Topic: Workflow / Correcting via Kelvin

Yes, if you grade RED material, you can. But not for other stuff without the huge amount of metadata. Fixing color temperature may be hard at times, but usually you would start by pulling the color in opposite directions of what the original image is. That would give you a good base.

Topic: Tips, Tricks and Tutorials / problem coloring scene

I guess the stripes and spots is an effect you’ve added later?
I think the mood is great. I see no need to adjust the seats.

What you probably are experiencing here (hard to tell from a still – may be very different watching it in motion) is that the deep reds are very saturated, while there’s a lot of noise going on. This may give the image a little more life than you’d want. So there’s a certain balance; keep the reds or decrease the saturation of the reds a little.

You know, I some times have problems grading some shots because I know what it looks like in the original footage, and I may even have been there myself and seen the location up close, so it’s really easy to get stuck on the thought “I should preserve the true nature of the location”. But guess what – most people don’t notice such things. If you can sell the shot and the scene as a whole, it doesn’t matter what it looks like in real life. Maybe that has something to do with the issue you’re having?

Again, I think the mood is spot on.

Topic: Workflow / First impressions on the Autocue T-series Grade "A" monitor

I’ve been looking to replace an old Panasonic LCD I’ve been borrowing for a year now. The blacks are blue and milky – fast past due date. Something has to be done.

A cry for help and tips on whether I should go FSI or OLED on Twitter got me in touch with Paddy at Autocue, and that’s where it all started. I’m not here to fill you in with deep technical insight. I leave that to others. However, I will tell you about my experience so far.

Read the rest on my website

Topic: Workflow / color grading for music video

Some times I work through the timeline in chronologic order. From start to end. Other times I start with the shot which is the best looking of them all.

I adjust the image until I’m satisfied, and try to match this look to all other shots. You’ll have to adjust in different parameters in order to match them depending on what the original image look like. There’s never a definite answer to what you should or shouldn’t do.

There’s no right or wrong – work until you find the look you want. You might want to copy a grade from one shot to a bunch of others as a starting point.

Topic: Workflow / Technicolor Cine Style for Canon EOS Video

We shot an actor doing some impro work with a 5D MK II and 60D. Both loaded with the Technicolor Cine Style. Let’s just say it’s flat. It’s really, really flat. But I’m not sure if the image is better to adjust, since it’s still limited with very little information.

My first impression is that even though the cameras shoot on ISO 100-160, there’s noise. And when I add saturation, there’s like a colored noise on top of the image. But then again, the scenes were shot in a very bright white room, so if the walls were busy with pictures, posters, cars and people on the street or so, I don’t think you’d notice it too much.

It’s an interesting thing, and I’ve adviced a DOP for a music video to use it, and we’ll see how it goes for a real world production.

Topic: Tips, Tricks and Tutorials / Underwater Grade

Would you mind sharing a frame in TIFF or Prores?

Topic: Workflow / Wich interface?

Only Tangent Wave is working with both as of today. There’s no words on when JL Cooper or Euphonix will be supported with DaVinci.

So if you need one NOW, go with the Wave.

Topic: The art of Color / Need help creating this look

I’d start by adding some color and saturation in the shadows, and in general make the image strong and vivid in its colors. Then tint it towards the warm colors, maybe add some of that purple cast to it.

Topic: The art of Color / This look

Looks to me the model is already lit in a way that still makes the background exposed properly. So she may be either very pale (natural or makeup) or this photo can be touched up a lot.

Either way, you might want to grab the skin tones and over expose them, and get going in the Color FX room with nodes to make the skin tones blur and soft. The rest is really a matter contrast and color choice.

Topic: Off Topic / Is anyone here?

That would be a good idea. I’ve been using Resolve ever since I got the beta mid august, and I’ll probably never look back..

Topic: Off Topic / Is anyone here?

It leaves me wondering why. Has everyone jumped over to DaVinci? Or is there simply no issues with Color to discuss?

Topic: The art of Color / grade track

When you sent from FCP, did you have multiple tracks? Is it the track with the clips you’re missing? If so – middle mouse button and drag up/down to navigate the timeline.

If you don’t see the Prim in, sec, and so on under the clips, click and drag the line that divides the clip track to the tracks below. You can adjust how much you see under the clips by doing this.

Topic: Tips, Tricks and Tutorials / Color Fx question

Wow, what a beautiful place! Amazing.
Nice results too.

