Color Grading Demo, Film Shot on HVX

G

gerry_C

Member
Hi There,

I put this reel together of some before/after shots from the feature film "Smoked,"which I just completed color grading. The film was co-directed by Joshua Staley and Jamie DeWolf (and written by Jamie) and shot in and around Oakland, CA on an HVX, sometimes with a Redrock adapter on the HVX 200.

Color grading was done with Apple Color, working with the native DVC Pro HD files then exporting ProRes HQ.


***contains violence and drug use, parental discretion is advised***

http://www.vimeo.com/6348428

Thanks!!
Gerry
 
Hey Gerry,

I really liked the footage in your this clip. Color does a nice job. Did you export from Final Cut? If so did you use compressor with H264?
Also wondered what shutter speed you were on during the scene when the guy throws the toaster and is running down the sidewalk?

Thanks for the cool clips.

Jeff Hammond
www.hammondcheezefilms.com
 
Hey Jeff,

Glad you liked the footage. I exported a QT from final cut, then used a modified Apple TV setting in compressor (just changing it to "multi-pass"). The original footage was 720p 23.98 as well.

I was the colorist but not the DP on the film, but it looks like the shutter settings were probably 1/250, maybe 1/120. Oh, and the toaster was CGI'd. The reverse shot is pretty cool of the toaster hitting the guy with the toast flying out (I think it was done in After Effects).

Cheers,
Gerry
 
wow that looks great.... if possible, I'd love to hear your process in getting it to look that good via Color....
 
i thought it was a white balance reel, on some shots you actually went from one tint to another. and most times you didn't help the movie, you just white balanced and add color into the fooage for no reason

i dont think that would be considered color grading.
 
amrrahmy said:
i thought it was a white balance reel, on some shots you actually went from one tint to another. and most times you didn't help the movie, you just white balanced and add color into the fooage for no reason

i dont think that would be considered color grading.
Click to expand...

Contrast was also added, some scenes also looked like PowerWindows had been applied - and all in all the scenes where given a more contrasted, more punchy look, giving the scenes a consistent appearance - hmm, at least I call this grading :beer:
 
Hi Jay,

The most important part of the process was meeting with the clients and deciding on the look of the film, and how to deal with the problematic shots and scenes. The overall look was to add contrast to the blacks, adjust exposures, increase overall contrast and saturation, and to accent the greens in a scene. In many of the shots I also cooled the blacks tinting them cyan/blue. If you'd like more information on a particular shot I'd be happy to answer that.

Yes Spartacus, you're correct. Besides adding contrast there were many scenes where I added power windows, the most obvious is where I isolated the flames, making them more orange, then destaturating the rest of the scene. Sometimes up to 5 vignettes/power windows per shot, doing things like changing skin tones, the saturation and tint of the sky, and adding blue sky where there was only white. In other words, color grading, not just white balancing.


Thanks!!
Gerry
 
There are so many shots in there that I would like to simulate for an upcoming horror/action flick combo. I might need to PM you at some point if your willing! Good job.
 
Colour correction

Colour correction

This is so amazing! Wow wow wow!

Which tool you use for the colour correction / style?
 
Hey Birdy,

I used Color for the colour. Apple Color, that is, along with a Flanders Scientific LM-2450W HD monitor through an AJA Kona. A really excellent monitor and FS just released a field monitor that would be worth looking into.

-Gerry
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top