What do you think about this look?

William_Robinette

William_Robinette

Shallow Member
I was messing around with some previously shot footage today in AE/Looks and went pretty extreme with some things. Dialing it back in (just a little) I ended up with this look. Obviously this is a 50% of the way there job because this footage was shot for another project and I need to change the lighting to make it work with this post job. But what do you think? It is heavy and noticeable and I know that isn't everyone's cup of tea.

Ben.jpg


Berkley.jpg


Car.jpg


Shed.jpg


Truck.jpg


Another question as well. I am thinking of looks (this one in particular) for a project I am going to be shooting soon. I am really liking the more fantasy feeling I can get out of footage as opposed to a more classic approach. Thing is, the subject matter is a bit more along the lines of a story like The Departed. It is based in this world with real people and not some foreign place on another planet. Basically it wouldn't be serving the story so much as my visual appetite. This being a self made film and me being the one shooting and grading it I know I can do whatever the hell I want, and I just may. But what do you all think of going for a look because you like it and not because it serves the story (but doesn't necessarily distract from it)?

Edit: Also this is a good illustration of how powerful the REDCODE codec is. I tried this correction with some DVX and HVX HD footage and it just falls apart at the seams, literally. This stuff never even blinked.
 
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Honest Opinion:

I am someone who sometimes likes over the top styles, BUT, this does not work for me. I don't like the red tint/saturation especially in the way in affects the skin tones. In addition, with it alongside the green, it almost looks like one of those 3d pictures without glasses on (just slightly). Something about the green and red contrasting just looks tacky and amateurish to me and would definitely distract me from the movie.

That is just my opinion, but I would definitely keep fooling around with the colors. Maybe emphasize yellowish orange instead of the red? I don't know. But I don't like it like this. Sorry. As for the last question, I would have to answer that on a case per case basis, and even if you don't think it will distract people, it will always distract some. Maybe more than you think if you are unlucky.

Good luck man. Just my 2k.
 
as long as you're tellin' a story, it's all good. i'd cut the post-lense flare. i like the tones, but i'd have to see it in motion to offer a technical analysis. again, all the AE and what-not will be transparent when you're telling a compelling story.

if your objective/question here is from a cinematographic-only standpoint, i think it's tight.

EDIT: after looking at the grabs again, i can see shot #3 as a crane-up...with varying lense flare...that's a great shot.
 
Like they said, If it works for the story.... I think it is an interesting choice. The shirt colors really work for me. I don't know if that is a good or bad thing though. But you know what you're doing so I trust you.
 
Looks like the 2strip process used with early color films.

Have you got Magic Bullet William?
It has a special module for that process and it does it a bit "image friendlier", but still keeps that look. Yours look a hair to harsh in my book.

Frank
 
Postmaster said:
Looks like the 2strip process early color films used.

Have you got Magic Bullet William?
It has a special module for that process and it does it a bit "image friendlier", but still keeps that look. Yours look a hair to harsh in my book.

Frank
Click to expand...

That's what it is actually. I did this in Looks but I pretty much slammed everything against the wall. After sleeping on it I am seeing how I dislike what it is doing to some of the skin tones. Problem is, I really like the way it affects other areas of the image. I might reign it in a little and use some power masking to keep the skin tones a little more neutral.
 
i love the first 3 screens with the exception of the lens flare. 4th and 5th not so much.

as other people have already mentioned, the skin tones are changing way too much. i'd say you have a very nice "base look" to begin with but it'll probably take a lot of shot by shot grading to keep things consistent.

nice stuff.
 
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