Topic: Showroom / A music video and a commercial

Two projects. Graded in one day each. Graded on DaVinci Resolve for Mac.

Project: Jack Dalton – Safe but no sound

Client: Petter A. Hansen / Prosjektor

Format: 1080p
Shot on RED and 5D MK II
Play the musicvideo

Project: Norefjell Spa and Resort

Client: Magnus Skatvold / Spætt Media

Format: 1080p
Shot on 7D

Play the commercial

Topic: Tips, Tricks and Tutorials / Editing Problem--

Sounds like the media is in a codec that’s not supported by Color.

Topic: Workflow / Software Only Davinci Resolve $995 ?!

Last thing I heard about MC Color and DaVinci: “Don’t expect a working solution for another couple of months, after the release”. A pitty.. I’ll go the Tangent Wave route if nothing happens on that end.

Let’s just say a certain someone has been playing with the beta for two weeks and is ready to jump on either panel. Rumors has it though that USB devices have better response (less lag) than ethernet units, like the MC Color. I don’t know for sure though, just passing the rumor further into the interweb.

Topic: Workflow / Software Only Davinci Resolve $995 ?!

So, release of DaVinci is close. Any thoughts on it? Have any of you pre-ordered or planning to order?
And if you haven’t seen it yet, Take a look at this video

Here’s the minimum requirements, based on reading loads of forum posts at the Cow and RedUser.

• Mac Pro 2009 2.26GHz 6GB RAM
• Mac Pro 2010 (no further information yet)

• Mac OS X 10.6.4
• GeForce GT 120
• GTX 285 or Quadro 4800
• Decklink HD Extreme 3D
  Need a reason to toss the ATI card? Simply put, DaVinci utilizes CUDA, it’s an nVidia technology to enable the GPU to handle the processing instead of the CPU. This gives you real-time performance in SD, HD and up to 2K.

• DaVinci Resolve
• Tangent Wave

• You will need to have a DaVinci Resolve for Mac USB dongle attached at all times during use

• Real-time processing and in some cases, rendering will be real-time or faster (ref. fxphd and videos on the internet)
• Good and solid conform tools and project management
• A good and fast tracker (no single point tracking – tracking features all over the place within a PowerWindow, similar to what we know as a vignette in Color)
• Nodes instead of rooms!!
• Recently announced, Resolve for Mac will let you monitor stereo 3D

Topic: The art of Color / 70´s look?

For me, the 70’s look is 8mm slightly grainy, desaturated images with a warm yet red/purple-ish tone. Strong blues and reds.

Topic: Showroom / I Didn't Come Here to Die

Brutal. (:

Topic: Workflow / dv pal to color

I’m not sure I follow. DV PAL to 720p using DPX, and then you’re talking about a codec?

I’m not working with DPX files myself, but I’ve always thought of DPX as an image sequence kind of thing. No codecs. To make DPX files, there’s some special software. I don’t know the price tag though.

I don’t think you will obtain significantly better quality converting it to DPX vs. Prores HQ or something along that line. Prores comes with FCS anyway. Give it a shot.. But don’t expect wonders. PAL is PAL, and HD is HD. Shit in, shit out.

Topic: Workflow / Monitor Calibration

I have no idea how you would go about calibrating the cinema display correctly. Just as a guide line, I calibrate my Panasonic broadcast monitor with a color bar and the “blue only” function, just like anyone would calibrate such equipment. I’m sure there more “secure” ways of doing it to ensure every monitor shows the same, but this seems to work for me and my other half here at the office.

How you would get the blue only function on a cinema display, I don’t know.

Topic: Tips, Tricks and Tutorials / Restoring timeline

Ah… Sounds like you have multiple video tracks then. In your FCP timeline you sent to Color, do you have more than one video track? Or did you make each line for keyframes and thumbnails very tall?

Middle-clicking and dragging around the timeline (up and down) will let you navigate, not only in time, but also in tracks. That’s why I keep it simple. Small lines and one video track only.

Topic: Tips, Tricks and Tutorials / Restoring timeline

You should have a separating line just under the thumbnails. Click and drag, and it should reveal the grades and keyframe lines.

Topic: Tips, Tricks and Tutorials / Tips! Alternative to a control surface

Added a download link to the opening post.

Topic: Workflow / MC Color review

I had the pleasure of testing the Euphonix unit myself, and I agree on everything you point out in this review.

I haven’t tested the Wave, and I don’t want to, because I found my soulmate in MC Color.