Grading for DCI-P3 theatrical

[Rob Meijer]

Hello!

 

I’m grading a short film for a theatrical premiere, working on a Mac with an Asus PA279CRV (claimed 99% DCI-P3 accuracy).

 

Resolve: Timeline is DWG. Output = DCI-P3 Gamma 2.6
Monitor: DCI-P3. Color Temp = P3-Theater

 

My Resolve viewer looks noticeably green and contrasty, while my ProRes 4444 exports look more neutral and less contrasty.

 

Simply put: how can I make sure what I’m grading is accurate to how it will look in the theater?

 

Coming from Rec709 and this is my first time using DCI-P3 so any advice or tips are welcome! Thanks in advance 🙂

Edited September 20 by Rob Meijer

[Robin Phillips]

two important things to note that are really required to know for sure what your work will look like:

1 your grading monitor needs to be attached to the computer via a proper output card, not your graphics card hookups

2 even then, you will not know for sure how your grade looks in a theater until you have actually checked it in a properly calibrated theater. the only real safe(ish) way around that is to just grade and deliver the DCP in rec709. 

if you are without other resources, the best you can do is make friends with a local theater that will let you check your DCP a couple of times if your monitor. 

btw it never hurts to reach out to post houses to see if any can help, be it for reduced price or even free. depending on the circumstances some can, and if they have a theatrical grading room with a proper projector then you'd be in good shape

[Rob Meijer]

44 minutes ago, Robin Phillips said:

two important things to note that are really required to know for sure what your work will look like:

1 your grading monitor needs to be attached to the computer via a proper output card, not your graphics card hookups

2 even then, you will not know for sure how your grade looks in a theater until you have actually checked it in a properly calibrated theater. the only real safe(ish) way around that is to just grade and deliver the DCP in rec709. 

if you are without other resources, the best you can do is make friends with a local theater that will let you check your DCP a couple of times if your monitor. 

btw it never hurts to reach out to post houses to see if any can help, be it for reduced price or even free. depending on the circumstances some can, and if they have a theatrical grading room with a proper projector then you'd be in good shape

Thanks! I checked and my monitor is correctly attached.

 

I’m actually visiting one tomorrow for a second test! I have a DCP in Rec709 ready. But I wanted to explore DCI-P3 because I know that’s how it’s being projected and could get me more accurate results as my earlier Rec709 tests were a bit off… 

 

So I was trying it out but then stumbled upon this mismatch between Resolve and exports and I’m not sure which one is accurate… But I made another DCP from the DCI-P3 export that looked good so I’m very curious to see tomorrow haha. If that's identical then it's likely something within Resolve that's causing the issue?

Edited September 20 by Rob Meijer

[Daniel D. Teoli Jr.]

Put it on a digital projector, TV and plain computer monitor. If it passes it is probably good. Everything seems to need its own grade, but an average grade should work good for most viewing methods.