all are valid points of view, I want to hear from the people and see what the majority thinks it's best. I'm going to try to think of a way to accomplish the method suggested by Barry, since I'm starting to feel it's the most fair.

BTW, Surely AE has a clone stamp, but it's way harder to use then Photoshop's, and by substituting one for the other, the contestant wouldn't be proving his own skill. The same for compositing, keying, etc...