First project on Resolve Lite 9 any advice?

KINOKS

KINOKS

Well-known member
So I'm getting ready to grade my first project using Resolve. I'm a noob as far as it goes grading in Resolve but I think I got it down... more or less, that is:)
I'll be grading a 30 min talking heads docu.

Has any body got any advice for a first time user? My workflow is Avid -> Resolve -> Avid -> After Effects (for final compositing and grain/noise removal (Neat Video)).

Thx!

Br
S
 
It would be better to denoise before grading. So Avid -> After Effects. Export a lossless 10 bit codec like Proress 422 HQ or DNxHD 185x. Take that in Resolve and conform it with an EDL which you will generate from avid in the first place. Then back in after effects for titling, transitions and final compositing and finishing.
 
Is there really such a difference when denoising before the grading? I've always denoised after grading...
 
You must grade on the best image. An image with digital noise is going to end up alot different compared to a denoised image. Denoising after grading won't take you anywhere unless I guess you're working with raw. You can test it yourself. Take one video. Denoise it and export to a 10 bit lossless codec and grade. Also grade the video with noise and you'll see the difference.
 
Sharry is right, there most definitely is a difference. Best practice is to always denoise before grading. Of course I don't know any of the details of your project, but my workflow would normally be more like Avid > After Effects > Avid > Resolve

My best advice when it comes to grading: Less is more! Seriously.
 
Okey, I've tried your test but I really don't see a big difference in denoising before or after the grade. What's the philosophy behind this protocol? I would really like to know. I look at it from this perspective: if I denoise an ungraded image I'll denoise it so that I'm pleased with the levels of noise BUT when I'll grade the image I'll probably lift the noise that was hidden in the ungraded image thus making it necessary to denoise again. So this means denoising twice instead of once. That's quite a lot more work.
And further more if I denoise first I just have to make another round trip in the end for compositing and graphics...

What's the logic here? If you don't denoise you'll just make the noise worse and it's going to deteriorate the IQ that much more??
 
Not sure why you assume noise reduction initially will miss the "hidden" noise that would be revealed later. Noise reduction will reduce or eliminate even the "hidden" noise you said you'd discover after lifting later. No new noise is generated in the workflow.
 
When applying NR you always want to apply the least amount possible. You don't denoise the footage completely but just enough so that the noise is not seen. There is always a search for balance between retaining IQ and removing noise.
So you remove noise but not all of it, just enought so that it doesn't show. But then when you grade the footage the noise that was previouesly hidden gets unhidden. This is my point. I guess that removing noise prior to grading would work just fine if you would have removed all the noise.

But it's clearly not a black and white issue. I guess NR is important for pulling cleaner keys and it's probably better for tracking, etc.
 
https://vimeo.com/39979623

Check this out. Unless you are talking about RAW or 10 bit footage, all 8 bit footage will need this workflow in my opinion. But if you feel that your workflow is giving you the results you want, then please don't move from it. Keep on using it.
 
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