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Color Correction Clause..


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Your "right"? Hmmm, that would not sit well with me as a director. As far as I'm concerned I'm the only one that has the "right" to colour correct a film I directed.

 

I would certainly include the DOP if geographically and logistically possible, of course I would take his input.

 

Answer me this, you are in the colour correction suite and the director says I want more red and you say you want more blue, who wins that battle? Do you think a DOP has the right to overrule a director in the cc suite?

 

R,

 

Hey Richard,

 

I am a DOP and believe we should be part of the colour correction and mastering process. At the end of the day we are the Directors of Photography and therefore have a right to ensure our work is respected and processed correctly to reach its rightful potential. So many directors - a lot of them without knowing what they are doing – colour correct and stuff the picture up. Then the film gets a release one way or another, people view it and the DOP’s reputation is on the line.

 

In many circumstances, blacks are crashed, colours are bleeding or brightness and contrast are pushed so much everything blends into each other.

 

Recently I shot a short film with RED. During the file conversion the picture got cropped and in some shots you can’t even see the head of the actors. This edit was previewed by some of the biggest names in the Australian independent film industry. How do you think this would have affected my reputation and my artistic merit?

 

About the “battle” of reds and blues… I think as Directors and DOPs we have to decide and come to an agreement about the style and the tone of the picture before we start shooting and follow it through to the end.

 

This is not about a power trip, a battle in CC or anywhere else but rather respecting your fellow artists work, knowledge, taste and livelihood. You hire a DOP because you like their work and their ability to produce the best possible image. I can’t see why it hurts so much to respect this and make proper use of our expertise.

 

Regards

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At the end of the day we are the Directors of Photography and therefore have a right to ensure our work is respected and processed correctly to reach its rightful potential. So many directors - a lot of them without knowing what they are doing – colour correct and stuff the picture up. Then the film gets a release one way or another, people view it and the DOP’s reputation is on the line.

 

Whoah, lets get one thing straight. You don't have the right to grading that footage. The director and the production company would be very, very smart to involve you and your visual talents, but you are not entitled. The director steers the ship and the production company owns that movie, end of story. If they don't want you involved, you won't be involved. I don't think that would be good for either party- the movie will look better if the DP can have input into the CC conversation, and the DP will feel that his work is better done having been involved in the final step- but such is life sometimes.

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Whoah, lets get one thing straight. You don't have the right to grading that footage.

 

I can't edit my post, but I should have added to this sentence, "unless you successfully get it agreed-to in your contract that you have the right to be there, and even then it doesn't give you any right to overrule a director no matter how bad you find his visual sense."

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I've colorized about 90% of the projects I've worked on as a DP. The big difference between myself and other DP's however is that instead of sitting next to the colorist... I am the colorest. My advice is to invest time into learning the various tools of the trade, and you'll have better leverage as a DP.

 

As for the power struggle, its up to the director. If you don't like that, then I suggest networking with directors who are really big into artistic delegation when it comes to things like lighting and color - these guys tend to be actor/performance focused directors.

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Whoah, lets get one thing straight. You don't have the right to grading that footage. The director and the production company would be very, very smart to involve you and your visual talents, but you are not entitled. The director steers the ship and the production company owns that movie, end of story. If they don't want you involved, you won't be involved. I don't think that would be good for either party- the movie will look better if the DP can have input into the CC conversation, and the DP will feel that his work is better done having been involved in the final step- but such is life sometimes.

 

 

Let’s get one thing straight, I said that “I believe as DOPs we should be PART of the colour correction and mastering process”.

 

This does not mean I am overruling nor have any intention of overruling directors and producers but merely there to finish my job and assist with the CC and mastering.

 

A DOP not having a say in CC is like you going to a tailor, ordering him to make you a jacket and in the end trying to do the lining yourself.

 

Lots of DOPs have clauses in their contracts about the CC process and there is good reason for it, and, if you sign my contract that has a CC clause will mean I have the right to be part of the process. So what is the argument here?

 

I am so tired of being told who steers the ship. I know who does… and when my Camera Assistant, Gaffer or Grip come up with a suggestion I tend to listen and this has never sunk any ship.

 

But thanks for the lecture mate.

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I know and work with lots of DPs who color correct their work and I don't know a single one who consistently gets a signed contract that stipulates that he MUST be allowed to be part of color correction. Where so you get the idea that lots of DPs have that in their contracts? It's certainly not common here.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I know and work with lots of DPs who color correct their work and I don't know a single one who consistently gets a signed contract that stipulates that he MUST be allowed to be part of color correction. Where so you get the idea that lots of DPs have that in their contracts? It's certainly not common here.

