That "Bluish" look.

sray · July 29, 2006

Ok guys, please forgive my ignorance. I am a "newbie" when it comes to cinematography. I want to know the best way to achive that dismal, bluish effect you see so much in the movies. Should I use a filtered lens, or do it in post? The movie that comes to mind is Seven. I'll be using a PAN. ag-hvx100b. Thanks in adavance!!!!!

sray.

David Mullen ASC · July 30, 2006

Ok guys, please forgive my ignorance. I am a "newbie" when it comes to cinematography. I want to know the best way to achive that dismal, bluish effect you see so much in the movies. Should I use a filtered lens, or do it in post? The movie that comes to mind is Seven. I'll be using a PAN. ag-hvx100b. Thanks in adavance!!!!!
sray.

"Seven" is not a particularly blue-ish movie to me -- sort of brownish, actually.

You can cool off the image any number of ways: white balance trick, using the wrong color temp preset (I'm talking about video cameras), blue-ish filters, blue-ish lighting, timing the image in post bluer, using tungsten-balanced film stock in daylight conditions with no or only partial filter correction.

So on your DVX100B, the fastest trick would be to just flip to the 3200K (tungsten) white balance preset when shooting under 5500K (daylight) illumination. If that's too blue, you could instead white balance to a warm (orange-ish) card or to a white card with a warming filter on the lens. Or use normal white balance or normal preset color and add a cooling (bluer) filter to the lens. Or shoot normal and make it bluer in post timing.

sray · July 30, 2006

"Seven" is not a particularly blue-ish movie to me -- sort of brownish, actually.

You can cool off the image any number of ways: white balance trick, using the wrong color temp preset (I'm talking about video cameras), blue-ish filters, blue-ish lighting, timing the image in post bluer, using tungsten-balanced film stock in daylight conditions with no or only partial filter correction.

So on your DVX100B, the fastest trick would be to just flip to the 3200K (tungsten) white balance preset when shooting under 5500K (daylight) illumination. If that's too blue, you could instead white balance to a warm (orange-ish) card or to a white card with a warming filter on the lens. Or use normal white balance or normal preset color and add a cooling (bluer) filter to the lens. Or shoot normal and make it bluer in post timing.

Thank you sooo much!!!!

Andrew Roddewig · July 30, 2006

Now, I have yet to use the DVX 100B, but in the A there is a menu option for Color temp ( i think that is what it is called in the menu, but i am not certain.) it allows an adjustment of either more blue or more orange to about twelve i beleive. I often use that setting on a shot by shot basis to make minor adjustment to the overall color of the Image. I find their is a big jump between 4 and 5, and -4 and -5.

Alessandro Machi · July 30, 2006

HMI lighting can both be full spectrum yet still give the picture a very slight bluish look, is that what you are talking about?

Chris Keth · July 30, 2006

Thank you sooo much!!!!

The DVX actually has a nice graduated way to alter the color balance. In one of the menus, there's a "color temp." setting. Turning the number up will make the image go bluer, going lower will make the image go warmer. I would white balance correctly and just use that to adjust the color to your liking. It'll be easier to get it just right that way.

G McMahon · July 30, 2006

Cheap way. If you have a filter swatch book,white balance through colours of the opposite side of the colour wheel (try colours around orange). Even be novel and try obscure colours, you may get a result you like as opposed to blue. Unfortunately, the director will see what you like on the monitor and definitely not like it, unless they have seen it in a feature film they like.

I don?t mean to insult you. Line up camera with white reference material under the lighting you will be using. Hold colour swatch directly in front of lens (helps to zoom in). And press the white balance. Some Gels may be too dark to register. It is certainly a lot cheaper than a colour grade.

Graeme