GH2 Need Help! Which Picture Looks More Filmic?

R

redman7t

Member
Can you guys tell me which of these grades look the overall most pleasing? I'm afraid I can't judge and need some other eyes to steer me in the right direction. Thanks DVX




test1.jpgtest2.jpg
 
Your problem is the Lighting, not the grade..... Why would this person be sleeping with all of the lights on? At least that's what the picture looks like to me.....
To get your footage to look more like "Film" you need to light it better and more professionally. Create more shadows and pockets of light, this looks more like soap opera where a whole scene is evenly lit......

Peace
 
The first is best. And I can think of plenty of reasons why a guy might be asleep on a couch with the lights on.
 
Fluoro said:
The first is best. And I can think of plenty of reasons why a guy might be asleep on a couch with the lights on.
Click to expand...

Maybe in your mind, but to me looks like a directing flaw, brown skin actor on brown couch with lights on, Sleeping?.... Totally off in the visual department. Also first scene is just flat, that doesn't make something look like film, it just makes it look like you need to grade it......
 
You don't know anything about the scene, so why comment on the lighting?!?
And people with brown skin are not allowed dark sofas?
 
wow. I don't like the first (flat) image at all. I know this is a lame answer, but I think something in between the two.
 
Fresno Bob said:
And people with brown skin are not allowed dark sofas?
Click to expand...
LOL....how about doo-doo brown?

I agree with sigamy's response.


I liked that flat look for a long time as well. But I'm starting to appreciate more color in an image lately (without that camcorder look).
 
Nothing technical (just my opinion): I like what I see in the first picture better than I do the second . . . just my preference of the two. The second does look a little harsh (like there is a light that's either too close, or too bright). Sure, it's not that someone couldn't be sleeping under those circumstances but if you're wanting to have your shot be believable I think you'd be well served to play the odds and re-light the shot (but again, that's just what's more pleasing to this (my) eye). Grading is okay in both--just depends on the look you are striving to achieve.

Good luck.
 
I never understand why people post a single grab and expect to get an accurate opinion. Filmic or cinematic looks are done with frame rate, motion blur, lighting, acting, directing, framing, blocking, grading, audio, ect... As far as I'm concerned neither look filmic based on what I just wrote. I think they look like a pic somebody took on the fly with an iphone. It's one frame.
 
None of them look the least bit "filmic". First one reminds me about the time I heard from a "young filmmaker" he used to pull back the blacks and whites in his footage to make them look "more like RED", and the second looks like someone threw on four presets and that ugly HDR effect from Photoshop.
Get a proper DP, Get a proper colorist
And thou footage shall have the "film look".

Basically the "filmic" image comes from people who know what they're doing.
 
Man, has this guy got a surprise coming when he comes back.
You're all correct of course, but you could sugar coat it a bit. Lets be encouraging after all.
 
Tolin said:
Get a proper DP, Get a proper colorist And thou footage shall have the "film look". Basically the "filmic" image comes from people who know what they're doing.
Click to expand...

And maybe that's why he asked? Maybe he's trying to learn the skills of a "proper colorist" and a "proper dp"? The answer isn't "go find someone who knows how to do it already".
 
redman7t said:
Can you guys tell me which of these grades look the overall most pleasing? I'm afraid I can't judge and need some other eyes to steer me in the right direction. Thanks DVX
Click to expand...

Neither look particularly good to me. The man's dark complexion needs to have more sculpting with light to bring out his facial characteristics. The first one is flat. The second one too 'brassy' for what I presume the mood of the shot is, namely 'sleeping'...
 
Chris Adler said:
And maybe that's why he asked? Maybe he's trying to learn the skills of a "proper colorist" and a "proper dp"? The answer isn't "go find someone who knows how to do it already".
Click to expand...
Never did think of it that way, thank you.

OP: There are some excellent threads in the Cinematography section discussing lighting, camera angles, lenses and so forth, all which help strive towards that filmic image. Color grading to be honest isn't even that big of a factor in the "film look", people just tend to use extreme grading to distract from poor "everything-else". Really what most grading sessions are about is bringing back contrast and color from the Raw footage. If your camera isn't shooting raw then you might already have a decent final image and should focus on what's portrayed and how it's portrayed.
 
Thank you guys for your responses. The harshness is not a problem at all, it is what I need! Like someone said here, I originally pulled the whites and blacks back on the first pic to bring it closer to a RED flat look. I think my problem was overall lighting. My shots were not very contrasty. I thought maybe I could make it so in post but Im guessing from you guys that's not the best option.
 
While neither strikes me as particularly cinematic, it is hard to judge by a single still image. Overall, I prefer the second, as the first looks underexposed (as opposed to dark, which is totally different).
 
Why would this person be sleeping with all of the lights on?
Click to expand...
who says the guy is sleeping? maybe he's hungover and being lectured by his wife.
hell, maybe he IS sleeping and the whole piece is about a guy who's afraid of the dark.
how does any of what you said apply to the OP's question? i've seen tons of "films" where a room is evenly washed like this.

im going to agree with most of the folks and say its hard to judge "cinematic" from a still frame.
the flat look is more en vogue currently. especially with the dslr jockeys. most would say the contrast of the lower one looks more "video"

it all depends on the look you're wanting.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top