Colour Grade tips

[gonzo44]

hello,

I've just shoot my first HD short using the HVX. THe director and I will be colour grading at a post house in Auclkand. The problem is we have never done a colour grade. I know the look i want , but have no Idea of how it works .

Does any one have any tips on grading. Any websites with color theory and colour grading HD would rock.

I know the colourist will know what to do, but i want to go in there know as much as possible about the process..

CHur

Gonzo

Auckland
NZ

[andy_starbuck]

Don't know much about that. I read a post where people were talking about setting everything to "zero" in the scene file to record a "flat" image for color grading.

If you know the look that you want, you should really look at in-camera coloring using the scene files. The scene files can be set to process the gamma, coloring, and sharpness. And because it operates on "raw" data (full resolution, 4:4:4 color space) the quality of the coloring can't really be reproduced in post when you are working with half or less of the color information.

I've been expirementing with it and love the results. Of course, if you color in camera, before compression, you are pretty much committed to the results. You can't radically change the full color, drop half and then get back to "normal" in post.

So... caveat emptor. But you might find it saves time and gets great results.

Here are some images I shot for a 48 hr film using in-camera coloring.
http://www.kymovie.com/areas/justus/sixyearsunder.htm

And here they are with more information and clickable to see larger images:
http://www.kymovie.com/areas/justus/6under/DC01.htm

best of luck

[Shaw]

Color is a rather complex issue which certainly won't be learned quickly. Really though you don't need to know how or why; just what look you want. That said, there is merit in being able to communicate with the colorist in his own 'speak'.

If you know the term terms clipped highlights, crushed shadows, shadows, midtones, highlights, and contrast you will be in a good position. Essentially, if you're a DP and know 'DP speak' you should be fine. Also, if you have some frame grabs you can bring of similar looks - DO SO! From experience, a frame grab can tell a colorist more, and faster, than anything else.

Regarding getting a look in camera: it can be a worthwhile thing to do but it is very far from a substitute for a good colorist! Worthwhile as a starting point? Sure. As the final look? Well, that's up to you but a good colorist is worth his/her weigth in gold and can far beyond anything possible in camera.