New DVX screens with brightness/contrast tweaks...

MatthewC

MatthewC

Well-known member
I went out and shot some more footage today. Here's a few pics comparing the footage before and after I tweaked with the brightness and contrast.

The first one isn't quite as strong, but I didn't want to completely shade his face off.

The second has small amounts overexposed on the rocks, but the overall payoff seems worth it. I think I could've lowered it a tiny bit and got rid of that but I took the screens and posted before I noticed. LOL


dvxtest4.JPG

dvxtest5.JPG

dvxtest6.JPG
 
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John_Hudson said:
Nice Matthew! Love it. The middle one is super uber cool.
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Thanks John. When people that actually know what they're doing tell me that I'm doing something right it makes me feel like I almost know what I'm doing.
:-)
 
for some reason, i have to say i like the befores better. not that you did a bad job or anything. the seconds just seem to digital to me. im porbably just weird but i like the dullness of the first ones. they look alittle more like film
 
thestreak000 said:
for some reason, i have to say i like the befores better. not that you did a bad job or anything. the seconds just seem to digital to me. im porbably just weird but i like the dullness of the first ones. they look alittle more like film
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See, the way I look at the ones on the left is they look like something done on a home camera, etc. I like to try and make them look "Hollywood", making the colours brighter and everything a little bit more to how you would see the colours in real life, not on TV. That's at least what I'm striving for. :-)
 
haha, once again, middle one is my favorite.

and I think you're doing a good thing in striving for better looking images that are more accurately saturated with wonderful colors like in real life. Much like the look of 35mm film, eh? :thumbsup: That exactly what I try to do with all of my work. I can't stand getting that nasty "video" look with super flat colors and no contrast value. I like pretty colors and lots of detail on that which is in focus. :)
 
Love the middle one! The firs one is good, except the face becomes a bit too dark. Maybe try boosting the midtones a bit? The third is a weird shot, with the blurry movement, but still works. The sky and water in the second one is perfect!
 
jrv3034 said:
Love the middle one! The firs one is good, except the face becomes a bit too dark. Maybe try boosting the midtones a bit? The third is a weird shot, with the blurry movement, but still works. The sky and water in the second one is perfect!
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Yeah, middle is my favourite too. It just turned out perfect.
The first yeah, face is a bit dark. This is one of those times where I wish I had a reflector, lol, but it was all natural lighting just standing around talking.
I picked the third to show the colour differences in the hat and the trees.


Regarding the first shot, it is a little bit too dark to start with when it really wasn't that dark out, I should've probably opened the Iris a bit more.

I have no clue how to simply boost the midtones. How do I do this?
I'm simply adjusting the brightness and contrast with my tweaking so far.
 
in cinema oftimes they actually desaturate...plus the hundreds of other things...so don't just focus on brightness and contrast because in all honesty...it's the scene at the moment that might require a certain look. whenever the mood is to be cold/dark the colors are blues, grays, blacks and desaturated. remember "pitch black" to get the look of the hot stark alien desert they bleached the film stock.

so outside of B/C try the levels, gamma, s-curve...also look into lens filters. if the professional cinematogrpahers use them then shouldn't you. matter of fact there's a lens filter especially for contrast....

Contrast Filter

now imagine what your first pic above would've looked like using that filter :)

now check this one Light Balancing again imagine...

finally i know what you are trying to do...

I like to try and make them look "Hollywood"
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and i see and hear it often "how can i make my video look like film?" :grin: that's like asking "how can i make my water color look like oil?" they are two different mediums, but with video you can at least shoot professionally by lighting properly, using filters, and other camera techniques and camera equipment that isn't just looking like hollywood, but "working" like hollywoo. yes, even on a low to no budget, but if you want oil then use oil.

film has the resolution of 35 megapixels and we are not quite there yet. finally this quote from cinematographer Oliver Stapleton, B.S.C. whose credits include "The Grifters", "Cider House Rules", "Casanova"...

Without commenting on your specific comparison, the “look” of a film is a combination of many many factors. Some of these will be stock and processing, some are from timing (grading) – was it Digi or not? – and some will be lighting, location and design. “In-Camera” techniques would include choice of lenses and filters – and now the choice of whether it is a film or digital camera.
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see that? filters?? and yes all the others, but a lot goes into making a "film" more than what you can do in your NLE and definitely more than adjusting the B/C :) though you are taking steps in the right direction.
 
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novelt said:
in cinema oftimes they actually desaturate...plus the hundreds of other things...so don't just focus on brightness and contrast because in all honesty...it's the scene at the moment that might require a certain look. whenever the mood is to be cold/dark the colors are blues, grays, blacks and desaturated. remember "pitch black" to get the look of the hot stark alien desert they bleached the film stock.

so outside of B/C try the levels, gamma, s-curve...also look into lens filters. if the professional cinematogrpahers use them then shouldn't you. matter of fact there's a lens filter especially for contrast....

Contrast Filter

now imagine what your first pic above would've looked like using that filter :)

now check this one Light Balancing again imagine...

finally i know what you are trying to do...



and i see and hear it often "how can i make my video look like film?" :grin: that's like asking "how can i make my water color look like oil?" they are two different mediums, but with video you can at least shoot professionally by lighting properly, using filters, and other camera techniques and camera equipment that isn't just looking like hollywood, but "working" like hollywoo. yes, even on a low to no budget, but if you want oil then use oil.

film has the resolution of 35 megapixels and we are not quite there yet.
Click to expand...

Yeah, a filter like that would be nice for when I'm out and about. I believe my quality after adjusting the contrast in a NLE won't be quite as nice as adjusting it with a filter. I'm not trying to focus on just constrast/brightness, it is just what I'm learning how to tweak with right now. :-)
Hence all this photos I've been taking. LOL


Now I know I can't achieve the look of film, I know its not possible, but when I say I try to make it look Hollywood I'm trying to make my colours brighter and not have the film look like it does on the left. When I watch shows on TV I enjoy the colours I see, and I'm simply trying to achieve that look, that's it.


Now your talking Gamme, S-Curves, etc. Throwing too much lingo at rookie like me without an explanation is simply going to befuddle me. Can you elaborate on exactly what this does?
 
Don't stress it Matthew. We're alot closer than you think and your grabs are testament to the fact you have the basics down; exposure being a critical factor (always better to underexpose than over because onece you lose it with blowouts; you lost it).

Those filters are nice but I'd stick with an ND GRAD and a POL over anything else.

Worry about the basics and you'll be on your way. The DVX is capable of fooling the audience (even if they don't care what it was shot on)

Exposure, Camera angles and Composition. Start mastering these basics and you'll be stoked.

It's looking nice and filmy here

dvxtest55nj.jpg
 
I don't have premiere pro so i don't know if it has the ability to adjust the tonal s-curve. i do mine outside of premiere 6.5...you could do it in photoshop. i'm not at home right now, but when i get there i'll post what i have to give you more info.

as for gamma and levels those are in the premiere effects folder. levels is like gamma except you get individual RGB gamma control. plus broader control over the value input and output. i hardly use brightness/contrast because of these two also i choose to use the HSL control for lightness instead of adjusting the brightness, but to each his own. i'm out to get some hardware and will be home a few hours from now.

Home!

here's a site discussing the use of S-Curves andat the bottom is a link to the "levels" lesson...

S-Curves

be sure to click the before and afters and you might like this...it was on the kodak site that i first learned about s-curves.

Kodak
 
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