 

I don’t want to waste my life discussing this topic; this is neither an idea of mine nor my invention. It is a common business practice.

 

Here is a section of Mr. David Mullen ASC entry, as he explained in his post on the first page of this thread:

 

Now in terms of having the right to be asked to color-correct the movie, that's common in most contracts for DP's. As for getting paid to be there, that's an issue of debate. It's not common right now, but it should be for no other reason than one should be paid for one's work, and post work is work. This is not a hobby, it's a job. For me to spend nearly a month doing the D.I. for a feature surrounded by people getting paid to be there -- colorist, editor, post supervisor, director, etc. -- and me being the only person there working for free is ridiculous.”

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Whoah, lets get one thing straight. You don't have the right to grading that footage.

 

A DP don't has the right to CC, but the duty and responsibility to do it.

Looking at CC as a separate process from shooting is totally wrong in my book.

 

No self respecting still photographer would leave it up to the kid in the lab, to develop his negatives and do his prints. As half of a film is sound, so is half of a picture the lab process.

So controlling this part of the picture making is of the same importance, like controlling light and shutter. Is there any reason, a DP should only be involved in half of the process? Sounds ridiculous to me.

 

I grade all my material myself, to make sure I get the right look and quality at the end (and I´m faster too) :)

 

I know that this is handled different in most of the industry but things are changing and they must change. The way it is handled now is plain silly.

 

Grading should be a part of the schooling/apprenticeship of any DP. I was teaching camera and editing for several years at the University of Salzburg and CC was always involved. At the end, all of my students where able to CC their films.

 

If all DPs would have the training to use a DaVinci and if the studios would look at CC, as "part two" of the job of photography (what it actually is), there would be no problem. They have to pay someone for grading anyway, why not the DP?

 

my ct2 - Frank

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  • 1 month later...

Your "right"? Hmmm, that would not sit well with me as a director. As far as I'm concerned I'm the only one that has the "right" to colour correct a film I directed.

 

I would certainly include the DOP if geographically and logistically possible, of course I would take his input.

 

Answer me this, you are in the colour correction suite and the director says I want more red and you say you want more blue, who wins that battle? Do you think a DOP has the right to overrule a director in the cc suite?

 

R,

 

My question is..why did you hire a DP in the first place? Why not shoot it yourself? As per your assesment, these are things that are discussed in pre-pro...the mood, the color scheme etc. I am now in the process of CCing a feature I shot almost 2 years ago and I am being paid for something I'd done eagerly for free then. The Director decided to do it himself. One scene...a rundown tenement apartment in NYC in the winter at night looks like it was shot outside in a sunny day. No mood whatsoever to go with the story. The film is going to be bought by an European distributor under the condition that the DP (That's me) does a better job of timing and CC.I think there should be only one director on the set running the show, and I am always willing to contribute to his/her vision with my experience of 40 years shooting high end commercials and independent films. So, let me help you, I know I am not hired to work on my new Demo Reel. The main problem for DPs is that people don't look at a crappy job of CCing and say "It's the Director's fault", it's always your name that comes up.

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  • 1 month later...

I've watched this post with interest the last few days, going to give my option for what it's worth.

First a bit about myself. I'm kinda new to being a professional Director of Photography, I have a background in advertising stills photography, shooting for pretty much all the biggest ad agencies in Europe and the USA. So I know about "Sharks and Egos" and know what I'm talking about with the creative process.

 

First I always ask for a grading clause and almost always get it (my clause is not a strong as the one posted, I mean I'm not shooting for my Mum!!!!)

It's part of a process and trust. I talk with the director, we listen. I take stills of each set-up, graded it in Lightroom, send it to the director, discuss it. Sometimes he/she tells me why they are not sure (remember we are the directors eyes, but they are our second pair of eyes too.). It tends to work.

 

I've read some pretty strong opinions here from directors. You should get to a place where what the DOP wants is what you want. You need to learn to trust. My experience of creativity tells me it takes many eyes to make a single vision. Maybe you should drop your egos for five minutes, learn to use the people round you, get the best from them, trust them or fire them. Simple as. You as the director will benefit from this more then anyone else. It's your film.

 

So far I've been very lucky with the directors and producers I've worked with, yeah I have to fight a bit, but people soon understand I'm fighting for the film as a whole, not for my ego. But those fights are few and and far between. Funny the times when the door has been shut to me with grading and DI are few, but always have the same issue, that is poor performances and there is only ONE person to blame for that and no amount of fancy grading is going to fix that.

 

That's the way I see it and so far I've enjoyed some great collaboration with some director I respect and trust and in turn seem to trust me.

 

 

Gareth Munden London.

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