Dr Ruth - How do you do it ?

[fantasticfilm]

This is sort of my problem and I just wanna get some feedback :-

I was trying out some scene file settings and have come to the conclusion that I should just do my colour effects in post and try and get as much information out of the camera without leaning it toward one or the other side.

So I am thinking:-

-White balance / or use the presets
-Leave all setting default - or neutral tones etc - mid levels
-Shoot and Focus keeping the iris between f4-f8 depending on environment
-Use zebra and ND for exposure settings

Then do all the fun stuff in post where I have more control and more room for judgement based on the final look the client wants.....

Please bash me around so I know what you all think and what you guys are doing....because I just learnt the hard way that those scene files can be your best bud and your worst nightmare when you have colour issues in post.

Thanks,

 

[D-bert]

Then do all the fun stuff in post where I have more control and more room for judgement based on the final look the client wants.....

With the limitations of DV, very often getting the image right without a whole lot of post work can save the image becoming even more compressed and degraded, which looks better in the end.

 

[ryan brown]

Yeah... this is the topic of a lot of discussion.

Long story short, you'll find a LOT of people on here that advice to do as much as you can in camera to get the "perfect image", and you'll find a LOT of people (including myself) that shoot flat, like you suggested, and manipulate in post.

In reality, D-bert is probably correct in saying that the less you can do in post, the higher quality image you'll end up with. BUT, that doesn't always mean it looks better to the human eye...

 

[ProLost]

With the limitations of DV, very often getting the image right without a whole lot of post work can save the image becoming even more compressed and degraded, which looks better in the end.

This is true. However, the other point of veiw is that with the limitations of DV, any attempt to "get it right" in camera that falls short becomes a nightmare to fix in post. And DV cameras don't have anywhere near the control over the images they record as even the most basic color correction software.

For some delicious examples of how color correction can be used to enhance well-shot footage, see this thread. Even if you could do this in-camera, the point is that if you did, you'd be stuck with that look.

There's so much you can do in post with CC, I think its worth the slight bump up in noise and compression artiacting. And there's enough to think about on the set without trying to grade your whole film then and there!

Not disagreeing with D-bert, just providing the other point of vew.

-Stu

 

[fantasticfilm]

I agree with all of your comments in one way or another - however

Coloring in camera which leans one way or the other too much is definitely not easy to manipulate in post, so I am more akin to taking advantage of the fact that I have my scope and more data on the bench to give the final feel to the footage.

I think that when you are shooting - unless you have the same kind of resources or to counter that - massive amount of experience.....you are going to have the day come - like me where the setup in camera is so limiting in post that you have to go back out there and re-shoot.

I agree that the image quality will be better if you do it on set - but how many movies/ music video /documentaries are left without any color correction.....

I am leaning toward post for my personal choice especially as my experience is more in the editing room - for now.

 

[Joshua Provost]

As long as don't massively over or under expose, you can do a lot in post. A well exposed image is a workable image, even if it needs color/contrast work.

What can be challenging is trying to do accurate color correction with a neutral reference point. You need to have someone flash a chart or at least a gray card in front of the talent, so you have something to correct to when you get to post.